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Two proudly homegrown brands, Auro Chocolate and Engkanto Brewery, have come together to deliver one of the most decadent collaborations of the season, the Dark Heart Imperial Stout, brewed with Auro’s award-winning Regalo and Mana cacao nibs.
Dark Heart celebrates creativity and partnership between two of the country’s most internationally awarded local brands. The level of craftsmanship behind this limited release sets a new benchmark for what can be achieved at this scale in the Philippines.
“Engkanto and Auro are aligned in being uncompromising in terms of standards and quality of products, so it’s just a natural progression that we are going to work together,” said Mark Mendoza Ocampo, co-founder and managing director of Auro Chocolate. “We are from different industries, yes, but at the end of the day, both brands represent the Philippines and uplift the image of the country in terms of world-class products.”
For Engkanto Brewmaster Michael “MJ” Jordan, the collaboration found its perfect fit in the stout style. “Stout, as a beer style, perfectly lends itself to desserts in general, and chocolate desserts in particular,” he explained. “There’s a lot of substyles of Stout, but we’ve chosen to go with an Imperial style, which is big and robust. It’s been a really nice match to go with the high-quality chocolates from Auro.”
Known for its full body and roasted malt flavors, the stout carries notes of coffee, chocolate, and dark honey, a fitting canvas for Auro’s cacao. “Among the different types of beers I’ve tried, I really loved Stout from when I first tried it,” shared Ocampo. “It’s such a decadent beer that you can really enjoy it no matter what you pair with it.”
Dark Heart captures the depth and complexity of locally sourced chocolate. “We chose Regalo and Mana because they both have interesting notes that remind us of the profile of a Stout, from what it would taste like to what it would smell like,” Ocampo explained. “And in the collaboration, they were amplified, since the chocolate profiles really shine with their unique flavors in the beer.”
“We’ve never done anything like Dark Heart before at the brewery,” said Jordan. “For the brewing process, we’ve used a lot of different imported malts, handled a longer fermentation time, and completed two batches in two days. To top this off, we’ve brewed kilos and kilos of the cacao nibs. It’s something I haven’t done in this quantity, and it wasn’t the easiest beer to make. But nothing great is supposed to be easy.”
Jordan added that the beer’s release comes at the perfect time. “We’ve had dark beers before as seasonal releases for the holidays, but not an Imperial Stout at the highest alcohol level we’ve ever done so far, and that alone makes it unique,” he said. “It’s a great beer for the season, with many gatherings for families and friends to do gift sharing.”
“There's such a great interest in consuming and supporting local products now because we Filipinos are inherently passionate,” Ocampo added. “With Dark Heart Imperial Stout, we are finding ways to connect to our heritage and our identity through chocolate and beer, which have a long history in the country.”
At 11.2% alcohol, Dark Heart Imperial Stout is Engkanto’s boldest brew yet. It’s a full-bodied celebration of Filipino craft, leaving a lingering depth that feels both indulgent and unapologetically homegrown.
The Dark Heart Imperial Stout is available for a limited time at Auro Café (BGC), Auro Bistro (Molito Lifestyle Center), Taps Forbestown (BGC), Taps Sta. Rosa (Erhlind Square), and Taps LIMA Estate (Batangas). Bottles are also available through Engkanto Brewery’s official webstore at engkanto.com.ph.