ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Every release from the Genesee Brew House Pilot Batch series is a unique spin on a time-honored style. Before each beer makes its way into bottles, it’s first perfected by Brewmaster Dean Jones on the 20-barrel Pilot Batch system at the Genesee Brew House and tested by hundreds of Genesee Brew House patrons. The latest examples of this approach are Genesee Brew House Dark Chocolate Scotch Ale and Genesee Brew House Coffee Stout, each unique to their respective style and each the perfect holiday companion.
“I’ve been a huge fan of Hedonist Chocolates ever since our first collaboration, and I’m constantly inspired by their work,” Jones said. “We also have an incredible coffee scene here in Rochester, so it was natural for us to take our favorite things and give these particular beers our own seasonal spin.”
A Decadent Duality
Jones first collaborated with Rochester’s nationally recognized Hedonist Artisan Chocolates in 2014 when Hedonist sourced the chocolate for the wildly popular Genesee Brew House Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter. The Dark Chocolate Scotch Ale is a natural evolution of Genesee’s partnership with Hedonist. Much like the Pilot Batch series, Hedonist offers constant, unique riffs on sweet staples.
Jones found the Genesee Brew House flagship, Scotch Ale, paired perfectly with silky Hedonist 72 percent dark chocolate for a decadent flavor finish. The 7.5 percent brew is a full-bodied beer with decadent flavors and aromas of dark chocolate swirling around rich malt notes of caramel and toffee, creating an elegant and complex experience.
Finding Perfect Balance
Jones’ penchants for experimentation and coffee blend together in the Genesee Brew House Coffee Stout. He was amazed by how many varieties of coffee beans and blends mix together and how each one carries its own special taste profile — much like the hops he works with every day. That’s why it took two years of experimentation with a variety of coffee beans from coffee roasters in the Fingers Lakes and Western New York and some international beans and coffee flavors, to nail down this recipe. With so many aromas and flavors accentuated at different points in the brewing process, the final coffee mixture combines elements of 10-15 different recipes. The result is an ale that’s an English-style stout at its core — robust and dry, but with an extra punch of roast and huge coffee notes in the nose and on the tongue from its custom blend.
The limited-edition Dark Chocolate Scotch Ale will be available in four-pack bottles and Coffee Stout Ale in six-pack bottles, as well as on draft in select bars and restaurants, including Genesee Brew House in Rochester. Beer drinkers can purchase Dark Chocolate Scotch Ale at select locations throughout the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes, and Coffee Stout throughout upstate New York. To find where Dark Chocolate Scotch Ale and Coffee Stout are available, visit Genesee’s online beer finder.
For more information about Dark Chocolate Scotch Ale and Coffee Stout, as well as other Genesee Brew House Pilot Batch beers, visit geneseebeer.com or follow Genesee on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Genesee Brew House Pilot Batch
Each beer in the Pilot Batch series is originally created and first crafted on the 20-barrel pilot system in the Genesee Brew House, and is then proudly brewed and bottled at the Genesee Brewery. Since 2012, Dean Jones, award-winning brewer with more than 25 years of brewing experience, has been the Brewmaster of the Pilot Batch system in the Genesee Brew House. He frequently collaborates with other Rochester brewers and artisans on his brews.
About the Genesee Brew House
Once a century-old packaging center, the Genesee Brew House transformed a 9,200 square-foot space into a world class beer destination. The first floor of the Brew House features interactive exhibits, multi-media content, a retail shop and a pilot brewery complete with a tasting bar. Upstairs, there is a pub-style restaurant with a 41-foot bar (hand-crafted out of old, wooden Genesee brewing tanks), outdoor terrace seating and a rooftop patio.
The Genesee Brew House tells a story of the Genesee Brewing Company that dates back to 1878. The brewery lays claim to being the oldest and one of the longest continually operating breweries in the United States. By using an eclectic mix of vintage barrels, reclaimed wood, exposed ceiling, neon signs, new technology and modern exhibits, The Brew House will bring Genesee’s story alive for generations to come.
About Genesee Brewing Company
Established in 1878, the Genesee Brewery—New York state’s oldest brewery—makes the classic Genesee line of beers and the Original Honey Brown Lager, as well as Seagram’s Escapes. The Genesee Brewery also manufactures beer and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages under contracts on behalf of other companies. For more information, visit www.geneseebeer.com.