Sam Adams Chocolate Bock

I recently sat down with Koch to taste the Chocolate Bock. Here are some of his thoughts on the brew:

Beer Monday: Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock
Fall is here, and the weather is turning cool. For most people, that makes it time to think about stuff like winter wardrobes, gift-giving and heating oil. But beer fans have a different concern --new batches of thick, rich and warming seasonal brews.

One beer to look for this fall is the 2008 Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock. It's a sweet, creamy elixir, a perfect winter treat.

Sold in a distinctive 750 ml amber bottle with an embossed pewter label, the Chocolate Bock is one of the Boston Beer Company's "extreme brews," part of the same family as its incredibly unique Utopias. Boston Beer founder and chairman Jim Koch uses these beers to push the limits of his art, to come up with new flavors, or to experiment with new takes on old ones.

I recently sat down with Koch to taste the Chocolate Bock. Here are some of his thoughts on the brew:


As Jim points out, there are other chocolate beers in the world. Many, like Brooklyn Brewery's superlative Black Chocolate Stout, don't actually contain chocolate. They're brewed from roasted barley malt, toasted so dark that it gives off some of the same flavor compounds as cocoa. But during the brewing process for Samuel Adams' Chocolate Bock, they steep premium chocolate nibs into the brew --"Cru Sauvage" from Swiss chocolatier Felchlin, made from wild Bolivian cocoa beans. So there's lots of actual chocolate in the bottle.

As a result, this is a hugely chocolate beer. When you first pour a glass and take a sniff, it smells a little bit like you've walked into a candy store --there's an aroma of cocoa, but also of caramel and vanilla. The malt smell is strong, but there's little presence of alcohol. It smells like a confection more than a beer.

Even so, I was surprised by the taste. The best way I can describe it is like melted premium chocolate ice cream; it's smooth, velvety on the tongue, with strong flavors of chocolate and vanilla. It's rich and complex, but not overly sweet or cloying. It's also surprisingly drinkable, not too thick, and the alcohol content all but hidden.

Naturally, Chocolate Bock would work brilliantly as an after-dinner beer, or as a treat on a cold day. And it would be amazing if you used it in a beer float -- pour a glass and drop in a scoop or two of ice cream.

After Jim left our office after the tasting, I had a bit of Chocolate Bock left in the bottle, and brought it into our newsroom to share. It was universally well received, even by people who professed not to care for beer.



Rating: 2008 Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock: A

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock Mousse Cake
Recipe by Chef David Burke 


Devil's Food Cake: 
2 ounces unsalted butter 
1 cup sugar 
1/3 cup cocoa powder 
2 eggs 
1 cup cake flour 
½ teaspoon baking powder 
½ teaspoon baking soda 
½ teaspoon salt 
½ cup warm water 
¼ cup Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock 
¼ cup canola oil 
Method: Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat until incorporated. Sift the dry ingredients together. Mix in the butter mixture. Add the water, Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, and oil gradually and mix until smooth. Place in a buttered nine inch cake pan and bake at 325 degrees for about twenty minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Chocolate Mousse: 
2 cups heavy whipping cream 
2 cups dark chocolate chips 
2 cups heavy whipping cream 
Method:Boil the first amount of heavy cream. Pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Whip the second amount of heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for one hour.

Chocolate Frosting: 
4 eggs 
1 cup powdered sugar 
1 cup baker's chocolate chopped 
4 ounces soft butter 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
2/3 cup sugar 
¼ cup water 
¼ cup Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock 
Method:Melt the baker's chocolate over a double boiler. Beat the eggs and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Place the water, Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock and sugar in a saucepan and cook to 240 degrees. Pour the hot sugar syrup over the egg mixture and continue to beat for one minute. Mix in the melted baker's chocolate and soft butter.

Assembly:Cut the devil's food cake into two layers. Place the bottom layer of cake into an 8" cake ring. Spread the chocolate mousse in an even layer on the bottom cake, inside of the ring. Place the top layer of cake in next, and push down gently to make the layers even. Spread an even layer of frosting over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for four to eight hours. Remove the ring mold, slice and serve.

This dessert pairs perfectly with Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock so make sure to save a bit from the 750ml bottle for drinking. Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock is available now and makes a great gift. But act fast as we only brewed a few batches!



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