Smoked Porter - Chipotle - Stone Brewing Co.

Nature777

California

5/5  rDev +29.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had this beer on tap while touring the Stone Brewery. This is by far the best smokey beer I have ever had. I found this beer to be nothing short of perfection.

A: This hold a beautiful black color virtually identical to the standard smoked porter. Light brown head left a nice lacing.

S: Very smokey, very peppery. Little roasted malt in there, but the smell gets its power from the peppers.

T: I like the smoked porter a lot, but the after taste never really did it for me. The peppers in this are the perfect remedy. Up front, you get an amazing smokey flavor, easily paired with any style of BBQ. The spice in the aftertaste warms your throat very comfortably. There are some spicy beers that are killed by the heat (Cave Creek Chill for one). This is the best balance of flavor and heat I've ever seen in a beer. I was genuinely astonished by this beer's quality.

D: I can drink this nonstop. The heat isn't enough to make it unenjoyable. It's not to heavy, it's not syrupy, it's essentially the perfect smoked pepper porter.

Stone has always been one of the breweries that I've respected. This beer might have thrown them to the top of my list. I am proud to say that I was fortunate enough to drink this beer. Great job Stone! You really hit the ball out of the park with this one!

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2010 04:46:42 | More by Nature777

tbase

California

4.75/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a growler of this and almost immediately felt the need to bust it open. Pours a beautiful black with with a little dark brown head that fades. Smelled of chocolate, chipotle, and barley. I thought it had an incredible taste a near perfect balance of ingredients with enough of a kick from the peppers to keep the taste-buds happy. It's def not the thickest porter but still has a good medium body to it. Ultimately I would put this on par with bootlegger's Black Phoenix, which was also exceptional.

Serving type: growler

09-18-2010 03:23:00 | More by tbase

Snow81

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Black as night

Head: Nice light brown head

Smell: Roosted smooth dark maltyness

Taste: Almost like a pepper skin with a very silky, creamy dark burnt malts

Weight: medium to heavy body with low carbonation

Finish: Burnt roosted dark malt with a little hot spice or heat in the throat

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2011 04:30:30 | More by Snow81

Brad007

Vermont

4.65/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I enjoyed the vanilla variant of this beer. Wonder if I'll like this one too? I like spicy food but have to avoid due to the gastrointestinal issues it causes.

Pitch black with a nice brown head into my glass. Frothy and it has a reddish hue from perhaps the chipotle?

Spicy, chewy malt makes my mouth water. That's all there seems to be in the nose.

Wow. Chipotle slowly creeps across the palate, leaving hints of roasted coffee, cocoa and cream on the tongue. Balanced too!

Lingering chipotle essence among other flavors embody the mouthfeel.

Very drinkable and worth a try!

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 18:12:57 | More by Brad007

Gobzilla

California

4.6/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On cask at lucky baldwins

A: poured a dark brown with ruby highlights and a thin head with a little sticky lacing.

S: big on roasted chipotle peppers in the aroma along with spices and burnt fire wood. Very light on the malts but the chipotle spice aromas was amazing to me cause I do enjoy a great spicey smoke porter.

T: loved the chipotle pepper punch up front with the nice buring sensation in the back of the throat after sip. The spices and roastiness really propel the overall flavor of the beer with a subtle malt presence.

M: medium body with light carbonation and a great spicey finish on the back of the throat.

D: drank amazingly good for a spicy smoked porter. It is the best spicey smoked beer I've had so far. I will seek this beer out every time they brew it. I know it pretty limited and brewed once a year I think. I hope they bottle it one day.

Serving type: cask

05-31-2010 03:09:01 | More by Gobzilla

socon67

New York

4.58/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours like coffee. A sligth creamy foam is present on top.

S - Smells like it has some heat. The best description I can give is like Cafe Dumonde; coffe notes and an earthy, spicy kick. Just excellent.

T - Wow! The early feel is some sugary sweet flavor. That ends real fast as the pepper is dominant in the profile and gives this beer a potent kick. Even has a little burn.

M - About as pleasant as a Cohiba on a Sunday afternoon. Just dynamite on the tongue.

O - So glad a get a growler of this. Very interesting ans well done porter.

Serving type: growler

04-08-2011 21:34:52 | More by socon67

russwbeck

Virginia

4.55/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pretty much the same appearance as the other Smoked Porters: black with a nicely sized brown head. Really nice retention here, with a half-finger cap of head remaining well after the pour. The lacing is as thick as ever.

S: As with the vanilla, the peppers are very much noted on the aroma. I think this one has a little bit more balance, however. It smells a lot like smoked porter: coffee, chocolate, and roasted malts, but this one adds the spice of the chipotle peppers.

T: The peppers really add a subtle kick to this beer that really impress me, but fall just short of making this beer amazing. Again, the taste closely resembles Smoked Porter, but this time with a kick of the heat of peppers on the backend. It really lingers on the palate for a long while. I just wish they were a bit stronger. The coffee and roast of the beer already coats the palate and dominates the backend, the peppers simply add a level of complexity. If they asserted themselves a bit more, this would be one of my favorite porters on the market. I'm not saying I dislike this beer at all, I just don't think it quite warrants a 5 for taste.

MF: Medium body with a good amount of carbonation. The finish of this beer is as complex as it gets. Smooth and extremely drinkable. The heat and smoke really make the mouth water and keep you coming back for more.

O: $4.50 for the bottle, you can't really beat it. Delicious porter that stands out against its competition. I preferred this to the Vanilla Bean version, and overall I think it was better than the original.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 02:05:57 | More by russwbeck

PintOHops

California

4.48/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Glass - Nonic

A - A very dark, hazy porter with little light shining through. It produced a 2-3 finger off white head on a somewhat gentle pour. Head looks dense, and head retention seems to be great. I got some spots left on my glass but no lacing.

S - The first thing I pick up is smokey leather like notes. Deep roasted coffee bean, mild charcoal. It definitely doesn't smell like it would taste too sweet.

T - Roasted coffee beans, leather, charcoal, woody, earthy. Mild sweetness in the form of soft caramel like flavors. It finishes with mild, leafy hop like notes, mild bitterness, soft dryness, and a mild pepper like heat that builds up in your throat and the back of your tongue.

M - Medium bodied with moderate crispness and a bit of a smooth feel.

O - Wow, just like the original Smoked Porter, I really enjoyed this one. I loved how smokey, and leathery the aroma and taste were. It wasn't overly sweet or carbonated, and the appearance was great as well. Just a fantastic Porter to me.

Stone might have just started bottling this fine brew, cause I've never seen it in a bottle before. Pick it up and give it try if you can. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 23:31:42 | More by PintOHops

Brenden

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Notes from the Stone event at The Attic, and my last beer of the night.

This beer is served from the tap in a snifter and, in the dim lighting at least, is very dark brown, possibly black, with a very nice crown of brown head on tap just over a finger tall. Lacing is left in pretty thick patches most of the way down.
The smoked porter (base beer) is one of my very favorite somked beers and a great one on its own. It's all there, smoke, rich and robust malts forming a strong foundation, plenty of earthiness, only now there's a nice peppery heat to it that doesn't sting my nostrils and really smells like someone's holding a pepper, fresh and uncut, up to my nose. The cocoa is fractionally lessened in the aroma, perhaps, but I still detect that element of it.
The flavor follows suit: that very nice base beer, going just slightly a touch more meaty in a flash off the front before settling to a solid wood smoke, and it's like I'm chomping on fresh peppers. It doesn't burn me, though; I do get the tasty flavor of the pepper and not just the heat, but that heat does rest on the back of the tongue and a bit down my epophagus.
This is a still a rich poter with a solid medium-full body, though the pepper does seem to thin it out a little. It's by no means lacking; that's only in relation to the base.
This is another beauty of a beer and one I was delighted to finish a great event at a great bar with great people with this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2011 16:17:32 | More by Brenden

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark black with a hint of ruby. Good head and nice lacing through consumption. This chipotle version definitely enhances the smokey aroma - its impossible to miss as you raise the glass,to your face. The hero is the flavor. Enhanced smokey flavor with some subtle spiced chocolate notes up front but then the kicker is the spice that lingers well on the very back end. The chipotle really kicks in late - not even fair to say its on the backend of this train - the best of the chipotle comes well after the caboose. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 01:11:34 | More by Oakenator

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - dark as a porter should be, with some crimson highlights, a gentle pour wells up a billowy tan head

S - smoky and roasty notes hit first, while looking for the pepper aroma, I can pick up on some additional aroma, but I don't think I would place it as jalapeno peppers (or chipotle peppers for that matter), finishes with a slight hint of cocoa powder

T - wow, the taste is so accurate. Those Stone wizards have really hit the nail on the head with this one. It doesn't taste like chipotle juice added to Smoked Porter, it tastes like a perfect marriage of the two in the process. Great peaty, chocolaty roasted malts with a great subtle peppery-ness with even a hint of spicy capsaicin goodness. As it warms as I write this, the pepper-osity comes out even more.

M&D - an acquired taste that hits two targets in my taste spectrum, beer and spice. The tastes really are spliced perfectly. This beer would make awesome chili, or be perfect for many cooking applications

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 23:30:59 | More by sinstaineddemon

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle served in a glass beer mug.

L - black with a tan head that thinned out leaving spots and waves of lacing.

S - smoked bacon with a hint of chocolate in the background.

T - Holy Smoke! Great smokey flavor with just a slight bite from the peppers.

F - medium bodied with mild carbonation.

O - the peppers work very well with a terrific base beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 00:01:39 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

$5 for the single 12oz bottle
Sampled 26AUG12

[A] On the pour, a creamy light brown head rises one finger high. Excellent retention fades into a soapy everlasting film and thick uneven collar. The body is is very dark brown, nearly black, with dark amber tints along the glass's edge. Backlighting reveals a ruby interior and impressive clarity. Above average lacing in no particular pattern.

[S] Peat smoked malts provide heady smoke aromas with underlying notes of damp soily earth and well oiled leather.

[T] Earthy, charred chipotle pepper heat grazes the tongue. Peat flavors compliment the roasted character of the base beer. Bitter chocolate lives deep in the background.

[M] I love everything about the mouthfeel. Plush and creamy from front palate well through mid. Softly biting carbonation sets in briefly which prepares the tongue for the lightest splash of heat.

[O] Apparently this beer has been around for a while but this is the first year its been bottled - and it's in competition with the vanilla version for a chance at another bottling run...Stone - Get your shit together and bottle each. They are both fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 00:25:38 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

younger35

Minnesota

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

Just received this brew from mikedashg in a recent trade. I've been wanting to try this brew for quite some time as I love Chili Beers and Smoked Porters. Comes filled in a very attractive 1 Litre swing top bottle. Drank from my Ithaca Excelsior tulip while watching the NFL 2009 opener (Tennessee vs Pittsburg).

Appearance- Pours a dark brownish ruby red with a very nice one finger creamy tan head. A thin cap and collar remain after the head finally dissipates along with quite a bit of spotty lacing.
Smell- Smoky and nice with a deep sort of woody earthiness. Dark fruits (nothing really in particular, just a deep dark fruitiness) and a touch of vanilla peak in as well. The roast isn't particularly deep but I'm sure it's muted quite a bit by the smoked malts. Nothing really in particular that says 'chipotle'... Just smells like Stones regular Smoked Porter.
Taste- Starts with a very twangy sort of crack on my tongue that is somewhere between citric and waxy. The smoke is more subtle in the taste than in the nose but it does linger quite a bit. BBQ and coffee beans sneak in adding a dry sort of chalkiness as does a tinge of cocoa nibs. Like the nose the chipotle adds no real flavor but it does leave a nice spicy linger in the finish. The spice is f'n perfect but if it didn't have that spicy linger I don't think I'd know the difference between this and the regular Smoked Porter.
Mouthfeel- Nice silky smooth feel with a fairly nice scrubbing from the semi aggressive carbonation.
Drinkability- Nice beer that I enjoyed quite a bit. Like I said earlier I love Chili brews but I have to sort of have the right mindset. This was perfect in this opening night situation. Not a hell of a lot different than the regular Smoked Porter but a treat none-the-less. Thanks much Mike!

Serving type: growler

09-22-2009 21:44:35 | More by younger35

smakawhat

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

A real nice head formation, big and luscious with nice red tan hues and tiny bubbles, getting four fingers big and settling to a nice three finger cap. Body color is a very very dark reddish brown, seems quite opaque no light getting through this at all.

Nose is really nice, smoked malts, some roasted pepper in there, some dark bitter chocolate just wonderful.

Taste hits all the right notes nicely. Roasty and toasty malts behind a slightly wet body, but filling in lots of airy burnt pepper on the finish. Roasty and dry all throughout, with just a bare hint of bitter dark chocolate. Everything is really nicely balanced here with nothing crazy either.

Overall really enjoyable beer, rather dig this take and angle, would like to have this often actually.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 21:27:55 | More by smakawhat

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

GbVDave

Illinois

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

Served in a Stone pint glass at Finnegan's 2/26/11. Thanks to Steve for the assist!

A: Served pure porter black. Not a trace of anything lighter at the edges. The thinnish head sitting on top was bubbly, creamy, and light tan in color. Retention was good and some lacey rings were left behind.

S: Big roasty nose full of smoky Chipotle pepper. Unmistakable aroma. Also there was some roasty/smokey malt, chocolate, and maybe a bit of anise.

T: See above. Killer smoky and fleshy Chipotle flavor!

M: Immediate pepper oil burn. Lingering prickliness that is just like biting into a fresh Chipotle pepper! Awesome heat...

D: So glad to have been able to try this. Texas Ranger, when fresh, has an edge on this but this is in no way a slouch!

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2011 18:17:13 | More by GbVDave

rrski198

Missouri

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

A: almost totaly black. SMall white head. Outstanding lacing.

S: Deeply roasted malt. Burnt sugar sweetness. Beautiful smokiness and slight pepper.

T: Intensly smoked and bitter. SLightly earthy and a mild pepper ont he back end. The more I had of the beer the more i noticed the pepper. As the beer warmed the chipotle really came through. It lingered on the gums.

M: Full, complex, spicy, bitter, smokey. Hitting all all sorts of notes here.

O: Wish it was a little spicier, but the spice lingers in an awesome way. It kind of sneaks up on you. Sweet bitterness, smoky, spicy. Awesome!

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2011 20:16:44 | More by rrski198

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

elNopalero

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This pours a pith black with thin foaming. The aroma is a muted smokiness, reminiscent of Stone’s standard Smoked Porter—that is to say, it’s nuanced and delicate, not overly assertive or in-your-face—but with a long, lingering finish. Chipotle smoke, perhaps, rounded and earthy and warming.

The flavor profile starts off with a hint of sweetness, quickly overcome by the smoke notes and a mild chile spice on the end. It’s lightly spicy and an easy sipper, in spite of or because of the kick at the end. Warms well and opens generously. I’d like to try the vanilla version of this one and I hope that this remains an option.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 19:39:10 | More by elNopalero

Halcyondays

California

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On cask at Naja's Place in Redondo Beach, CA,

A: Pours a thick, murky black out of the cask, with a thick off-white/tan head, I can see what the nitro-can guys are going for now.

S: Heavy smell of chipotle peppers, very nice and fragrant, earthy, with some dark malt and smoke.

T: This is definitely a chile beer, the chipotle peppers carry the show. At first taste you get the porter and BBQ sauce, and then the fruity, earthy, almost herbal taste of peppers and heat come into the picture. I've had Rogue's Chipotle Beer, and this one is much spicier. The flavours mix really well together though, they complement each other quite well, I can't begin to imagine how well this would go with Mexican mole sauce.

M: Smooth, creamy, very spicy, capsaicin cowards be warned, this beer packs a punch, though a little on the thin side.

D: My first beer ever on cask, and I really enjoyed it. Served at about 55-60 degrees, I'm estimating, the temperature really brought out the flavours of the beer. A very interesting beer, I think it's even better than the original Stone Smoked Porter, a nice addition to the Stone lineup.

Serving type: cask

12-02-2007 01:25:18 | More by Halcyondays

buschbeer

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle
Served in a perfect pint glass

A - It is dark brown with ruby highlights. Several inches of frothy, caramel head made it impossible to force all twelve ounces in my glass.

S - The strongest element seems to be dark chocolate. It is accompanied by light smoke and pepper.

T - The taste pretty much mirrors the smell. I get big, rich chocolate and roasted malt flavors up front. The smoke rolls in on the back end. Finally, I am left with some bite from the pepper.

M - Full with some creaminess.

O - I originally tried this beer on Sunday. I liked it so much that I brought one home. I think porters and stouts are the way to go with pepper beers. The big flavors are complimentary.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 18:12:48 | More by buschbeer

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle fairly hard poured into a Stone Brewing Company pint glass.

Pours a dark brown with a beige one and a half finger head. What a beautiful aroma, smoke and chipotle come through very clearly. This brew almost smells as though your nose is placed over a grill as chipotle peppers are roasting without the heat. Opens with pleasant smokiness jointed by accents of chipotle pepper, smoky,roasted malt with a touch of sweetness joins in and then the finish is smooth and silky. Just a bit of mild heat lingers on the tongue courtesy of the chipotle. Medium-bodied, with a slick, silky mouthfeel. This brew is a dream pairing with barbecue, and I can't wait to try it with grilled fajitas. Possibly one of the best American-brewed smoked beers available and a great example using an added ingredient to highlight aspects of the base beer. The added chipotle is incredibly successful in highlighting the base smoked porter. A marriage made in heaven, indeed!

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 03:09:42 | More by chanokokoro

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark brown-black color with a finger of frothy khaki colored head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of roasted chocolate malts and smoke, with some chipotle peppers and coffee.

T - Starts off with a mix of roasted chocolate malts with some smoke and some milk sweetness. Through the middle, the chili flavor and heat comes through a bit with a bit of roasted coffee and some more smoke. The finish is a mix of chocolate malts, chili pepper, a bit of heat, and some smoke.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet, hot, and smokey finish.

D - Very drinkable. The chili peppers is a nice addition and I like the bit of heat it gives the beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 04:43:43 | More by ngeunit1

uustal

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a mid-black with a two-finger milk chocolate brown head. Solid lacing for the style. Roasty and smoky aroma. Big roasted malt notes, a bit of roasted chocolate, and of course, a good smoky vibe to the nose. Flavor follows. Roasted malts, roasted chocolate, and a bit of coco sweetness to start. A hint of bittering hops before a smoky finish, not over assertive, but lives up to the name of the beer. Pleasant smoke notes. At the very back end, nice chipotle notes. Not spicy, but minor heat and very tasty. Great variation of the tasty smoked porter. Very good smoke and chipotle profile while maintaining nice drinkability. Very hard thing to do and Stone nailed it.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 23:49:29 | More by uustal