Bison Brewing Company - Chocolate Stout

Simply put…We Loved this beer and know that you will too! What can we say about this stout, except, "Would you like some coffee with your chocolate?" The first thing you will notice about this chocolate stout is the "motor-oil" color and the thick brown head. Its Huge roasted nose hints of coffee and chocolate malt tones. And the flavor? Wow! The guys at Bison used real Dutch cocoa when they brewed this stout, along with 2-row pale, crystal, Munich, chocolate, and roasted malts. It is balanced nicely with Centennial and Perle hops. The finish…full, roasted, a bit of coffee and the strong desire to have another sip!

Located on Berkley's infamous Telegraph Avenue, the Bison Brewing Company has been brewing unusual and exceptional beers since 1989. The brewery's unusual design was the creation of prominent architect David Baker. The building itself was designed to resemble RCA's classic logo of a phonograph faced by that cute little black and white pooch. And the creative structure that houses this brewery is indeed an excellent indication of the tasty nectars brewed inside!

In late 1997, after the existing owners unable to make the brewery profitable, offered brewer Daniel Del Grande the opportunity to take over the lease on the building and hence take over the business as well. Dan took them up on it and began major renovations. He gutted the interior and overhauled both the kitchen and the brewery. The "new" brewery includes a new brewhouse, cylindro-conical fermenters, and a new bottling line to brew and bottle their unique ales.

In 1999, Del Grande hired Chef Geoffrey Deetz to design a menu to complement their beers. The Express Newspaper classified their menu as "Extreme Cuisine". Their menu is classified into three categories - International Pizzas, Trans-Global Tacodillas, and Pan-Ethnic Mussels. Their food and brews add to a uniqueness that can only be found in Berkeley, CA.

Some of Bison's unusual award winning ales include a honey-basil ale, a pecan smoked scotch ale, a Coriander Rye, a Gingerbread Ale and our favorite…the Chocolate Stout featured this month! Each are the creations of Bison's current talented head brewer, Scott Meyer.

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (510) 841-7734 or check out their web site at www.bisonbrew.com.