When we were kids, we couldn’t get enough candy. Especially around Halloween. We’d eat Sour Patch Kids, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Skittles until our stomachs ached. As we grew, our tolerance for fistfuls of candy decreased exponentially. But we still want a taste of chocolate every now and then (okay, fine — daily). Sometimes in beer form.
There are myriad beers perfect for chocolate fans. We’re talking about porters, stouts, and other bold dark, warming beers. Some specifically use cocoa nibs or other chocolate-derived flavors in their recipes while others simply have a chocolate-like flavor that will appeal to dark chocolate fans.
As Halloween approaches, we asked a handful of well-known brewers and craft beer experts to tell us their picks for the best beers to scratch that chocolate itch. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Ommegang Three Philosophers
Rob Day, vice principal of marketing for Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham, Massachusetts
ABV: 9.7%
Average Price: $14.99 for a four-pack
Why This Beer?
Ommegang Three Philosophers Double Chocolate is my go-to chocolate beer. I went to the archives a bit for this one. Three Philosophers is great to begin with but dose it with some Taza chocolate and you get an incredibly rich flavor.
Lervig Barrel-Aged Molten Double Chocolate Fudge Cake Supreme
Basil Lee, co-founder of Finback Brewery in Glendale, New York
ABV: 12.1%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
When I think chocolate, I automatically go to stouts. There are a lot of other styles that have chocolate notes, but sometimes the best answers are the obvious ones. Lervig’s Barrel-Aged Molten Double Chocolate Fudge Cake Supreme is what I would go for. I’m not being snarky here, but the flavor that makes it great?
Well, chocolate. Seriously, I think chocolate speaks for itself and pretty much everyone likes it. And fudgy chocolate just means more chocolate and tongue-satisfying sweetness.
Corporate Ladder Purchase Order 002
Ryan Pachmayer, head brewer at Yak & Yeti Brewpub and Restaurant in Arvada, Colorado
ABV: 12%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Corporate Ladder’s Purchase Order 002. It’s rich Hershey’s chocolate flavors, really fun and interesting. Brewed with Haitian and Ugandan cocoa nibs as well as Ugandan vanilla beans, this stout is a chocolate lover’s dream.
Maui Imperial Coconut Porter
Judy Neff, co-founder and brewer at Checkerspot Brewing Company in Baltimore
ABV: 9.4%
Average Price: $23.99 for a 750ml bottle
Why This Beer?
Maui Imperial Coconut Porter is my pick. I know it’s coconut, but the rich chocolate flavors with the coconut are what make this beer amazing. It’s like a Mounds bar in beer form. Chocolate, toasted coconut, indulgent perfection.
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Dan Schmelzer, head brewer at the Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Seattle Taproom & Beer Sanctuary in Seattle
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $9.99 for a four-pack
Why This Beer?
I’m going to venture across the pond to London for this one – Young’s Double Chocolate Stout is a low-ABV stout compared to its American counterparts, clocking in at a mere 5.2% ABV yet packed with a genuine dark chocolate profile that is simultaneously rich though easy drinking for a long session of rainy day consumption at the local pub.
Left Hand Milk Stout
Kyle Warren, lead brewer at Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company in Framingham, Massachusetts
ABV: 6%
Average Price: $10.99 for a six-pack
Why This Beer?
Left Hand Milk Stout. Remember when milk stout was one of the only beers that brewers were putting unfermentable sugar into? I do, and personally, I miss those days. Rich and chocolatey, yet light on the pallet, Left Hand’s Milk Stout is a fine example of the style that has stood the test of time and is always a welcomed pour.
Boulder Beer Shake Chocolate Porter
Ty Nash, head brew master at Little Dry Creek Brewery in Greenwood Village, Colorado
ABV: 5.9%
Average Price: $10.99 for a six-pack
Why This Beer?
I’m partial to Boulder Beer Shake Chocolate Porter. A solid chocolate flavor throughout this beer. Coffee, cocoa nibs, and buttery caramel can also be found throughout this decadent, warming beer. Who needs chocolate candy when you can have one of these?
New Glarus Uff-Da
Garth E. Beyer, certified Cicerone® and owner and founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin
ABV: 6.7%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
When I say New Glarus, you might think Spotted Cow, but the beer that I think of is Uff-da. It’s a bock with a rich bouquet of aromas, deep chocolate, and coffee undertones that blend with toast and just a touch of fig newtons. I’ll offer the same recommendation that Dan Carey of New Glarus does: let Uff-da warm up a bit to get its full and rich sweetness impact.
Odell Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout
Nico Cervantes, brewer at Resolute Brewing in Centennial, Colorado
ABV: 8.5%
Average Price: $15.99 for a six-pack
Why This Beer?
Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout – Odell Brewing Company. When I think of beers that contain chocolate, I can’t think of another beer that epitomizes that flavor more than Lugene. It’s a chocolate milk stout that absolutely delivers on chocolate flavor without forgetting about or sacrificing any fundamental elements of great beer. If you find a barrel-aged version, don’t hesitate to try it out.
New Holland Dragon’s Milk
Max Shafer, brew master at Roadhouse Brewing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
ABV: 11%
Average Price: $16.99 for a four-pack
Why This Beer?
New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk Stout is a beer for chocolate fans. It’s a bourbon-barrel-aged stout known for its bold chocolate and espresso notes, each one hugging your tastebuds and leaving you warmed throughout. It isn’t every day that you can find a beer as bold and rich as this, which is why I find it to be such an exceptionally great beer for chocolate fans.
