Brews and Blues Beer and Smokin’ Blues

Fort Collins Chocolate Stout

Brewery: Fort Collins Brewery
Where: Fort Collins, CO
Beer: Chocolate Stout
Style: American Stout
IBU: 33
ABV: 4.9%

As I was browsing the single bottle selection at the World Market recently, I noticed they had added the Chocolate Stout from Fort Collins Brewery to the shelf, so I decided to grab one.  I have had several chocolate stouts in my past, and I'm always willing to spring for one I haven't tried.  I popped the top on this one and it poured with a nice creamy tan-colored head as one would expect from this style.  The opaque black coffee color also helps define this style of beer.  As far as flavor goes, this beer is what I would like to call a benchmark for a chocolate stout.  It's not the best and not the worst I have tried, but it is an excellent baseline example of what this style should be.  When this beer hits the tongue, there is a very nice balance of chocolate malt and roasted barley, with neither overpowering the other.  This brew also has a medium body... maybe slightly on the higher side of medium... and a good mouth feel at the same time. 

I'm simply impressed in an overall sense with this beer.  I couldn't find much information on their website about the ingredients, so I sent them an email to see what information they might give up to a home brewer...

** UPDATE **

I received a quick response from the Fort Collins Brewery this evening:

John,

 

            The key to this beer is the munich malt base, youve already noticed the roasted barley and chocolate, a little black adds the deeper color to reach 42 SRM.  A defining feature of our stout is its lighter body so make sure to keep the mash temp on the low side.  As for hops we use american citrus hops to get 31 IBU.  Unfortunately that about all the specifics I can give you, good luck.

 

Doug Smith 

Production Supervisor 

The Fort Collins Brewery