United Brewing director Kevin Downie and The Seriously Good Chocolate Company owner Jane Stanton have collaborated again on their first chocolate flavoured beer.

An Invercargill brewing company is claiming to have created "Southland's better answer to Guinness".

United Brewing and The Seriously Good Chocolate Company have collaborated again to create a chocolate flavoured stout which will be launched on Thursday.

The beer, which contains one small bar of milk chocolate in each bottle 330ml bottle, will launch at Zookeepers Cafe from 7pm.

United Brewing director Chris Montgomery believed it was their best beer to date and hoped it would attract visitors to the region who were looking for high quality products.

READ MORE:

* New craft brewers emerging in Invercargill

* Invercargill craft beer festival Hop 'n' Vine planning ahead for next three years

* Hop 'n' Vine organisers brewing up their own beers

"We're really happy with the results.

"We're hoping it [the reception] is good. We've been comfortable with it so we just want people to get out there and try it."

Director Kevin Downie said the idea came up because they wanted to "do something different".

After collaborating with the chocolate company in February for the second Hop 'n' Vine beer and wine festival, they were keen to work with them again.

None of the big, mainstream beer companies had done anything like it, so United Brewing wanted to have a go, Downie said.

It took about four brews to get the final product.

"It's got the sweet taste of chocolate with the bitterness of the beer. It's a smooth taste."

Other beer companies or brands tended to stick to the norm, but United Brewing wanted to do the opposite and challenge that concept, he said.

There was interest from businesses in Queenstown and Wanaka already, but Downie said they wanted to serve Southland first before venturing out.

It will only be available on tap at Zookeepers Cafe and Kelvin Hotel until the next batch is released throughout the region in two or three months.

The Seriously Good Chocolate Company owner Jane Stanton said they had to be forward thinking to keep ahead of the trends.

The popular chocolate company had made beer flavoured chocolate for the past 15 years, but has created three new chocolates to compliment the new stout.

She claimed to not a beer drinker herself, but said she enjoyed the new chocolate beer.

"These guys have been wonderful with the Hop 'n' Vine festival. I want to support that ongoing, and other events that showcase Southland.

"It's about positivity of Southland and I've always been an advocate for Southland."

The two businesses had "big plans" for the future, including collaborating on new products through the change of seasons, starting tours and working with other local businesses.