Happy anniversary, Westbrook Brewing Company of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina! You’re three years old in 2014! Opened in 2011, Westbrook has fast gained renown in beer enthusiast circles for the fine beers they produce. To celebrate their anniversary, Westbrook released Orange Bliss 3^rd Anniversary Chocolate Orange Stout. It’s your anniversary, Westbrook, but we the beer drinkers get the present.

Here’s what Westbrook says about the beer on the label:

Our third anniversary beer is inspired by the classic combination of dark chocolate and oranges. A dark and roasty imperial stout is infused with cocoa nibs, copious amounts of fresh oranges, and a hint of vanilla. Can be enjoyed now or cellared up to one year.

Cellared? They didn’t have to tell me twice. I’m all about hanging onto beer for a while. OK, in this case it wasn’t a year though, I couldn’t resist and drank it in August of 2014, with about 8 months of age.

My 22-ounce bottle of Westbrook Orange Bliss was bottled on 12/17/2013. The beer has an alcohol content of 9.1% by volume and 60 IBUs. I paid $7.99 for it at Bullock’s liquors in Woodstock, Georgia.

Westbrook Orange Bliss 3^rd Anniversary Chocolate Orange Stout pours to a jet black color with a very thick and creamy tan head formation and a deep dark chocolaty nose laced with hints of orangey citrus and light phenols (only demerit). Then you take a sip and whoa! The chocolate is all over you on this one, dark bittersweet chocolate to be exact. I’ve had a lot of beers that offer dark chocolate, but few equate to this one in that regard. It’s really like a bar of dark German chocolate melted into a glass. The thick, viscous mouthfeel lends to that impression, too. 

Oh wait, did they say oranges? They are here, too friends, offering up some juicy, citrusy notes that might be bright in another beer, but really get drowned out in this beer. Suffice it to say they show up, and with all the deep dark chocolaty goodness going on, that’s a feat in itself.

Truly a magnificent brew. 4.5 stars in my book, and I’m only marking off for the phenols. Shall we see this delicious beer again Westbrook? I for one sure hope so.

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

 

 



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