Young's Double Chocolate Stout
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with roasted malt, cocoa powder, and a faint vanilla undertone — straightforward and inviting without being cloying. On the palate, milk chocolate and dark roast coffee are the dominant flavors, backed by the residual sweetness that lactose contributes to the style. The body is medium-full and smooth, with a softness that rounds out what might otherwise be sharp roast edges. The finish is moderately sweet with a mild bitter chocolate linger that keeps it from feeling like dessert.
About the Brewery
Young's is a London-based brewing name with roots going back to the Ram Brewery in Wandsworth, one of the oldest brewery sites in England. The brewing operations were eventually merged with Charles Wells in 2006, forming Wells & Young's, and production moved to Bedford. The Double Chocolate Stout is their most internationally recognized beer, widely distributed and a long-standing reference point for the sweet stout category.
Food Pairings
A cheeseburger with aged cheddar works well here because the beer's roast cuts through fat while its sweetness plays off caramelized beef. Vanilla ice cream or a chocolate brownie pairs naturally given the shared cocoa and lactose notes. Smoked pulled pork finds a good match in the beer's roasted backbone and residual sugar, which mirror a good barbecue glaze. Oysters on the half shell are a classic stout pairing — the brininess contrasts the sweetness in a way that sharpens both. Aged gouda, with its butterscotch and nutty character, mirrors the beer's malt-forward profile without competing with it.
Style Guide
Milk stout, sometimes called sweet stout, is defined by the addition of lactose — a sugar derived from milk that brewing yeast cannot ferment, leaving behind residual sweetness and a fuller body. The style originated in early 20th century England, partly marketed as a tonic for nursing mothers and hospital patients, though that era is long past. It sits in the broader stout family but is distinguishable from dry Irish stouts by its sweetness and softer roast character, and from imperial stouts by its modest ABV and approachable profile. Chocolate additions, as in this beer, are common and amplify the style's natural cocoa and vanilla tendencies.