Stone Chipotle Smoked Porter

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Escondido, California USA

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.

Sample @ Stockolm Beer Festival 2008. Light smoked aroma and flavor. A disappointment.

(Draught) Pours a dark brown body with a small beige head. Aroma of sourness, light smoke, roasted malt and mild pepper. Flavor of roasted malt, subtle chipotle pepper, light smoke, and cocoa.

ON tap at the brewery. Same color as the original, dark brown with a little light brown hea. Aroma was again similar but with some peppery notes. Aroma wwas a little too faint. Flavor was balanced with a solid, but not forceful, amount of chipotle flavor. This meshed well with the smokiness of the original beer. Pleasantly surprised.

On cask at Naja’s Place. A clear and very dark brown color, with a rich off-white head. Good lacing. Aroma is pretty similar to the regular smoked porter, with an obvious smokiness and big roasty notes. A bit of chocolate too. The peppers add a BBQ sauce spiciness. The chipotle influence is subtle but there in the taste. It manifests in a mouth-warming spiciness that complements the smoke nicely. Great for spicy food lovers. The usual porter suspects are also present, with roasted coffee and baker’s chocolate. Mouthfeel is great. Smooth and creamy, a good experience for my first cask ale. Not particularly drinkable as the hotness persists a bit much, but very interesting.