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| Used with permission Stone Brewing Company |
Overview: Stone Brewing Company's Arrogant Bastard and IPAs often cycle through my beer fridge, leading me to want to check out the Stone Smoked Porter (and I'll get back to the "staples" in later reviews). I have had mixed feelings about smoked beers generally, and have found them to have notable ups and downs, but did not let the "smoke" in the name of this beer scare me off.
Aroma: Hints of campfire smoke, chocolate syrup, a slight sugary sweetness from malt with hints of caramel and syrup.
Appearance: Deep, dark brown with some very slight garnet highlights around the edges giving the tone of rich wood - the brewery describes it as "mahogany" on the bottle. Solid, frothy light tan head leaves a light lacing down the glass that falls out.
Flavor: Rich flavor with a full mouthfeel that sticks around. Starts like baking chocolate, mixed with a strong cup of coffee. Some coffee bean acidity with a strong roasted ending that lingers on the tongue. Some hop bitterness balances out the bold flavor. Some light thoughts of plum jam on toast, dunked in a cup of morning joe. Smoke flavor not overwhelming, but present, with some hardwood elements.
Overall Impression: I have yet to dislike a beer I have tried from the Stone Brewing Company, and this Smoked Porter is no exception. I was truly expecting an overzealous attempt to bring a smoke flavor out front, but it is only a backing note in this beer and helps to complement the roasted flavors that dominate the overall porter style of the beer. Instead of a charcoal-overwhelmed experimental beer, the Stone Smoked Porter is a well-balanced, roasty example of deliciousness.
Vitals:
Style Other Smoked Beer
Price $4.99/22 oz. bottle
Found In Regional Liquor Store
Alcohol Content 5.9% by volume
Availability Year-round
Bitterness 53 IBU
Rating: 95
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