Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Restaurants Beer pick of the week: Dos Cocoas chocolate porter
Posted by Jeff Holland on Tue, Jan 20, 2009 at 10:43 PM
The fourth offering in the Terrapin Side Project series is a porter brewed with two kinds of Ecuadorean cocoa provided by Cacao Atlanta. Sixty pounds of cocoa powder are added after the boil. the finished beer is then aged on 60 pounds of cocoa nibs, lightly roasted cocoa beans crushed into coarse chunks.
Traditional porters often have some chocolate flavors from roasted specialty malts, so the addition of chocolate is a natural extension of the style. Terrapin thankfully avoids chocolate overload to create a subtle chocolate aroma and flavor complemented by dry, peaty malts. It tastes initially of powdery cocoa, just as advertised, with some smoky malts, raisin, caramel and earth. Bittersweet chocolate and coffee notes add to the complexity.
Hop flavor seems limited to some grassy, hay-like notes and a bit of citrusy tang that may also come from the yeast. Bitterness is subdued but more than adequate to counter the malts, which are pleasantly dry and toasty. The solid, consistent body lends a pleasing mouthfeel from beginning to end — smooth and mouth-coating, with a gentle carbonation. Alcohol becomes a bit more evident as it warms, but I would be surprised if it were more than 7 percent.
Dos Cocoas is a fantastic, easy-drinking porter in the English tradition. I could drink it all day. This is no Snickers bar, but it would certainly pair well with one.
(Photo by Jeff Holland)
Comments (3)
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This sounds like something I'd like to try. Would it be possible to post store(s) currently carrying your beer selection?
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I saw this one in Whole Foods on Ponce a couple of weeks ago. It's a bit too weak bodied for my taste, but my wife loved it (and she almost never likes any beers I pick up). It is really easy to drink. From Terrapin I much prefer their Wake and Bake series, which this year has been in very short supply. Strange, because I think this is one of their best beers, after Rye-squared DIPA. Speaking of stores: Jeff, you know where I can find Peche Mortel?
I have seen Dos Cocoas at most of the good liquor stores in my neck of the woods (NE ATL). Green's, of course, Toco Giant, Tower on Buford Highway, Decatur Wine and Spirits. Although I have checked, I would suspect you could also find it at Total Wine and More (Kennesaw and Perimeter), Sherlock's (East Cobb, Brookhaven Town Center), Mac's (Midtown), Bullock's (Marietta)and Pearson's (Buckhead). I originally did post where you could find the beer picks, but there are just too many stores and too spread out to cover. I suggest looking for the best stores in your area using Beer Advocates BeerFly feature, then giving the store a call: http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/ (Be sure to click on Georgia and check for suburban listings as well as Atlanta). This list of stores is well out of date, but is a handy quick reference: http://www.beerinfo.com/atlbeer/stores.html As for Peche Mortel, I know I saw some in the Belgian cooler at Green's on Ponce. Bottom shelf, back of the cooler. Hurry!
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