All of you chocolate lovers out there take heart. Your favorite taste sensation is now available in convenient beer form in the guise of Rogue Chocolate Stout, a truly special beer indeed. This is a brew I had been seeking for quite some time, and I finally found it back in June of last year here in a Taco Mac restaurant in Roswell, Georgia. Rogue has an excellent representation here in the Atlanta area, something area beer enthusiasts should be truly grateful for.

Originally concocted as one of the beers Rogue exports to Japan, Chocolate Stout was first bottled for the domestic market back in 2001 in honor of Valentine’s Day. Rogue claims that bottling of this beer is very limited, and I would tend to agree, since I only saw it on draft until very recently. The bottle features the stunning visage of none other than Rogue’s own avocate sans pareille Sebbie Buhler. I have had occasion to interact with Sebbie a few times via e-mail over the years and can tell you she is as dedicated to beer as anyone I know.

Would Rogue put my face on a bottle? I doubt it, at least not if they wanted to keep selling their beer. Regardless, I’m here to say that Rogue Chocolate Stout is a perfect marriage of chocolate and beer. This is an absolutely exquisite brew, and I was originally more than slightly peeved that Epinions didn’t have it listed in their database. Fortunately, that’s a situation I now am able to correct.

According to Rogue, Chocolate Stout is made with the following ingredients:

Northwest Harrington and Klages, Crystal 135-165 and Beeston Chocolate Malts, Cascade Hops, Rolled Oats and Roasted Barley, Natural (imported!) Chocolate Flavor, Free Range Coastal Waters and PacMan Yeast.

The results are amazing, and when I first sampled the beer I took the following tasting notes:

Rogue Chocolate Stout pours to a jet-black color with a creamy tan head and a chocolaty, hoppy nose. There are heavy cocoa notes here combining with roasted barley flavors in the palate giving an espresso-cappuccino like character. The finish is bittersweet and again chocolaty. Melt a glass full of Hershey’s Special Dark candies in your microwave and you’ll know what this delicious beer tastes like.

Astonishingly, the bottled Chocolate Stout I have been drinking this year is even better than I recall the draft being. It is more intensely hopped, though I suspect the draft had mellowed somewhat in that regard when I drank it in June.

In the bottle, I found Rogue Chocolate Stout to be jet-black in color with a thick and creamy tan head and a bold, very assertive Cascade hop nose. The palate is very rich and full-bodied, full of resiny, piney hop notes and plenty of roasty, intensely chocolaty flavors. The chocolate character intensifies into the finish, where it takes on a bittersweet aspect much like a fine truffle. The oats impart a smooth silkiness and dangerous drinkability. As you sip, you’ll pick up notes of espresso and roasted barley. The beer finishes with an intense bitterness (not surprising considering its 69 IBUs) and more piney Cascade character.

If I could give this beer six stars, I think I would. It’s a true delight and a wonderful marriage between the dark, roasty flavors of roasted barley and chocolate malt together with real chocolate. If you happen to be beer shopping and see Sebbie’s smiling face looking up at you, be sure to grab a few bottles. This is one beer you don’t want to miss out on.