Bison Chocolate Stout

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Pours near black with brown edging with small light cocoa colored head, with fair retention and very little, if any, lacing. The aroma is predominant bittersweet dark cocoa aroma with notes of earth and hints of caramel. The taste has a more earthy than chocolate taste with light touches on caramel and finishes with mild earthy bitterness. The mouthfeel is light in body, almost watery with weak carbonation.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

So, when was the last time a bison was spotted in Berkeley.............if ever? Makes me wonder why you name your brewing company after the animal. A highly drinkable stout with no extraordinary characteristics. Typical roasted malt, coffee and chocolate make up the nose and flavour.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Very dark brown with very attractive ruby highlights. Appears clear when held to the light. Tan head that was a bit disappointing as far as size and retention. Did leave a bit of lacing for me though. Settled to a thin ring aorund the top. A very nice freshly ground coffee bean type smell. Picking up a powdered chocolate cocoa note also. I LOVE this smell!!! The coffee aroma seems a bit heavier than the cocoa, but that is quite alright. The taste is not quite as robust as the aroma. Still adequate however. Again, the coffee comes forth with the chocolate cocoa. The malt is a bit more earthy in the taste also. Must be the organic treatment. Solid. Taste got a bit chalky the longer I sipped. Mouthfeel seemed more medium/thin than medium/full as with most Stouts. It was dry and smooth. Didn't cover the palate as well as would have liked, but it did an ok job. This is a decent little Stout. Not the best, but worth a try I think. I could go for this on occasion without any fuss. I might pick it up again if I see it. I wouldn't mind seeing and trying some of their other brews too. I do really appreciate the smell of this brew though.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Rich aroma has a firm tone of quality roast coffee and a sweet chocolate overtone. It pours a deep bubbly sable with a thick, fluffy, light tan head. Flavor is smoky and chocolaty with an undertone of molasses, slightly sweet, a bit on the thin side but still pleasing. Texture is smooth and fizzy, a bit watery but not too shabby.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 3

Come on. Just stop it. Enough already. Your beer sucks. This tastes like Yoo-hoo watered down with Milwaukee's best. Oh, wait. It's ORGANIC!!!! I love this stuff.... It's green!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Pours with a nice tan head, dark fluid that holds promise of good things to come. Then the bad. A very thin flavor, thin aroma and thin mouth feel. Unfortunately on the the most FORGETTABLE stouts I have ever come across, I guess that might be a reason to remember this one.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Pours on the thin side and that translates to the pallette - nothing thick and/or rich about it. Huge, pillowy head and a nice chocolate undertone that is present, but not offensive... not very rich either. There are far better chocolate stouts available.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

Again, another nice beer out of Cali brought back by Buddy. Pours pitch black. Aroma is pretty neutral. Nothing special and that's made it average in my opinion. Taste was dark chocolate, some earth and plenty of smoke. Overall, decent. And wish i would have had a couple more. Thanks pal!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Few years ago I brewed a few batches of beer, the first one was a Chocolate Stout where the owner of a brew store helped me with the bottling and fermented it in his stand in fridge. Long story short, that was the best of the 3 or 4 that I brewed...came out something like 8% and very well-balanced. Bison's stout has been the closest Chocolate Stout that reminded me of that brew. Wasn't as strong, but the taste was sweet and semi-hoppy. What really dissapointed me though, was that after I decided that this is a beer that I really like, I can't find it anymore. They usually have their Golden Ale, but for some reason the Chocolate Stout isn't distributed here anymore. Updated 6/21/09: Just found a 6'er of this at Whole Foods- Aventura, FL. Was going to buy a bomber in Orlando next month while on vacation to try again, so just went ahead and bought a 6 now. This beer wasn't as good as I had originally remembered....as the last time I tried it was maybe late 2007. There seemed to be a little less flavor this time, mouthfeel was a bit rusty, slightly bitter flavor with a sweet chocolate finish. Little bit of a mocha head, but not much. Still a decent choco-stout, but wouldn't say it's over a 4 as in my original review. Probably will go with Rogue's Choco or Lost Coast's 8-Ball Stout next time around.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

i would not call it "richly textures" or "charismatic", as Bison claims. This beer was a bit of a thin-bodied disappointment, as I'm usually crazy about the style. Underwhelmong all around for a choc. stout, it isn't one I'll buy again.