Rating: 4/5

Smoked Porter with Chipotle Peppers by Stone brewing is a 5.9% ABV American Porter with Chipotle Peppers.

Label:
Sometimes, developing a prodigious new beer is as simple as looking at an existing, already reliably delicious brew from a different angle. After all, as they say, variety is the spice of life. In 2006, Chris Carroll, a long time member of Team Stone, took an adage literally, proposing that we produce a one-off version of our venerable Stone Smoked Porter made spicy from the addition of chipotle peppers. We gave it a shot and found that those smoked jalapeños melded quite naturally with the smoldery peat-smoked malt that gives the beer its flavor and moniker, creating a deep, roasty quaff with a carefully restrained tingle of tasteful capsaicin heat in the finish, They marriage of ingredients was so nice that it has become an annual summertime staple, released each May in honor of Carroll’s initial idea that Stone Smoked Porter w/ Chipotle Peppers server as an artisanal alternative to the industrialized adjunct-laden cerveza billed as the perfect fluid accompaniment to the sunny season. Fizzy, yellow, watery lager abomination of smokey, robust craft beer–we think the choice is obvious . Cheers to variety and a quality alternative to mediocrity.
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This the latest release from Stone brewing for the 2014 Summer season. This is the second time I try this beer as well as the second time I got at it for a review. The previous edition of this installment was a 12 ounce bottle. I hope that this version of the beer is just as awesome as the previous as I love chile beers. While the last one was not really hot but the chipotle is present as the pepper is smoked itself. This ones out now so you can get this one in many places they sell Stone. Cheers!

Aromas:
Roasted coffee, dark chocolate, smoked peat, campfire smoke, chile spices, brown sugar, mole sauce, molasses, smoked meat, chipotle, charred oak and caramel.

Flavors:
Camp fire smoke peat, dark chocolate, roasted coffee, a good amount of chipotle chile pepper spice, molasses, hints of mole sauce, earthy hop character, toffee, BBQ, vanilla, roasted coffee, brown sugar and chipotle chile spices.

Aftertaste:
Lingering heat in the finish but not drastic, just pleasing, earthy notes, smokey notes, chipotle spices and some vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, moderately sipping beer with full mouth feel.

Overall:
Very good beer. In comparison the the one I had before, the chile is a bit spicier lingering in the finish but still not super hot. It may not repel those that do not like chile beers but then again I do enjoy very hot food at times. If it has more heat maybe it is because it is fresher. Time may help clearing up the heat. I think this is worth a try if you want to try a very good chile beer. Especially if you like smoked chiles.

Anime Corner:
What a perfect way to pair this beer than to use Pakura from Naruto, the scorch ninja. She is the best beer pairing for this beer as well as for when I first reviewed this beer long ago. Like a ninja attacks when you don’t even know it, this beer is quite a scorcher in the finish. You will first feel all the smoke first and then the chile will linger. That is how Pakura attacks, drying and scorching the palate making you want water but it won’t help at all! Anyways, while this beer isn’t the ultimate scorcher, Pakura has a sweet side as well, but you will have to try this beer to know what I am talking about (ahem vanilla ahem).