Yeastie Boys 'Kid Chocolate'

[Stu McKinlay]

Looking for some honest feedback from an awesome beer community here.

Kid Chocolate runs out about now (last of the kegged lots it is on at D4 and a wee snifter on handpump will be on somewhere in Chch soon). Pot Kettle Black is fermenting and should be out in mid-June. We have plans for quite two interesting beers to come out around BrewNZ...

I'd be very interested to know what people thought of Kid Chocolate. Be brutally honest. Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like. Low abv beers are an area a huge interest to me and I personally thought it was our best beer so far.

I knew it was a long shot, being so low in alcohol and not having the excitment of something like Riwaka hops (ala Bookbinder).

I also noted that it tasted quite different from the taps at different bars. Stunning off some, cold far less flavourful flavourless in others. It also changed a bit overtime.

I've heard everything from "I reckon you should make this an all year around regular beer" to "not much cop".

I'd love to see a few see a few of the lurkers come out of hiding on this one.

Thanks for any and all feedback...

Slainte mhath, may your weekend drinking prospects look as good as mine (and my weekend starts today!).
Stu

[Reviled]

I think it was exactly what you set out to do, make a quaffing low alc beer with a whack of flavour! I admit that when it was cold and spritzy it lacked the flavour profile it potentially has, but when it warms up it really comes to life!

[Nolen Smith]

I first tasted it as the BeerFest and, to be honest, didn't like it. I *think* it was being overpowered by the 3 I had had just prior. There was an aftertaste that I didn't like but I couldn't quite put my finger on. Then I had it at ... Malthouse I think... and *loved* it. There is was perfect: refreshing with a nice balanced flavour. Finally I had it at D4 after the Tuatara visit... all I could taste was cold.... WAY too cold.

[Glynn Foster]

I had it at the BeerFest too, and while relatively inebriated by then, I enjoyed it immensely. From what I remember (hazy) it was served off a beer engine and had a nice malt profile and carbonation. I had another at D4 before the recent Hurricanes match and it was cold, fizzy, and quite disappointing.

[Mike Neilson]

Nail on the Head with fizz!! I believe a mild should not be poured from a keg!! it is just too too suttle the C02 just fucks it. It should not be poured at larger temp either again temp plays a huge probably the biggest part in slight beers such as Kid Choc!! thats my 2 cents!!! As four Kid Choc as a beer it's wounderfull!!

[Glynn Foster]

I should say for the record though, that I *love* session beers like this, so seeing similar types of ABV would not put me off one bit into buying them. As much as an Armageddon or Mayhem is nice for variety (and the latter is probably a little unfair as I'd classify it more as a session beer), I'd only ever drink one or two of them. KC, in good condition, I'd drink all night and enjoy.

[Sean]

I tried the bottled version and was very disappointed with the predominant metallic after taste, prior to this is is indeed a tasty drop. I'm a big Bookbinder fan but the after taste of Kid Chocolate won't have me trying it again. Sorry but you did ask for honesty and I'm not here to kiss ass.

[kier]

I'm afraid it wasn't a big hit at The Moutere Inn. We had it running from a bladder through a beer engine with sparkler at a constant 11-12 degrees. It just didn't have body or condition and probably rated poorly against the other beers running through the beer engines at the time (Townshend ESB & Twisted Hop Golding Bitter). There was no carbonation to speak of and the flatness of the brew was a turnoff for many punters.

I haven't tasted KC in either bottle or keg format so I don't want to comment on flavour as i don't really think I tasted it at its' best. My recommendation would be to drop using bladders as I don't think it's doing you any favours - stick with bottle or keg (with a low carbonation level a'la Renaisance). Or........invest in few pins and get into cask conditioning. Now the Free House is up and running there are at least 5 venues that might be interested?

[Stu McKinlay]

Thanks guys... keep it coming. As my Dad always said: a wink is as good as a nod to a blind man. Any thoughts you lay down here are most appreciated. They will all help us make better beer (or get it to you in a better way) in the future.

[studio1]

i had it at galbratihs, seemed a little over carbed from memory, but I liked the delicious scotch whiskey-like flavour!

[Christian]

Damn, looks like I'll miss out. Was about to try it on my first visit to the Moutere Inn but thought it more appropriate to sample the local Townshend instead.

[Greig McGill]

I said all I thought about it on ratebeer. In short, it was great and I wanted more!

[MrC]

I've already passed my thoughts on to Stu but for the sake of completeness I'll quickly summarise.

I've only ever had it at D4 and both times it was way too cold. For some reason I enjoyed it a lot more the second time, the flavour just seemed to have more life and it seemed more balanced (probably just warmer). To me it seems to be a beer for beer geeks and advanced palettes, a beer that you concentrate on and appreciate the malt balance and bitterness, etc. I think that's a pretty small market. Even my mates that appreciate good beer are looking for a beer to wow them with obvious flavours and not one they have to concentrate on and look for flavours. Having said that, we've been drinking it at D4 and not relaxing in front of a fire on a cold night appreciating a fine ale. For them Bookbinder wins the "what will have" debate but for me, I'll keep exploring KC's depths 'till it runs dry.

And by the way, is it just me or does Kid Chocolate make ya fart or what?