Yes, Double Mountain Brewery released its Chocolate Stout as its final seasonal of 2020 in November (when I received a bottle), but I drank it the first week of this year as a nice transition into this new decade. Chocolate Stout is a moderate-strength 6.8% ABV with 55 IBUs, and a collaboration:

This delectable Chocolate Stout will add some comfort to your palate with a touch of sweetness making you think of powder days and good things to come. Brewed in collaboration with Ranger Chocolate Co., this smooth stout is perfect for cooler days. Notes of dark bread, baking chocolate, molasses, and dark fruit lead into a dry finish.

Ranger Chocolate Company is based in Portland that produces specialty chocolate bars and goodies. It’s not clear to me how the chocolate was incorporated into the beer — the press release quoted brewer Jen House as saying “cocoa” — but one thing to note is that this is not a pastry stout but a proper stout with chocolate. It’s “stout forward” as it were, with chocolate incorporated in a supporting role but not cloying or dessert-y.

Appearance: Opaque, dark brown to nearly black in color, with a big, creamy, dense light brown head with a whipped foam appearance.

Smell: Bitter dark chocolate with malty, lightly roasted grain notes with some cold brew coffee, toasted grains, some gently fruity esters (nothing overly specific), cocoa, and a hint of char.

Taste: Nice blend of a roasty stout, with deeply bitter dark chocolate flavors, including dry roasted barley, and fruity berries and currants (from the chocolate, I assume). Like a really nice bar of dark chocolate, with a roasty dry stout poured over it, quite nice.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a good roastiness and a dry finish.

Overall: Quite nice, a super solid dry stout with a great touch of dark chocolate.