First sip is less chocolate than the aroma made me expect. It's got some coffee bitterness and some grains and various caramel and toffee tastes. Yes, there's a bit of chocolate floating atop the bunch, but it is hardly the defining characteristic of the beverage.
A proper swig is my next logical step. Tip-in is light carbonation with very mild milk chocolate and a goodly amount of soda water. The middle is more complex than I would expect - with toffee and caramel and grains and even a few flowers. I'm used to beers getting watery or milky in the middle, but this is just throwing a bunch of solid flavors at me. As the finish arrives, a wave of bitterness is followed immediately by a very coffee flavored malt. The bitterness and the coffee trail off into the distance.
Bottom Line: A pretty good beverage. Strikes me more as a porter than a brown ale, but it's pretty good.
2.75/5