Beer of the Week

The beer: Black Chocolate Stout

The brewery: Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, New York

Description (from the website): "Originally our Brewmaster Garrett Oliver’s resume beer, Black Chocolate Stout is now a wintertime favorite among beer fans worldwide. Rich roasted malts come together to create an unmistakable dark chocolate flavor perfect for special occasions and late nights by the fire."

Would I buy it again? Not to question their description, but as a beer fan who lives a lot closer to Brooklyn than the average person and as someone who's spent a fair amount of time actually in Brooklyn, I'm not sure how legitimate their claim of this being "a wintertime favorite" for beer fans worldwide. I've never heard of it before buying it this year. Which is a shame, because this is a very good beer. Rich, chocolately but not overly sweet, well balanced, it's an excellent winter beer. I would definitely buy this again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Slice Sipper

The brewery: Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, New York

Description (from the website): "We teamed up with Mike's Hot Honey to collaborate on this easy sipping brew designed for your favorite slice! Light and effervescent, Slice Sipper is a farmhouse ale hopped with Hallertau Blanc for bright citrus and peppercorn aromas combined with a touch of mild chili pepper heat from adding Mike's Hot Honey directly to the brew! Pizza sold separately."

Would I buy it again? This beer is honestly fairly good, with a pleasant spicy heat building on the aftertaste. Pretty easy to drink, and you know what? It does go quite well with pizza. Is it the best match with pizza I've ever had though? No, I don't think so. At least not with pepperoni pizza. The heat of the pepperoni and the heat of this beer don't quite mesh. I think a more typical wheat ale is a better match. I wouldn't say no to buying it again, but I also wouldn't go out of my way for more.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Sorachi Ale

Brewed by: Brooklyn Brewery, New York

Description (from the bottle): "Brooklyn Sorachi Ale is a bright saison built around the unique flavors of its namesake hop. The Sorachi Ale hop brings a zesty lemongrass aroma and complex citrus flavors, which we matched up with clean malts and playful Belgian yest. Golden, unfiltered, and cracklingly dry, Brooklyn Sorachi Ale glows in the glass and pairs wonderfully with seafood, fresh cheeses, and more. Go ahead, pour yourself some liquid sunshine."

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. Sorry Brooklyn, but I've had better saisons. This didn't do enough to really distinguish itself from the rest. Not bad, just forgettable.