Speakeasy / TCHO – Black Hand Chocolate Milk Stout

San Francisco, CA – Speakeasy Ales & Lagers and local San Francisco chocolatier, TCHO, have collaborated on a brand new beer for 2014 called Black Hand, a Chocolate Milk Stout.

“There just didn’t seem to be a whole lot of milk stouts out there,” said Brandon Borgel, the brewery’s Director of Sales & Marketing. “We’ve done a few pilot batches in the past and we’ve absolutely fallen in love with the style. It’s a nice departure from the hoppy, West Coast-style beers that people have come to know and love from us.”

The brewery teamed up with Brad Kintzer, Head Chocolatier at San Francisco’s TCHO Chocolate, who recommended a special blend of Ecuadorian cacao nibs, which lend a subtle nutty character. The coarsely ground raw nibs are added twice in the brewing process, and provided incredible depth to the chocolate-y flavors and aromas.

“We were looking to create distinct milk chocolate flavors not only with the addition of raw chocolate, but throughout the recipe of the beer as a whole,” said Brewmaster Kushal Hall. “We added lactose to create a creamy body and natural sweetness to the beer, oats to accentuate the silky mouth-feel, and de-husked chocolate malts to provide a softer flavor without too much bitter roast.”

The term “black hand” refers to the Prohibition-era practice in which mobsters would stamp the kidnapped victim’s handprint on a ransom note. As a nod to that history, Speakeasy hid a secret note in the design of the screen-printed bottles, which they are daring their fans to find. “If you should find it, you’ll know exactly what to do,” says Borgel.

The Black Hand (6.9% ABV, 37 IBU) will be available on shelves in 22oz bottles and on draft January through March. Visit the brewery’s website at goodbeer.com for more information.
.