Stone Smoked Porter with Chocolate & Orange Peel by Stone brewing

November 15, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Porter, Chocolate, Chocolate & Orange Peel, dark chocolate, Marvel, orange peel, Psylocke, Smoked Porter, Stone Brewing, Stone Smoked Porter, X-men | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.25/5

Stone Smoked Porter with Chocolate & Orange Peel by Stone brewing is a 5.9% ABV American Porter brewed with Chocolate & Orange peel.

Label:
We decided early on that we wouldn’t do seasonal beers for the sake of doing seasonal beers. Summer ales and winter lagers certainly have a ring to them. Big-beer focus groups prove consumers get a kick out of them, and macrobrew marketing analysis suggest they sell well. But for us, beer comes first, much as Stone Smoked Porter came first. Actually, it came second—oddly enough, in the form of a seasonal. Our co-founder and original brewmaster, Steve Wagner, thought it would be an innovative, warming creation suited for winter…and it was. Legend has it Greg’s mom agreed. But rather than relegating fans to nine peat-smoked-porterless months and building revenue-generating fervor for the cold season, we made it a year-round release. Nowadays, we brew a trio of tasty takes on this smoky, sultry vanguard. But the closest they come to being “seasonals” is that they are enhanced with seasonally driven ingredients such as vanilla bean and chipotle peppers. This version, released in the literally gray area separating sunshine and snowfall, incorporates dark chocolate and dried orange peel, making for a semisweet, citrus-nuanced porter that comes across like a break-apart chocolate orange enjoyed by a campfire. It’s not a seasonal—it’s just a phenomenal beer, regardless of the time of year. Throw out the calendar and enjoy.
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Stone has been coming out with some interesting beers lately. The Stone Smoked porter variants have been some that taste pretty good and really go down well. Nothing too overwhelming but nice notes and flavors. Now this one being their 2014 Fall release, it is interesting as I do not see how chocolate and oranges can work together especially since this one is light to moderate on ABV. Then again I have been surprised many times. Let us take a look and see. You can get this one where ever they sell stone beers now.

Aromas:
Campfire, smoked peat, dark chocolate, orange peel, orange zest, coffee, molasses, caramel, toffee, brown sugar and earthy notes.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, oranges, citrus, orange peel, orange creamsicle hints, vanilla hints, caramel, earthy bitterness, smokey notes, molasses, campfire hints, smoked peat, roasted coffee hints, brown sugar, coriander spice, soy sauce and toffee.

Aftertaste:
Smokey, chocolate, citrus, earthy and vanilla dry notes. No alcohol in the taste, easy to moderate drinkability, smooth and creamy mouthfeel and dark body but can see crimson light pass through.

Overall:
A very good solid beer. It maintains itself as a porter with smoked notes but the chocolate and citrus orange flavors lend some sweetness too it. I really does seem to work well after all. Smokey and sweet work together to give this chocolate orange creamsicle flavor through and through. It drinks rather easy and smooth making this almost a gateway beer unless the extra bitter smokey notes make it hard but they are rather tame in comparison to other smokey beers I have had. This is actually pretty welcoming really. Some people may really like this.

Anime Corner:
Psylocke from Marvel’s X-men was used in this pairing to pair with some of the colors of the label but mainly since this is the first time I use her in a pairing. She has been long over due wanted to present her bad assness with a new beer here. The characteristics of her hotness translate to the smoothness of this beer while still maintaining sweet flavors. The smokey aspects of the beer would represent the dangerous side of her. She works with the mind so the taste actually is good despite the fact that you really do taste the oranges and chocolate smokey notes. They seem to work really well here.

Sources:
http://i2.pixiv.net/img44/img/jinbei-nit/31663215.jpg

Smoked Porter with Chipotle Peppers by Stone brewing

May 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Porter, Chile beer, chipotle chile, Chipotle Peppers, Naruto, Pakura, Smoked Porter, Stone Brewing, Stone Smoked Porter, Team Stone | Leave a comment

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).

Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean by Stone Brewing

December 29, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged American Porter, Hera, Puzzles and Dragons, Smoked Porter, Stone Brewing, Stone Smoked Porter, Vanilla Bean, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.9/5

Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean by Stone Brewing is a 5.9% ABV American Porter brewed with Vanilla Beans

Label:
In 2006, almost exactly 10 years after we first released Stone Smoked Porter, Stone Small Batch Brewer Laura Ulrich had a brilliant idea: What if she added whole Madagascar vanilla beans to a small batch of the finished beer? And voilá, Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean was born! It was an instant hit, as the resulting flavor combinations – rich vanilla melding with the malty, chocolatey, coffee-like characteristics of the beer-were practically made for each other. Originally available only as an occasional growler fill or on tap all-too-briefly at special events or in our restaurant, this exquisite creation was released in a single bottle run for the first time in 2012, much to the delight of its many fans… who instantly began clamoring for more. Your voices have been heard.
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This is the latest release from Stone Brewing for the 2013 winter season. This is the second time I try and review this beer as the last time I tried it was was in a 12 ounce bottle. Back then, this one was very good. So I hope this one is just as awesome. This will see national distribution wherever stone beer is located.

Aromas:
Roasted coffee notes, rich vanilla cream, mocha, dark chocolate, notes of campfire smoke, dulce de leche caramel, oak, molasses, brown sugar and earthy hops.

Flavors:
Roasted coffee, campfire smoke, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, subtle vanilla, caramel, molasses, hints of anise, brown sugar, earthy hops, licorice and hints of marshmallow

Aftertaste:
Smoke, earthy hops, roasted coffee grains, vanilla and dark chocolate. No alcohol in the taste with easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
This is a very good beer. While it hit a lot of good notes, for some reason, the vanilla wasn’t as strong as the one I got last year. It does not take away from the deliciousness of the beer. Expect a great porter but don’t expect overwhelming vanilla bean. Some people may like the fact that it is close to a milk stout with that extra vanilla goodness but others will definitely like the smokey aspect.

Anime Corner:
Hera from Puzzle and Dragons is a demon character in that series. My reason for pairing her with the Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans is due to the fact that the artwork compliments the label colors of the beer but also represents the Stone Gargoyle protecting the good flavors and eliminating impurities. Hera’s hair is crimson red representing the fire that is used to roast the malts which gives it the smokey flavors but she also a bit of yellow on some of her hair bangs not to mention that she is alluring which brings the vanilla sweet flavors into play. Alluring drinkers who expect full vanilla but then see the smokey aspect first if not brought to the proper temperature.