If you don’t drink beer often, you might have some preconceived notions of what a beer should look and taste like. You probably have images of yellow or amber, fizzy, frothy beer that has a sweet corn, cereal grain, slight citrus, and piney flavor. There’s nothing wrong with that image. It’s just that there’s a lot more to beer than lagers, pilsners, and other lighter beers. This is especially true when it comes to colder-weather beer.
We’re talking about strong ales, barleywines, Scotch ales, stouts, and porters. But today, we’re specifically talking about the last two. This is because these beers (while each has its own different flavor profile) are known for their malty, dark, bold, robust, and rich flavor profiles perfectly suited for cold-weather drinking.
And while we could write multiple articles referencing the various flavors of roasted malts, coffee, and caramel found in many of these cold-weather beers. We’re going to key in on one flavor in particular for this story: chocolate.
When the frigid chill of Jack Frost himself makes your bones feel like they’re made of icicles, a warming cup of hot chocolate seems like the only respite. Well, we tend to disagree and this is mostly because we try to booze up experiences whenever possible. If it was up to us, instead of that tiny marshmallow-filled mug of hot cocoa, we’d drink a chocolate beer instead.
Lucky for you, there are myriad beer options for chocolate and beer fans. Also, lucky for you, we took the time to find ten of the best available. Keep scrolling to see the porters and stouts loaded with bold, rich chocolate flavor guaranteed to not only appeal to your wintry sweet tooth but also warm you up from inside out.
Rogue Double Chocolate Stout
With a name like Rogue Double Chocolate Stout, you have a pretty good idea of what you’re in for when you crack this beer open. This 9 percent imperial stout gets its bold, rich, sweet, milk chocolate flavor from being brewed with 2-row, C120, Chocolate, and Munich malts. It gets added flavor from the addition of rolled oats, roasted barley, honey, chocolate, Pacman yeast, and Cascade hops. It’s known for its mix of roasted malts and rich chocolate.
- Origin: Oregon
- ABV: 9%
- Price Range: $14.99-15.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
There are few beers on the market more indulgent and memorable than the wildly popular Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. Originally a beer that Brooklyn’s Brewmaster Garrett Oliver used as his “resume beer”, this Russian imperial stout is known for its mix of roasted malts and rich, dark chocolate.
It’s so velvety, sweet, and decadent that it’s most appropriate as a beer to enjoy after a heavy meal (the holidays are filled with them, right?). Better yet, crack open a bottle and pour it over a bowl of French vanilla ice cream. You’ll be very happy you did.
- Origin: New York
- ABV: 10%
- Price Range: $12.99-14.99 for a six-pack
Saranac S’more Porter
We know that s’mores are great during the summer months. This combination of graham crackers, milk chocolate, and toasted marshmallows is pretty tough to beat while you sit around a roaring campfire. But we’re here to tell you it’s mighty tasty in beer form as well. Especially the version made by the folks at Saranac.
Brewed with Caramel, Biscuit, Brown, and roasted malts as well as chocolate and vanilla, it carries flavors of rich graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, and sweet indulgent milk chocolate. It’s a truly memorable beer that any chocolate fan should seek out.
- Origin: New York
- ABV: 6.2%
- Price Range: $10.99-11.99 for a six-pack
Southern Tier Nitro Hot Cocoa Stout
One of the best things about chocolate-centric beers is just how imaginative and exciting they can be. Southern Tier’s Nitro Hot Cocoa Stout is a great example of this. The innovative brewers at Southern Tier set out to make a beer that tastes like hot chocolate in beer form and that’s exactly what they did.
Brewed with ale yeast, six different malts, Columbus hops, cocoa powder, chocolate, marshmallow, and milk sugar, it’s known for its flavor of roasted malts, toasted marshmallows, and milk chocolate.
- Origin: New York
- ABV: 10%
- Price Range: $13.99-14.99 for a four-pack
Tröegs Grand Cacao Stout
One look at this beer’s name and you know this is going to be a chocolate lover’s dream. Not only is it cacao, but it’s grand cacao. It all starts with Chocolate malt and Caramel malt.
It gets addition bold, rich flavors from the addition of cold-steeped Peruvian cacao nibs, natural vanilla, chocolate, and milk sugar. It’s sweet, creamy, and loaded with bold, memorable chocolate flavors. This is definitely one for the chocolate-obsessed beer fans.
- Origin: Pennsylvania
- ABV: 6.5%
- Price Range: $11.99-13.99 for a six-pack
Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter
There might be no better beer for chocolate fans than Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter. It’s literally a chocolate-focused beer made in collaboration with the most well-known chocolate brand in America (if not the world).
This surprisingly seasonable, 4.7% porter is known for its mix of bold, robust roasted malts and real Hershey’s milk chocolate. It’s a nice, surprisingly easy-drinking mix of sweetness and bold malts.
- Origin: Pennsylvania
- ABV: 4.7%
- Price Range: $11.99-12.99 for a six-pack
pFriem Mexican Chocolate Stout
pFriem is a big name in the craft beer world. The Oregon-based brewery is the kind of outfit that seems to brew nothing but award-winning, memorable beers. Its pFriem Mexican Chocolate Stout is no different. A lot is going on with this beer. Brewed with Simpson’s- Marris Otter, Crystal Dark, DRC, Thomas Fawcett Pale Chocolate, and Chocolate malts as well as American ale yeast and Chinook hops.
Its bold, rich flavor comes from the addition of myriad ingredients including vanilla beans, cinnamon, nutmeg, Passilla pepper, liquid cacao, and lactose.
- Origin: Oregon
- ABV: 8.1%
- Price Range: $6.99-8.99 for a 375ml bottle
Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout
One of the reasons beer drinkers enjoy the offerings from Samuel Smith’s is the elegant simplicity of its beers. Brewed simply with organic malted barley, yeast, organic sugar, organic hops, organic cocoa extract, and well water from an 85-foot well that’s been providing water for the brewery since 1758. It’s known for its smooth, creamy, drinkable flavor profile highlighted by roasted malts and bitter dark chocolate.
- Origin: United Kingdom
- ABV: 5%
- Price Range: $10.99-11.99 for a four-pack
Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
When it comes to chocolate-centric beers, there are few more beloved and sought-after than the iconic Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout. This bourbon barrel-aged chocolate coffee stout is like a twofer. It’s known for its velvety smooth chocolate and roasted malt flavor as well as freshly brewed coffee aroma and flavor. Let’s not forget the sweet bourbon from barrel aging. It’s indulgent, sweet, and sublimely smooth.
- Origin: Michigan
- ABV: 12%
- Price Range: $24.99-25.99 for a four-pack
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
This highly-rated double chocolate stout from England’s Young’s is brewed with real chocolate as well as chocolate flavor. It’s velvety smooth, highly drinkable, and loaded with flavors like caramel, roasted malts, rich milk chocolate, and bitter chocolate.
It’s lighter than some of the other beers on this list. It’s the kind of beer you’ll feel good about drinking a few while you watch Thanksgiving football or as a pairing with heavy holiday foods.
- Origin: United Kingdom
- ABV: 5.2%
- Price Range: $11.99-12.99 for a four-pack
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