Stone Chipotle Smoked Porter

On cask at the linkery in San Diego.... Deep brown kind of cloudy in color with a thick tan head... Reddish tint... Aroma is smokey, faint hint of spice... Flavor is slightly smokey and malty initially, but finish is outrageously spicy, just annihilates your palate... Really interesting beer, wouldn’t drink more than one though.

Name: Smoked Porter, Chipotle
Date: May 13, 2009
Mode: Firkin
Source: Taco Mac, Duluth
Appearance: black, frothy tan head, lots of lace
Aroma: smokey aroma with a touch of hot pepper, hint of dark chocolate
Flavor: hot pepper flavor is up front and builds with each quaf, light smoke grows and melds well with the pepper, dark chocolate base is way in the background but provides the needed balance, pepper heat lasts in a forever finish as a good pepper should
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: **+/4

On tap at Ashley’s - very dark brown with a trace of white-brown head. Aroma is subtle, mostly roasted malt and smoke. Solid porter presence of roasted malt and chocolate in the flavor, under smokiness and a little pepper kick. The peppers mainly manifest themselves in a smoky-hot, warming, long-lasting aftertaste. I didn’t think it was that spicy until I took a big slug of it at the end, and that got my attention. A surprisingly successful blend.

Growler (one liter) from brewery. Pours a Pepsi caramel black color with a thick and creamy beige head that lasts for a while, leaving great lacing. Aroma is on the subtle side -- only slights notes of roasted malt with some smoky pepper. Flavor starts out smooth with just a little smoke and the roasted malts at first. But the pepper quickly kicks in, the spiciness builds, and then lingers. Medium body and dry finish. Lingering spiciness in the finish which I quite like. This beer makes sense to me -- add the delicious smoked jalapenos to the already smoked beer. This is not a novelty beer, and actually quite well done. Call me crazy, but I wouldn’t mind if it had a bit more of the chipotle.

Dig it. The light smokiness in the porter is the perfect marriage to the Chipotle peppers, which surprisingly is not that spicy, but the mix of the Chipotle smoke, and the sweetness from the porter works really well.

On tap at Stone. I loved this beer! Very dark with brown tints when held to the light. Super dense tan head. I got almost no aroma from this glass, which suprized me. Only the tiniest hint of malt. In the mouth the flavostarts super smooth, creamy and light. And then the peppers kick in. Wow. It’s a clean, high, sharp spiciness that really kicks in. It’s NOT for someone who doesn’t like spiciness. The clean spice hotness lingers. The flavors went very well together. It was much better than I expected, and I’d order it again. RERATE: Different batches have widely varying amounts of heat. Taste on April 11 was much more subtle. I actually preferred the spiciness of the other batch. Aging mellows maybe?

Cask at Stone Winter Storm (01/25/09). Pored a black hue with a lacing off white head. Nose is full of smoky chipotle. Flavors are intensly smoky, almost double smoked with the adobe sauce chipotle peppers and the smoke from the porter. Mouth was harsh like a ball of smoke caught in your throat. No chance with the quality of the day but definitely lives up to its name.

On tap at stone. Quite spicey, pepper and chipolte that stay burning on the tongue, with the roasted malt and smoke also coming through slightly. I dont think the flavors mix too well, and the mouthfeel seems a bit thin. I geuss it’s worth trying if you see it, but not that good.