Moonstruck Chocolate Co. West Coast Brewery Collection Review

Moonstruck Chocolate Co. is a gourmet chocolatier based out of Portland, Oregon. We reviewed the confectioner's West Coast Brewery Collection, which features chocolate truffles with three notable West Coast beers among their ingredient lists.

Almost anything goes with chocolate. Strawberries? Divine. Pretzels? Luscious. Peanut Butter? Incredible. Since craft beers now have all manner of additions in their ever-expanding ingredient lists, beers have included chocolate as a popular adjunct in porters, stouts and plenty of barrel-aged creations.

However, what about vice versa? While a beer counting chocolate in its ingredient list is rather common, what about chocolates actually made with beer?

Moonstruck Chocolate Co. has answered this question with resounding and scrumptious success thanks to a wide-ranging selection of delectable chocolates in handsome boxes on a variety of themes – a few of which involve beer.

The Portland, Oregon-based gourmet chocolatier rolled out a scintillating selection called the West Coast Brewery Collection, which features three delightful chocolate creations made with three different West Coast beers.

We were lucky enough to sample this yummy smorgasbord of sweets, and we hope this review leads you to find the chocolate you’re looking for – whether it be for a special occasion, holiday gift or simply because you love the combination of chocolate and beer.

The first noticeable element of the West Coast Brewery Collection is its striking packaging. The actual chocolate box is housed in an attractive sleeve emblazoned with stylized grain artwork – meant to make one think of the beery ingredients used in the making of these chocolates.

Remove the sleeve to reveal a gorgeous royal blue box with sparkling decoration, a fittingly attractive house for what will surely be a deliciously sweet treat within.

The interior of the top lid of the box is embossed with the phrase “Where there is chocolate, there is magic,” and one can’t help but feel a little magical upon first gazing at the chocolates within.

There are nine chocolates total inside – three different varieties made with three different beers: a milk chocolate truffle with Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Hazy Little Thing IPA, a white chocolate truffle with Breakside Brewery’s True Gold Golden Ale and a dark chocolate truffle with Pike Brewing Co.’s Monk’s Uncle Tripel.

Each of these chocolaty delights is designed to look like a bottle cap with the logo of the brewery included atop it – a fitting and attractive choice for a beer-themed chocolate collection.

Starting our tasting from left to right, the Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing truffle was first up. This milk chocolate truffle was exceedingly well-crafted and was as smooth as silk upon first taste.

Milk chocolate is almost always the most widely popular choice of chocolate confectionery, yet this Sierra Nevada truffle provided a citrusy kick due to the IPA elements of its base beer. The hops provide a mild vegetal note during tasting, which blends beautifully with the high-quality cocoa used by Moonstruck.

While sensationally rich, the Sierra Nevada truffle stops just short of being too cloying – meaning that sneaking another truffle after enjoying the first might not be a bad idea. Sierra Nevada describes its Hazy Little Thing IPA as a “fruit-forward hop adventure for the daring,” and that certainly fits the bill for this milk chocolate truffle as well.

The citrusy elements of the brew come to the forefront in this truffle, as chocolate blends beautifully with orangey, citrusy flavors. Think of a mildly boozy Terry’s Chocolate Orange.

In summation, the milk chocolate truffle serves as an excellent first choice for this collection as it sets the table for the menagerie of flavors that the wondrous combination of beer and chocolate can provide.

Next up was the white chocolate truffle featuring Breakside Brewery’s True Gold Golden Ale. Surprisingly, this was the chocolate that seemed the most beer-like. Why, you ask?

Well, because milk and dark chocolate are extremely powerful flavors, they melded well and helped to cover up – and integrate with – the beers that were featured within their ingredient lists.

The same could not be said for the white chocolate truffle. Because white chocolate is, technically, not a chocolate (a shocker, I know), it was unable to contain the beer flavor and, as such, the white chocolate truffle is the most one-note of this collection.

Of course, it is still enjoyable, but it lacks the complexity of the rest of the collection. Still, the ample smoothness and terrific truffle filling makes for an enjoyable sweet treat – but one that is limited by its base chocolate.

Rounding out this fabulous collection of cocoa creations is the dark chocolate truffle with Pike Brewing Co.’s Monk’s Uncle Tripel.

This zesty dark chocolate is more bitter and filling that its predecessors – as one would expect from a dark chocolate. The complexity is also ramped up in this dark chocolate creation, as the high-ABV Monk’s Uncle Tripel (9.0% ABV) also features plenty going on in beer format.

While this dark chocolate features plenty of fruitiness due to its base beer style, the higher-gravity brew also provides a lot more depth of flavor and a hefty dose of bitterness – making this truffle better for discerning chocolate fans who like the complexity that dark chocolate provides, rather than the easy thrills of either milk or white chocolate.

Monk’s Uncle Tripel is described as “dry and crisp” by Pike Brewing Co. along with having notes of honey and spice. Upon enjoying a second truffle, the crispness of the beer shines through – as does that notable honey note, which helps to smooth out the engaging bitterness that was discovered prior.

All three of these selections hold up on their own merits, but the milk chocolate and dark chocolate truffles were superior examples. When push comes to shove, the milk chocolate truffle featuring Hazy Little Thing was probably this reviewer’s favorite truffle in the collection, but everyone is different!

The tried and true combination of chocolate and citrus flavors was too brilliant to deny, and add in that zesty, subtle hoppiness as well as the barely-there bite from the alcohol component and you have a terrifically tasty and extremely enjoyable chocolate creation from one of the best chocolatiers in the country.

Certainly, there will be proponents of the dark and white chocolate truffles as well, and the dark chocolate one was very nearly tops in this collection, but in the end, this reviewer does prefer milk to dark chocolate (just barely!).

Of course, all chocolate is wonderful, and these selections from Moonstruck are sure to bring a cocoa-tinted smile to the lips of any chocolate fan. The addition of beers to these high-quality chocolates only expands their appeal to those that enjoy the finer things.

When chocolate and beer are combined, two of the most delectable treats on planet Earth become one – making for a special treat that deserves recognition.

Tasting is believing!