Smoked Porter - Vanilla Bean - Stone Brewing Co.

Jason

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date

LOOK: Dark brown hue, clear, ample tan head

SMELL: Vanilla, cocoa, mild char, dried grass, ghost-like smokiness

TASTE: Burnt grain, very smooth, mild smokiness, coffee grounds, kiss of vanilla, hint of alcohol, nutty, moderate hoppiness, ashy burnt finish

I love smoke, I love vanilla ... perhaps they work together but not really here. Sort of a mishmash of flavors, too much vanilla in the aroma and does not seem that balanced in the flavor at all. I much prefer the original.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 00:31:11 | More by Jason

pants678

California

3.18/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap in Manhattan Beach @ Brewco.

Pours a deep brown to black with an off-white head. Head barely sticks around, nothing impressive.

Dead on smell, it's like getting a whiff of vanilla extract.

Not quite as potent as the nose but vanilla's still apparent but it's a subtlety. There are nuts, roasted malts and twinges of smoke covered up. It begs for distinction, though. Breckenridge does this better.

The body's lighter for a porter, certainly manageable. Able to enjoy this with a full plate no problem.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2010 23:43:16 | More by pants678

chicano4craft

Colorado

3.18/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Uptown Brother's...

Pours very dark with some amber on the edges. Lighting wasn't very good so I could be off. Minimal head with no real lacing.

Nose is all vanilla. Extremly hard to pick out the smoke or any of the other qualities the regular Smoke Porter has.

Taste is as expected...hugh vanilla. It dominates through out. There's the faintest hint of smoke, but you really got to hold it on the tongue to find it.

I'm not a fan of vanilla in my beer. However, I did hope for more with this beer. I wanted the vanilla to more subtle and compliment the smoke and roasted malt I enjoy in the reuglar porter. As my friend said "It was an experience." It just wasn't a very good one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2011 20:49:59 | More by chicano4craft

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.18/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle from Rodman's, served in my Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche tulip.

A very dark brown that ends up being black in the glass, this beer is capped with a dense, light brown head with excellent retention and lacing. The vanilla really dominates the nose, making it seem one dimensional. However, it does accentuate the cocoa and mild caramel notes of the base beer (the latter was obscured in the chipotle version), while doing a good (but unwelcome ) job of reducing the potency of the roast and smoke.

The palate opens sweet with plenty of vanilla, including a vanilla-like sweetness, coupled with the cocoa and chocolate (which have taken on more of a milk-chocolate note rather than a dark chocolate note that was present in the Chipotle version). The vanilla sweetness does also shine light on the not-so-positive fact that this beer is lighter in body than would be ideal. Mildly smoky on the finish with a moderate roast and cocoa character that is not very harmonious when paired with the intense vanilla. While the vanilla flavor is wholly natural, it is not terribly enjoyable IMO

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 02:27:32 | More by DefenCorps

gtermi

Texas

3.18/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: This beer pours a very dark brown, almost black body with a thin white head that quickly fades to nothing. The beer also leaves a tinny bit of lace on the side of the glass.

S: There is a good amount of vanilla on the nose, some roasted scents, which sort of remind me of Voodoo Maple Bacon. Nothing special to me.

T: The roasted flavors just don't do much for me. It just doesnt blend with the vanilla to me. The vanilla flavors do make this beer taste beer the more it lingers, but I feel it would have worked better without the roasted malt.

M: The beer has a nice crispness on the back of the tongue and throat as it goes down.

O: Just a miss for me.. It does have some nice qualities, but but this just isn't doing it for me. The flavors dont blend well together and its just is an average beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 06:04:58 | More by gtermi

Phelps

Arizona

3.18/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This was the second beer released by stone, on December 96. The chipotle variation was born ten years later, and was the first stone beer to get modified.

Poured into my Bell's tulip.

A chocolate brown liquid that melds into inky dark brown in the glass. The head, creamy, gets to about an inch thick and does its best the stay in place, leaving thick, pocked webbing.

Smoky, but gently so. A little campfire smoke, a noticeable scoop of chipotle. A touch of chocolate. Smells like a Mexican chocolate with peppers.

I've never been a huge fan of stone's smoked porter. It's a bit too subtle for me. Same deal here. The peppers are nicely integrated, and the heat on the tongue, just a suggestion of it, is perfect. but there's just not enough here to back it up. A smidge of dark chocolate, some piny hops, a rather dry finish. Just thin.

Like I said, thin. Light and a little fluffy in body. Moderate massaging carbonation, no hint of alcohol, the soft glow of pepper fire.

Eh. It's nowhere near as good as the vanilla porter, which could also be better. The chipotle integration is masterful, but the base beer leaves something to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 18:54:07 | More by Phelps

kaseydad

California

3.2/5  rDev -19%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pint glass pour. Pours a dark brown with a beige foamy head with nice lacing.

The smell is vanilla forward with some nice chocolate accents, light coffee and a somewhat distracting rubber smell.

The taste is odd. Kinda getting a jumbled mess. Not much vanilla in the taste and whatever vanilla is present, it's contrasting with the porter elements. Some light smoke and a hoppy finish.

Overall the experience was underwhelming. I love vanilla but this just did not work for me. It did improve as it warmed but alas too late for any major improvements.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 01:10:42 | More by kaseydad

Beaver13

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle. Pours brown with a medium rocky light tan head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is some chocolate malts, smoke and perfumey vanilla.

The flavor is sweet vanilla followed by an acidic charry bitter smokiness in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, interesting, but the sweet vanilla didn't blend well with the acidic bitter smoke to me.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 03:39:38 | More by Beaver13

artdob

California

3.23/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark cola color. Decent tan head

Nose - getting just the smallest amount of sweet malt. Really minor aroma from this pour.

Taste - light for a porter, but in an ok way. Roasty tones, cola notes withiut the sugar - not really getting a sense of the vanilla. Smokiness is there, but somewhat subdued - not the in your face approach as in Alaskan's Smoked Porter which is a fantastic experience.

Minor but adequate carbonation in the mouthfeel.

Enjoying this brew, but, don' t see myself purchasing more of this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 04:19:21 | More by artdob

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a lighter brown with foamy 2 finger head.

S- smell is light smokiness and not much else. Hints of dark chocolate malt. Not incredibly impressive though.

T- taste is smoky on the beginning and through the whole beer. It finishes with just a touch of vanilla bean, but not much.

M- Its robust but overall pretty smooth.

Overal- I honestly failed to spot the vanilla in this. It was so weak and overpowered with smokyness that it didn't really wasn't even that noticeable.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 03:59:04 | More by BeerBuckeye

Philousa

California

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Inky black, but you can see it's not cloudy under the light, where it gives off a reddish brown hue. The head is typical for an American ale yeast, and I recommend a hard pour, as it dissipates to cover the top in patches. There is some thin lacing on the glass. Smokiness is apparent and meat-like. The vanilla is evidently vanilla bean, since it's not too weak or too syrupy. Malt aroma is filled with milk chocolate sweetness with a touch of roast. I even get a little spicy rye in there with a swirl. A drive by sniffing yields a sugary sweet vanilla reminiscent of a candy bar. Flavor starts with chocolate, but not as sweet as the aroma suggests. There is some pungent copper in there as well, pretty typical of a porter or very dark beer. The bitterness is strong for the style. I get a slightly piney and resinous thickness on the tongue. The spiciness is there in the flavor as well with some forcible oxidation (mouth sloshing). It's a biting kind of spice, like something you would put on a meat in the middle east. I assume this is the smoked malt coming out in the flavor. The flavor and feel is mostly smooth and silky despite the characteristics I named. Finish is dry.

This is not as good as what I've had on tap. I've had this particular beer on tap twice, once at the brewery and once in the bay area. Both times they were consistent and had much more vanilla flavor. On tap it resembled a milk stout from the vanilla perspective, but it still had a solid porter flavor profile underneath. This is very similar, but I feel that the vanilla is just not as present, and it takes away from the overall experience. I want more vanilla damnit! Protip: A good sloshing in the mouth really brings out the creaminess and aromatics. Much more pleasurable this way, though the bitterness is still a little too harsh for this sweet-leaning beer. This makes me want to try the chipotle version since this iteration didn't meet my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 03:39:33 | More by Philousa

beer2day

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Chocolate brown pour with 1-finger of dark cream head. Head fades quickly. Laces nicely.

Smells like a coke. Nice mix of chocolate malt and vanilla bean. Very sweet.

Vanilla really comes on strong in the flavor. A little too much, contributing to a cloying flavor on the back of the tongue. Smoke starts to come in after a few sips and rescues you from the stronger vanilla flavor. The mix, though, just doesn't work for me.

Feel is a bit thin.

Just average. Vanilla is just too strong in their interpretation.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 01:46:48 | More by beer2day

brstls4drmrs

North Carolina

3.3/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a thin-like coffee liquid with about an 1" of head. Some decent lacing occurs with some of the head sticking to the top of the brew as well.

S - Lots of dark cocoa malts with some mild-medium smokiness. Hints of burnt caramel and maybe some toffee and roasted coffee beans. Very faint on the vanilla.

T - Burnt woody malts with some smoke on the finish. Not much else.

M - Fizzy and very thin on the tongue.

O - The smell was pleasing but all else was just average for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 02:47:59 | More by brstls4drmrs

emmasdad

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Ratman for letting me know this one was on tap at Hops and Pies (my new favorite Denver beer spot) last week. I must admit we drove up for the tick, as I'm not a huge fan of the base beer.
Poured a ruby black color, with some decent light brown foam on top. Aromas of smoke, roasted malt and dark chocolate (not a whole lot of vanilla). Some dark fruits on the palate, maybe cherries, figs and plums, vanilla extract, and a little smoke.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2011 05:03:50 | More by emmasdad

kojevergas

California

3.35/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served on-cask into a 25 cl Leffe goblet at the Daily Pint in Santa Monica. Reviewed from notes. Expectations were above average.

A: Pours a two finger head of nice cream, good thickness, and good retention. Colour is a dark amber-black. No yeast particles are visible.

Sm: Smoke, dark malts, yeast, cream, and roast. Complex and enjoyable. Smoke is dominant. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Smokey with cream. Some dark malts. Timid. Balanced decently. Built okay for a smoked porter, but I've had better. Vanilla is subtly present and is the best aspect of the flavour. Not bold, unique, or special. I like it but it's not great.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Too light and too thin. Not enough cream. Weak. Should be more coarse. Complements the flavour decently.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable, but it suffers from the cask; it'd be better on-draught. I'd like to try this properly. I've had far better beers in the style.

B-

Serving type: cask

04-20-2012 04:17:37 | More by kojevergas

magictacosinus

California

3.35/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

As Stone's Smoked Porter is one of my all time favorites, I thought it would be really exciting to try it with vanilla bean this time around! After all, the original tastes like double fudge brownies, so the addition of vanilla should prevent me from adding actual vanilla whipped cream to the original - still tempted though! Poured into a pint glass from a 12oz bottle.

Not much of a head on this thing, but it still produces the very same Stone porter color I know and love. It really looks like dark chocolate mousse. As other users have already pointed out, the lacing is prominent, to the point of making up any lost head. Not much carbonation, but good enough.

Indeed, the vanilla bean has manged to become present enough, and it whirls really well with the smoked, chocolate malty aroma. It smells delicious - almost like freshly baked cake! There's a sweetness around the end, and while there's barely any hoppiness or spiciness, it's pretty great.

Flavor and feel are another story, however. The beginning is quite smoky (as expected), with a vibrant dark chocolate flavor. The middle turns bitter and yeasty, and while the finish attempts to leave a vanilla aroma, it is quickly overpowered by the smoke and slightly burnt chocolate. In fact, I hate to say this, but the vanilla - as much as it *should* produce a crème brûlée flavor - doesn't do anything more than distract from the original Smoked Porter recipe! Body is too thin for me, despite the fact that the flavor overall is decent. The everlasting smokiness doesn't mix too well with the sweetness produced by the vanilla, and indeed, it all tastes like burnt sugar by the end.

I suppose I'll have to honestly say that I much rather prefer the original over this. It was good experimental try for Stone, but it has flavors that conflict, rather than benefit one another.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 03:54:31 | More by magictacosinus

billshmeinke

California

3.38/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in the LBC.

Very dark brown, almost black. Some amber hues at the esges. One finger of off white head. Great lacing and retention.

Smells of smoke dark malt and some vanilla extract.

Taste is just a big blast of vanilla up front, then some dark roasted malt, flavors are almost cola like.

Mouthfeel seems a bit thin despite good carbonation, kinda plays up the impression of cola like flavors.

Interesting, but the vanilla is a little too much. I'd recommend it to anyone with a serious sweet tooth and love of vanilla though.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2011 22:58:26 | More by billshmeinke

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.38/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Poured a deep rich brown with moderate carbonation leaving a small dirty white cap, minimal lacing and bubbles

S: Fresh vanilla beans, liquid smoke.

T: A bit of light roastiness and cocoa upfront with smoke lingering and vanilla beans. I felt it was it astringent and overcarbonated

M: Medium bodied and overcarbed. Some astringency, smoke ad vanilla resides on the palate

O: Meh. It's ok.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 02:01:10 | More by barleywinefiend

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.38/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Pours a medium cola brown with a smaller light brown, fine-bubbled head. Decent retention.

S - Most some nice smoke, slight fish.

T - Vanilla hits hard, and I love vanilla. Some smokey-roasty malts as well. Again some fishiness.

D - Decent carbonation and a medium body.

O - Vanilla and very smokey. Almost fished out here?

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 04:31:36 | More by HuskyinPDX

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle, poured into my Brooklyn Brewery tulip.

Stone's Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans pours black, with a couple ruby red highlights shining through. Almost two fingers of khaki colored foam crown the beer, before fading slowly. The head proves to be fairly sticky too, leaving lots of lacing behind. The nose has a bit each of dark chocolate and smoke. The predominant aroma though is of vanilla. I wish it was just a little bit less overpowering. Similarly, the flavor profile leads off with a nice interplay between dry, roasty, dark chocolate and a light smoke character. Straight vanilla then comes in for the back end and the finish. As much as I like vanilla, it works much better when it's supporting and contrasting with other flavors. Here the vanilla is just on its own, and it comes across as a bit cloying as it lingers on my palate. The body is on the dry side for a porter, but it works just fine. The carbonation comes off as just a little bit low though. My recollection of having prior (draft only) batch of vanilla bean aged smoked porter is of a better beer than the one in my glass tonight. I like the composite parts, but the vanilla just is not well integrated into the final product.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 05:01:56 | More by axeman9182

brureview

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this on tap in Providence. Not bad, but I was very disappointed given the Stone reputation.

The color was a good dark coffee brown, and there was a little head.

The vanilla smell was not strong- I expected more.

Mouth feel was okay- moderately carbonated.

The taste was average, a bit of vanilla, with a standard porter finish. Nothing to write home about.

As the beer warmed up, I was waiting for more- it didn't happen.

I have tried many porters, and this is average. There could be improvements: the vanilla could enhance the finish and smell, but it doesn't work out with this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2012 23:46:38 | More by brureview

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: deep blackish brown body, trace khaki head, mild lacing

S: big vanilla, faint choc, malt

T: vanilla, nutty, malt, chocolate, burnt coffee/smokey finish

M: med/light body, mild smooth/hint of dry mouth

O: LOVE Stone, but was slightly disappointed in this brew.
Feel like Vanilla overpowered, porter and smoke aspects.
Would recommend and probably not buy again.

GOOD, NOT MUST HAVE!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 19:04:32 | More by BeerLover99

jale

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

had on tap at Crunchy's in East Lansing.

A: Pours dark brown with two quarters of tan head.

S: Light smoked malt, chocolate and some roasted coffee.

T: Upfront bitter chocolate followed by mild smoked malt and slight bitter coffee finish.

M: On the lighter side of Medium with average carbonation.

O: Not as thick as I would like for the style

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2011 23:10:10 | More by jale

DM1293

California

3.43/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The smell was kinda disappointing. The vanilla bean is there, but its on an even keel with the chocolately-porter smell.

The taste was still up-front porter that pulled back into the vanilla. A much smoother porter than the original, but to be frank, the flavors don't meld as well as another vanilla porter I've had. Its a bi-polar beer.

Its not a bad beer, but its not balanced enough to recommend if you like vanilla porters, and a definite difference from other Stone beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 05:08:25 | More by DM1293

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.45/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle from Julio's
Pours a solid dark brown with brilliant garnet highlights and a huge fluffy mocha head that persists forever. smells of caramel, chocolate, smoke and vanilla mostly with little to no hop aroma easily sniffed. The taste is a nice mix of chocolate smoke caramel and vanilla. The smoke and vanilla duke it out for top billing and ultimately the vanilla wins. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet creamy almost syrupy mouthfeel. I'm glad I got to try this, but I think the vanilla is a bit over the top and competes with the other flavors rather than enhancing them.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 23:17:40 | More by johnnnniee