Stone Smoked Porter

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

Very dark, with a bittersweet chocolate color. The light beige head is thin but long lasting. Dark sweet malts are the primary aroma to this beer. There’s a chaulkiness to the smell. Any hop takes a back seat to the chocolate malt. Surprisingly, there is little smokiness to the aroma. First impression is the fullness of the body--more than would normally be expected. Chocolate malt is the predominant flavoring. That said, there is a soft hop balance that lingers in the aftertaste. The "smoke" appears in the swallow, briefly. This is another complex and interesting beer from Stone. I don’t rank it as high as some of their other beers, but it is certainly superior to many of the available porters.

Bottle from local shop. Poured very deep brown with foamy yellow head. Very earthy smoke flavor. Slightly sweet malty finish, almost like a cola.

From a bottle poured dark brown with a good amount of head. Nice smokey malty flavor with a lasting finish.

Tried this in the past and seem to recall enjoying it more, not sure quite why. As advertised, it’s chocolaty and slightly smoky. Seems to have a thick, sticky mouthfeel and is a bit weak. (Of course, my palate has already been violated by a Ruination, so that might be affecting my rating.)

Bottle @ BA Järntorget. Pours reddish brown with thin white head. Looks pretty light and pale. The aroma is small and soft. Vanilla, caramelly and fudgelike. Weak body. Low hops, and leaning on a grainy, caramelly malt base. Almost no smoke flavor. Dry finish.

The tamest brew I’ve had from Stone thus far. Pours dark with a thin head, has a wonderfully sweet smokey aroma. Taste is initially sweet with a slightly bitter end. Very good brew for after dinner or smoking a cigar.

Pours a little darker than cola. Off white head thins down slightly but stays on the glass until the beer is gone. Citrus hops, roast, and a hint of smoke in the nose. Flavor is complex. It’s got a mild sweetness with roasted malt, a bit of bitterness, a little smoke and alcohol. I would have liked a little more mouthfeel, but this is fine as-is. There’s just enough body to let the flavors linger.

Very dark pour. Wonderfully sweet aroma with smoky hints. Fantastic taste, malty and full of life with an ashy finish. Had the aftertaste retained a bit more of it’s sweetness, this would have been a solid 10. Nevertheless, solid through and through.