If you love beer as much as I do, then you really need to try Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock. But wait. Maybe you don’t love beer, instead harboring a deep inner yearning for chocolate. Then too, this beer is for you. That’s because Chocolate Bock is aged on a bed of rich gourmet chocolate to impart a wonderful flavor that truly makes this beer like no other you’ve tasted before.

From the very beginning, it’s readily apparent this is no ordinary beer. The attractive silver label is actually embossed pewter, simply set against the brown glass bottle. That bottle is larger than most at 750ml, as is the price. At $14, Chocolate Bock is certainly not an inexpensive beer. Nor is it meant to be.

That’s because Chocolate Bock is a very special beer, released just in time for Valentines Day. It’s the perfect gift for the beer or chocolate lover on your list, and it’s the perfect size to be shared by two too. A romantic beer. A lovers’ beer. Who knew? And hey, just try to find your sweetheart a chocolate wine.

When my beloved Barbara, wonderful gal that she is, bought me a bottle, I couldn’t wait until February 14th to pop it open. So here we go.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock pours to a deep brownish black color with a thick creamy head and a malty, dry cocoa nose. The palate is sweet malty at first, full bodied with a thick and pleasing mouthfeel. A very tasty bock with nutty malt flavors and hints of molasses and chocolate malt, the complexity of the beer increases into the finish as the the genuine chocolate notes intensify and combine with a gentle kiss of hops. This leaves the impression of bittersweet chocolate on the tongue.

I know I’m using the word chocolate a lot here, but the chocolate flavor truly permeates this beer. You taste at first sip, then the malt flavors come through, and then the chocolate re-emerges in the finish. I have enjoyed chocolate stouts in the past, but never a chocolate bock. In its own way, this beer works wonderfully. Different than chocolate stout, but delightful all the same.

This is going to be a rare one, folks, with very limited distribution. I strongly suggest you buy it when you see it. Beverage Resort in Marietta, Georgia, was the source of my bottle, and they didn’t have many left. And the beer hasn’t been out that long.

Is the price too steep? I don’t think so. Would you skimp on chocolates or roses? And how much would you pay for wine for your Valentine? In that context, Chocolate Bock is a bargain at the price. And hey, it seems there’s a little Cupid in every bottle. I know I fell in love from the very first sip.