Review: Lake Champlain BeBop Hop Chocolate Bar
But allow me to explain.
Lake Champlain Chocolates has made this oddity by wrapping a solidified blend of milk and dark chocolate around a molten core that’s made with hop-infused caramel, which is sweetened with malt that’s been reduced from Long Trail’s brewing operation. Hops, as in beer, that’s right. While “hop oil” is the last ingredient on the package (after salt, for God’s sake), there’s no mistaking who this chocolate’s target audience is.
Intense and initially off-putting, this is a confection that, surprisingly, grows on you. You better really like bitter beers. The initial rush of sweetness is misleading, because those hops come on quick and push all of that sugar aside. The hop infusion is long and lasting — not exactly bitter, but all-encompassing in the way that a good, big beer can be. There’s an aftertaste here that’s far longer than any beer I’ve ever tried. I’m detecting hops on the palate for at least 15 minutes, which is both intriguing and a little disconcerting. The chocolate is also very good, too, though nothing you’ll be able to recall with clarity considering the hop influence in that caramel center.
Really, really unique stuff. My wife, however, had to spit it out.
Available only through June 9!
B+ / $4 per 3.25 oz bar / lakechamplainchocolates.com
Lake Champlain BeBop Hop Chocolate Bar
$4
