Smoked Porter - Chipotle - Stone Brewing Co.

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

P: Dark black non transparent body with a dollop of tan bubbly head that quickly diminishes to a choppy wake.

S: The first whiff reminds me of opening a paint can. The smoke is light and smells real. The chipotle pepper is dominate but blends well with the bitter-sweet chocolate. Mesquite wood chips, breakfast blend coffee and hints of cardboard.

T/M: Taste follows the nose but really brings the peppery bite that I expected. The heat presence is timid and similar to roasting peppers where you get more of the pepper flavor than the hotness. Full body that is almost chewy and spicy carbonation. While swirling it in your mouth the heat gets more aggressive.

O: Hands down one of the best smoked beers I've ever had. The smoke is natural and not overpowering of the other flavors. The heat and flavor from the peppers really makes this a terrific treat. I love swishing it around and letting the heat build.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 00:21:13 | More by Hopswagger

lordofstarside

Nevada

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz to snifter, can't see a freshness date but I think it's probably pretty old

Pours a very solid black, some dark red hues on the sides when held up to the sun. There was a half finger of foam that receded pretty quickly leaving a ring around the edge of the glass. No carbonation, alright lacing, of course no transparency

Smells of toasted malts, faint chilli, molasses, coffee, cherry, oak, tobacco, chocolate, hops, and alcohol. Nice complexity, everything comes together well leaving a pretty good smell

Taste is pretty solid, up front coffee and fig notes, dark fruits, pepper, oak, vanilla, chocolate, brown sugar, some hops, and a touch of alcohol. Though it doesn't meld the best, each flavor stands out at some point traveling across the palate making it pretty interesting. The peppers are pretty mild, which may well be due to age, in which case I think I'd prefer this over to a fresh one. I like the touch of the spice, any more would be too much

The feel is sort of rough, stings the tongue a bit and just reminded me I bit the inside of my lip this morning with some fire. Body is medium/full and pretty creamy with a smooth finish. I could knock one or two of these back, but that'd be as far as I'd go regarding drink-ability

Overall this stuff is pretty interesting. It's got a lot going on but like I find with all chilli beers, is a bit too obscure to want on a regular basis. I say try it, just think twice on buying a bunch at one time

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 00:20:45 | More by lordofstarside

tectactoe

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Found this one in Toledo and couldn't pass it up - the regular Smoked Porter is one of my favorite Stone brews. This one pours a deep, crow-black with some very, very dark brown tints right at the edges. The khaki head shows nice retention and leaves plenty of that "signature" Stone lacing.

Bringing the glass anywhere near your nose unleashes an army of smoked malts into your senses - I don't think there's any surprise there. A very "hearty" smoke aroma; meaty, in a way - almost like the smell given off by smoked sausage and bacon. Very nicely balance between "not enough smoke" and "too much smoke" - there seems to be just the right amount, something I fell in love with about their original Smoked Porter. The chilies are noticeable, but seemingly only at the tail end. They provide a nice spiciness, but remain pretty low in character overall.

I take a taste and of course it reminds me of the non-chipotle version. Actually, for about the first few sips or so, this beer is probably indistinguishable with the original. Good, liquid smoke flavors coming from the smoked malts with a lightly smoked meatiness to it. The chipotle doesn't come out until the very tail end, just like in the aroma, and even then - it still takes many successive sips to settle in. Mild spiciness, chili powder, and chipotle seasoning attach themselves to the back of your tongue. Halfway down the glass, your palate has a solid spicy coating that will stick with you until minutes after you've finished the beer. A nice addition, and done in a pretty masterful way - providing good spice without being "spicy", so to speak. Medium mouth feel, lightly creamy with ample carbonation.

The chipotle was a nice, fun addition that added a slight bit of heat to the palate throughout the entire course of the beer. Overall, though, I'd rather just have the regular Smoked Porter. At the end of the day, Stone has created an elegant porter with plenty of nice smokey and malty flavors - why cover it up with chipotle?

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 11:50:02 | More by tectactoe

Rast

Maryland

3.74/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottle watching Butler and Marquette tussle with elbows for a spot in the Sweet Sixteen.

Experimenting with extra flavors in an already superior brew proves here to be fun, but not an improvement over the OG. Appearance is the classic porter total solar eclipse. Thick head, of course. Olfactory stimulation of the expected sort: smoke, roasted malt, with latent jalepeño. Feels mighty nice against the gums. Bubbly smooth but creamy dreamy. The taste is complex, with the roasty toasty malt porter delicious coming initially, and the Mexican chili busting thru on delay. Swell enough for certain, but I'm daydreaming of ol' Stone Smoked Porter.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 00:31:44 | More by Rast

beagle75

Iowa

3.76/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a half-pint chalice.

A: Hazy, medium brown color showing light penetration at the margins, with less than one finger of diminishing light beige foam head. Scant lacing remains on the glass.

S: A combination of brown and crystal malt qualities combine to yield earthy, husky, and slightly spirituous smells.

T: Begins dry, with powdery earth, mild cocoa, and dark caramel. Heat begins to develop into the middle, but remains tasteful and respectful of the palate throughout. The finish remains dry, with a lingering combination of earth, dark fruit, and appealing chile spice. Flavors are dynamic late, finally concluding with intense toasted crackers.

M: Thin to medium viscosity, warming on the palate over time, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: Strong all-around, but for a chile beer this version of Stone Smoked Porter is particularly effective. Favorably drinkable due to restrained but detectable chile presence, it is more than a novelty and never a chore to drink. Beware of this beer when it is available on cask service--legend has it that heat varies widely.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 15:41:06 | More by beagle75

Fatehunter

Oregon

2.78/5  rDev -28%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a thin head on a black body.
The aroma is roasted malt with a quick hit of chipotle pepper smoke at the end.
The taste gets lost between the smoke and chili, neither which is overpowering. It's a bit watery with a pepper taste. The chipotle comes back at the end for a warm finish.
The texture is crisp with moderate carbonation.
I like chili beers, but this just didn't mix well together.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 04:18:03 | More by Fatehunter

Stevedore

Wisconsin

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle without bottling date, poured into a Bell's tulip and consumed today 3/10/13

Aroma: Hints of some sort of spicy pepper, and I wonder if that's from the power of suggestion from the name. I can definitely vouch for the smokiness of the beer as well as the roasty character of the malt. Pretty solidly average nose on this porter. (3)

Colour: Pours a dark cola brown, nearly black with a generous 3cm beige head that dissipates over 2-3 minutes. Very nice looking. Lacing becomes a nice thick collar that clings to the side of the glass that I drink from. Really a nice looking porter. (4)

Flavour: Now I'm definitely not imagining the pepper bite. So in the front end, I get a nice smokiness accompanied by the sweet, roasty character that I come to expect from porters. But midway and through the back-end, there is quite a bit of pepper bite that definitely is not shy about making itself known. It's very interesting and enjoyable to drink. (4)

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, carbonated well. Not quite a smooth drinker for some reason, but the spicy aftertaste coats the tongue rather well and I have to drink this one carefully as the spicy aftertaste definitely lingers for quite some time. Really neat. (4)

Overall: Very interesting beer! I like the spicy aftertaste as this makes the overall porter much more interesting. In terms of what makes this a porter though, I basically just get the smokiness. Not as much of the robust, rounded sweetness that comes with a typical porter- I'm thinking of flavours such as dark fruits, caramel, coffee, chocolate. It's dominated by the chipotle pepper which is the point of the beer. It doesn't overshadow the relative lack of porter characteristics in my opinion. But the fact remains that the flavour profile is different and I won't begrudge it for that. (4)

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:42:23 | More by Stevedore

Braz

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bought at Bev Mo. Pours a dark brown with a tan head. Smells are slight chipotle, coffee and overall roastiness. Tastes is roasted, a little coffee. A touch of pepper comes up after a bit, delayed response. Well carbonated, maybe too much. Overall pretty enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 09:04:06 | More by Braz

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

3.94/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Served from a 12oz bottle into a Grey Sail pint.

Appearance- Quite beautiful. Black with a 2 fingered fluffy mocha head thats leaving awesome lacing.

Smell- Chipotle peppers with a slap of chocolate malt. Thats it.

Taste- Chipotle peppers are very overpowering with a very distinct flavor, but it kind of works with this. You get the smoked porter first then the peppers finish it. Not spicy like the Habenero Ruination growler I had.

Mouthfeel- Light body like the smoked porter is. Nice light carbonation as well and very smooth.

Overall- This is a fun beer. It's good, but I'd like to see the chipotle play more of a backing role instead of the main attraction.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 19:18:48 | More by Seanniek91

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.16/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to Goblinmunkey7 for giving me a bottle of this. I'm not sure how this eluded me, but I still have never seen it on the shelf.

Appearance: Black from a distance, but actually a dark brown - small, light tan head - wispy head, leaves some nice spots of lacing

Smell: Peppers, with some dark malts and smoke - smoky, but actually not as smoky as I would have anticipated given the chipotle and the general smokiness of Stone Smoked Porter - some nice chili aroma - lightly burnt malts, dark chocolate, and chocolate malts

Taste: Unsurprisingly, it tastes like Stone Smoked Porter, with chipotle pepper - in other words, tasty - nice chili pepper flavor, with some vegetable flesh and some light, back-of-the-tongue heat - slowly builds in spiciness, yet stays mellow - lightly smoky overall - lightly burnt, with chocolate malts - dark, bitter chocolate - roasty, dry, nicely balanced

Mouthfeel: Medium body, nicely carbonated, smooth, clean finish even with the chili

Overall: The way a chili beer should be

This is great. The base beer is great, of course, and the chipotle just adds to it. I might prefer it if it were a bit hotter, but the mellowness is charming in its own way. I hope to actually see this on a shelf someday.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 05:52:11 | More by angrybabboon

neenerzig

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Stone Smoked Porter is one of my all time favorite beers to begin with, so I knew i had to try a bottle of it w/ the Chipotle peppers, as I am also a big chile head! Poured into my pint glass. This beer pours a clear dark brown color with a nice tan head about 2/3 inch thick when poured. head settles to a decent sized ring lining the inside of the glass, but unfortunately not too much lacing here. Not as good or lacing from this particular bottle as I am used to this beer, at least the regular version of it, having. Aromas of roasted malt, hints of chocolate and coffee and the Chipotle peppers, which do indeed come out more as the beer sits and warms up a bit. Has flavors of roasted and smoked malt upfront with nice hints of coffee, chocolate and vanilla that give be to the Chipotle spice, which is certainly noticeable but not overbearing. Not really too much of a discernible hop flavor here, I remember the regular version of this beer certainly being a bit more hoppy than this bottle I am drinking (I mean after all this is Stone we are talking about here, who are well known for making beers that are quite big in the hop department!). Great mix of flavors nonetheless though. Has a nice crisp,yet creamy, somewhat oily, medium to full bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Easy to drink in the way a well crafted beer from Stone should be. Glad to see that this is apparently made year around how and I hope to get my hands on a few more bottles soon!

Eric

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 03:59:39 | More by neenerzig

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.01/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A great porter, dark with large retained creamy head. Moderately smoked aroma. The mouthfeel is creamy. A substantive smoke taste, chocolate malt, the hot pepper in the background. Satisfying and enormously drinkable. ALtogether a tasty spicy mix.From Lueken Liquors.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 21:48:20 | More by northyorksammy

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a nonic)
A- This beer pours jet black with soft peaks of rocky light tan head that last as foam sticking to the glass in sheets.

S- The fresh roasted malt is followed by dried leaves with a septic aroma that finishes with a dark caramel malt and smoked hint.

T- A mellow dark roasted malt has a mellow cold smoke note to follow. There is a roasted bitter note that grows as the beer opens. There is a watery finish that turns into a chile heat on the exhale.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with no alcohol heat and a slippery texture.

O- This beer has a nice porter flavor with some odd aroma and a soft smoke pepper support to the porter.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 20:33:55 | More by rhoadsrage

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this beer into a pint glass, it has a dark, rich black/reddish color body with a very small tan head that quickly leaves a thin lace around the edge.
The smell has a coffee, roasted, chocolate notes to it.
The taste has a rich roasted malt flavor up front and following that comes the coffee, chocolate and the pepper flavor, the pepper flavor is very subtle, not over powering, just enough that it shows its there.
The mouth feel is good and overall i really enjoyed this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 03:17:21 | More by chefhatt

BeerDawgs

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Dark brown/black, with 2 fingers of head, and sticky lace left all over the glass. Impressive!

S - Coffee, toffee, peppers, sweet chocolate. Surprisingly, the peppers are very mild, in the background

T - Smoky malt dominates. Peppers are faint. chocolate, coffee, dark malts. Tasty!

M - Full bodied, creamy.

O - Very tasty. I like it better than the vanilla, and better than the regular smoked porter. Best one IMO

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 02:41:35 | More by BeerDawgs

MaximalC

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a thick, dark brown with molasses highlights, topped by a thick khaki head. The aroma is slick blend of roastiness and baker's chocolate. The roasted malt dominates up front with some black coffee and traces of chocolate. The chipotle isn't particularly present at first blush, but it really kicks in as the malt subsides and sets the palate tingling. The chipotle lingers for quite a bit in the finish in a vague, warming sort of way. The hops are at just the right concentration to lend balance without being too assertive. The mouthfeel is a little thinner than the appearance would suggest, but about right for a porter nonetheless.

I'd never tried a beer with hot peppers before, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. It's far from eating an actual pepper, but the spiciness is unmistakably there. Not bad, but it doesn't really elevate Stone's standard smoked porter any. Surprisingly, smoke may be the faintest of the flavors to be found here. Stone Chipotler Smoked Porter is a novelty worth trying for the curious, but not something I would relish to have again.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 03:09:05 | More by MaximalC

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this beer into a tulip style chalice. There was a decent amount of foam that leaves some decent lacing. The foam dies down into scum pretty quickly. The coloring is that perfect black, as you would expect.

Off the top you definitely get the smoke and the chipotle. Those two things coming in really well. There is a little bit of coffee there, but it definitely doesn't come through strong.

The flavor is pretty good. I like the mix of the smoke and chipotle. The coffee is a little strong in each sip. The balance is just a little off. I feel like I could age it another few months to resolve that.

This is a good smoked porter. It isn't surprising that Stone would bring out a quality one.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 02:45:11 | More by ummswimmin

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, poured into my Brooklyn Brewery tulip.

Stone's chipotle treated Smoked Porter pours jet black. A finger's worth of caramel colored foam finishes of the look. Head retention is just alright, but the beer leaves a respectable amount of lacing behind. The nose has aromas not-too-sweet dark chocolate, light smoke, and a decent bit of chipotle pepper. The flavor profile leads off with a lightly roasty, bittersweet dark chocolate taste from the base beer. The peppers come in next, filling in the space usually taken up in a beer by the hops. The heat provides a very nice balance to the beer's maltiness. It also transitions nicely into a faintly smoky finish. The body is nice, a little bit full but not as chewy as I might find from a more straight ahead, 100% malt driven beer. The carbonation is nice and subdued. I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I found myself enjoying Stone Smoked Porter w/ Chipotle. I expected to enjoy the vanilla bean variant more, but that's far from the case. Then again, I've also enjoyed the other pepper beers I've had from Stone, so I guess I can just add this one to the list.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 02:28:11 | More by axeman9182

flagmantho

Washington

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: rich brown hue with ruby highlights. Head poured two fingers of frothy tan foam; quite an attractive beer.

Smell: rich porter aroma with roasted grains to the fore and a hint of chocolate. The smokiness is subtle and pleasant; the chilies only hint at the heat underneath. Successful.

Taste: chocolatier than the smell would indicate, with a very light smoke character toward the end and a light but noticeable heat. Not overdone like some chili beers. The flavor is balanced and quite smooth; I like it.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a nice carbonation and a smooth creaminess.

Overall: a surprisingly good beer. I had some reservations, but the brewers used a light touch when adding the chipotle, and I think it paid off well. Balance and drinkability are great; I would definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 18:56:54 | More by flagmantho

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Great look for a porter it's deep dark and black. Head is a nice 1/4 inch of cocoa colored head. Sticky lacing throughout.

S - A touch of smoke and roast. Maybe some chocolate but mostly I am getting some cracked pepper goodness.

T - Not as harsh as I expected. Taste starts with some bittersweet chocolate, then the pepper kicks in mild yet palate drying, and finally fizzing out with some roast with some chalky yeast.

M - Thin yet slick with a creamy body.

Overall one of the better pepper inspired beers yet strictly novelty. One and done.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 06:10:00 | More by DrDemento456

arfenhouse

California

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Black with tan head. Very good retention.

S: Smoked wood chips and dark chocolate. No pepper coming through on the nose for me.

T: Smoky burnt barbeque taste up front. Weak pepper spiciness and semi-sweet roasted malt. Very slight pepper flavor lingers in aftertaste.

M: Capsacin is apparent with the "warming" sensation it leaves in the mouth. This will cause stringing in chapped or cracked lips. Thin with medium-light carbonation. A little too thin.

O: I like the original smoked porter by stone so naturally I would like this one as well. The chipotle pepper adds a little extra complexity to an already complex porter.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 06:48:12 | More by arfenhouse

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured form a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass- pours a charcoal color with some ruby around the bottom edges. BEAUTIFUL fluffy cappuccino colored head, EXCEPTIONAL retention, and beautiful sheets of lacing. This is a gorgeous beer. The head has remained at almost the full volume for the past 15 minutes.

Smell is perhaps a little lackluster. Definitely a strong scent of cacao, maybe a hint of some jalapeno, no smoke as far as I can smell.

Tastes fabulous- up front is the bittersweet chocolate, followed by some roasted malts, then a wonderful flurry of chile peppers mixed with chocolate. Nothing much else to add except that it's delicious.

Mouthfeel is very nice- medium light body, light carbonation, and a little chile spice. This is an awesome beer. I wish that it were available year-round in a six-pack, as I would buy it frequently. Highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 01:55:33 | More by Hopdaemon39

begforme4484

Connecticut

3.4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a 12oz bottle at Tasty Beverage Co in Raleigh, NC.

Pour black with little tan head. Good lacing on the sides.

Smells smokey, a bit charred, with a big pepper hit. Chipotle is not a big time pepper, but hint of capsaicin is strong.

Smokey with a burnt grain, followed by a good amount of pepper following right after. Some nice hop bitterness at the end, with the peppers and smoke lingering.

Mouthfeel is pretty thin, which was surprising, but that seems to happen with most beer that add peppers.

Overall, it's a decent beer and the peppers match with the smoke decently.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 03:26:15 | More by begforme4484

mikechance

California

4.38/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle bought on 11/20/12

A -- thick foamy head and rich darkness with a brief 1/2 inch head

S --- smoked malts, peppers, cocoa, a hint of grass

T --- wow! I really like this combination. Smokey, peppery with a hint of chocolate yet very drinkable.

M --- smooth, creamy, and a little oiliness. Medium body and carbonation.

O --- I really love this beer! I'm sure it go well with BBQ, but it's solid by itself.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 03:22:42 | More by mikechance

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.7/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a Koningshoeven chalice.

A: A half-finger of creamy mocha head. Clearish, reddish, amber. Sticky lacing.

S: Smoked chilies. Musky and intriguing.

T: Interesting, but uncompelling. A solid porter, with just hint of spice on the endtaste to 'spice it up.' A bit dry (hops?), a bit chocolatey, and a bit roasted-bitter.

M: A touch thin, but carbonated and lightly spicy-dry.

O: Drinkable, tasty, and enjoyable. Would have again, but probably wouldn't buy. Tentatively recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 06:11:55 | More by AgentMunky