Now, while I don’t consider myself a heavy beer drinker, I do have a particular taste preference: ‘strong’ beers are certainly out; and milder, smoother, cleaner-tasting brews are more to my liking. San Miguel Premium, for example, or certain locally-produced craft beers.
And a chocolate beer? This is the first time I've heard of one, to be honest, although it seems they're already common among small-batch, craft brewers.
An international beer
After some sleuthing around, I soon discovered that San Miguel Chocolate Lager, which is available for a limited time only, was first launched overseas—Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. This might explain why, when I asked around, very few people seemed aware of it, which naturally got me even more curious.
When I expressed this interest among my colleagues here at InsiderPH, some of whom, ironically, are teetotalers, they promised to send some samples for me to partake in. Exciting!
Taking a swig
My first attempt at trying San Miguel Chocolate Lager was a bit of a failure as I hadn’t chilled the can well enough —it’s definitely best served cold. At first swig, it didn’t taste that good so a take two was definitely in order.
Take two
One thing that you’d instantly notice when opening a can is the scent, which is akin to that of chocolate brownies. Actually, at first sip, you are easily reminded of eating a brownie: it's chocolate-y and a tad creamy, devoid of any of the usual beer bitterness and yet is not sweet at all, which was what I was initially expecting. Quite mild and smooth. Hmmm.
As I was finishing my can which is very easy to do thanks to its delicate flavor profile, I couldn’t help but wonder who would take a liking to San Miguel Chocolate Lager, which to be honest is not for everyone, especially for those who go for San Miguel Pale or Red Horse. I also thought that this type of beer is not the kind to have with your favorite pulutan. (Sisig? Chicharon? Pass)
Well, when a friend saw my IG story, she reached out to ask if she could have a sample to use in baking a chocolate cake, whereupon she’d send me a finished sample in return. Sure, I said.
Having my cake
When the cake arrived it came with a message: Please frost before eating so it looks like a pint of dark beer. The thicker the frosting the better. And what do you know? The cake turned out alright, the chocolate beer blended well, with only the frosting providing the sweetness. Interesting.
So there. For those curious enough to try San Miguel Chocolate Lager, better make it quick as it’s available for a limited time only. And remember to drink moderately.
San Miguel Chocolate Lager is available for a limited time only in select bars, restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores, and online platforms (SMB Delivers, San Miguel Mart, Boozy, LazMart, Pandamart, and SariSuki) nationwide at P76.00 SRP.
Features Reporter
