Price
Meter
Average
Wow! Did I bite off more than I could chew? I just might have when I popped a bottle of Southern Tier Choklat Orange, the latest entry in Southern Tier’s Blackwater Series of beers and a variation on their Choklat beer. What I wasn’t thinking about, though, was that Southern Tier Choklat Orange is an imperial stout of hefty alcohol content, a beer to be sipped and enjoyed slowly.
It was a warm late summer Sunday afternoon and I was determined to enjoy it out on my patio, and enjoy it there I did with my bottle of Southern Tier Choklat Orange. This might seem a strange select ion for summer, but the weather wasn’t hot and the refreshing orange character of the beer made it work surprisingly well. I enjoyed it anyway.
Southern Tier Choklat Orange is brand new for 2015. It packs quite a punch at 10% alcohol by volume, and I paid $8.99 for my bottle. Not so bad a price these days, that. My bottle was packaged on May 13th, 2015.
Southern Tier Choklat Orange pours to a jet black color with a very thick head of creamy tan foam and a rich dark chocolate nose laced with bright tart orange notes. Taking a sip, the beer is full in body with rich dark chocolate and roast followed by bright, bitter citrusy orange peel notes. I get the pithy notes of orange seed as well, and in the finish huge roasty bitter notes and a big alcohol warmth.
In many ways, this is like a dark chocolate Grand Marnier, or a Terry’s Chocolate Orange candy bar, dark chocolate version if you please. I’ll say this: the beer is balanced perfectly between dark chocolate malty notes and bright, bitter citric orange peel and I had a hard time not sipping continuously.
Another triumph for Southern Tier, and a delicious beer I will certainly be on the lookout for again. Perhaps on tap at Taco Mac?
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft