Stone Smoked Porter

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Porter
Escondido, California USA

RnH: share with Pwn3d... pretty much echo his words: "Dark brown/ black pour, leaving this beige head. Taste of tobacco, smoked malts, nutmeg, dark chocolate... thin, easily chug-able body, as per the style."

Hmmm, perhaps the first Stone beer that hasn’t blown me away instantly. I mean yes it’s a good beer, but unfortunately nothing ground breaking. Although I will say I think it’s probably a little on the cool side, so I will wait for it to warm up a little, and then may re-rate. But for now: Looks pretty good in the glass, I think my 3 seems harsh, but I know how appetizing Stone beers can look, and this is about average for them I’d say, so it rest on a 3 for that reason. Deep brown/red around the edges with very dark brown/black center, small creamy looking tan head. It has a lovely aroma but it’s a tad subdued. There’s vanilla, cream, wood chips, milk chocolate, mocha on the nose and a sort of earthy dustiness. Flavour is complex but quite subtle, which in a way is quite nice as it proves that Stone aren’t just about big expressions, though that’s what I love them for. Lots of earthy smokiness, like ash or oak smoke, very tasty. This is definitely a beer that grows as it warms. There’ more vanilla and cream with more bitter notes like coffee and dark chocolate and then some quite fruity background flavours alo the lines of dark sultanas or prunes. Finish is very well balanced with a touch of sweetness but a definite bitter edge. Doesn’t dry the palate out too much although the initial flavour is quite dry, but somehow through the mids into the finish a sweeter syrupy texture takes hold to balance everything out. All in all a very good beer that has everything I want but for some odd reason, just misses truly exciting me. I think on closer inspection the downfall maybe the texture/conditioning/carbonation. The beer could perhaps be creamier, there’s a almost too present "fizzy" quality as it washes over my tongue... Look don’t get me wrong it’s a great beer, but I’m marking on a very high level here and for Stone this is what I would call a flag ship bench mark style of beer.

Nice smoked porter. Pours dark black with amber hue and a nice frothy head. Aroma has some coffee, toasted malt and a nice smokiness. Plenty of coffee, chocolate and smokiness in the flavor as well. I don’t like this one as well as the Alaskan Smoked Porter, but still very good.

8th August 2008. On tap at GBBF. Lovely rich fruity porter. Chocolately, mellow mellow smoke. All very well joined up in to quite a sumptuous porter.

pours out clear black with a thin partially bubbly grayish beige head that settled rather fast. the body is pretty black with no light penetration and no bubbles rising up that i can see. the aromas are bitter chocolate with hints of smoke and dark roasted coffee beans. i also smell peat, grass, malts, and some sugar with no real hoppy smell, but is still bitter to the nose. it is medium bodied and finishes pretty dry. i taste some smokey wood, coffee, chocolate and milk. the carbonation is pretty smooth but still a little to much for the tongue for this style of beer. the aftertaste is nicely sweet and sticks around very nicely for a little while and leaves a watery feeling on the tip of the tongue. very enjoyable and this beer could be paired with a whole range of culinary dishes very well.

Bottle. Pours a beautiful deep, nearly opaque mahogany that light barely escapes. Atop it sits long-lasting tan head around a finger thick. Aroma is predominantly coffee and a little smoky. Flavor is a complex intermingling of bitter chocolate, coffee and smoked malts that linger on the palate for a while afterward. Quite good.

Dark, dark ruby color. Appears black at first. Nice easy pour produces a frickin’ huge head of dense tan foam, which has hellish retention. Will it ever go away? Wow. Impressive for sure, but almost too much. Lacing is nice and sticky. Big chocolatey malts. A touch of smoke. Light hint of some hop spiciness. Hints of caramel and dark fruits. Big earthiness quality. A fairly complex nose. Big flavor of roasted malt. Underlying hint of smokiness, not nearly as much as I expected. Sweetness of vanilla and caramel. Nice earthy quality here, also. Very slight hops bite. Light chocolate and coffee notes. Hints of dark fruits. Good solid medium boby. Good level of creaminess. This is an excellent porter, overall. I would drink many of these, and often, if given the opportunity. Not as smoky as may have been expected, but a very good offering from Stone, nonetheless.

Bomber poured into a snifter; borderline viscous for a porter, nearly ink-black, quickly-developing thick white head that stays put forever. Nose is heavy with a mixture of dark fruits (blackberry?) and bitter coffee; touch of smoke. Tastes of strong dark chocolate, nearly burnt peat, with a touch of espresso on the palate. Finishes clean, but lingers in the sinuses. My new favorite porter.