Jason Fields & Kevin Sheppard / Tröegs / Stone Cherry Chocolate Stout - Stone Brewing Co.

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Stone Collaborations - Cherry Chocolate Stout
12 oz. bottle; $3.39 @ State Line Liquors, Elkton, DE
No apparent freshness date.

Appearance: Opaque 'black' body. Slightly pinkish-tinted brown head. The frothy head holds really well, and it leaves wide smears of lace around the glass.

Smell: Chocolate with some cherry in the background... a little bit like a chocolate covered cherry.

Taste: Lots of chocolate. Also lots of cherry, far more than the nose lets on, but it's not overdone - don't start thinking that it will taste like cherries with chocolate, it really is very much like a chocolate covered cherry where the richness of the chocolate dominates. It's richly malty, and the roasty edge gives the chocolate a dark character. It's firmly bitter, lending just enough to keep it from becoming sweet. No hop flavors are apparent. A tiny bit of alcohol is noticeable though, and it finishes dry with a bit of bittersweet chocolate before the cherry appears as the malt fades. Very nicely balanced; really well-rounded.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied; smooth and creamy. The moderate carbonation gently caresses the tongue. Very nice.

Overall: I've had cherry and chocolate stouts before, but never have I had one that's both understated and full-flavored at the same time. It's really unique. Quite impressive. Absolutely worth seeking out!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 02:21:51 | More by NeroFiddled

bens0n

Texas

4.63/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer pours an opaque black with an ever so slight tinge of brown along with a perfect amount of creamy tan head that leaves tons of lacing on the glass. Stays nice and creamy for a while.

On the nose I can pick out cherries and some of the vanilla bean, they are nice and sweet. The chocolate and toastyness is a little subdued, smells awesome though.

Flavor wise the vanilla bean and cherry carry through in the beginning and the finish is a rich but unsweetened chocolate that lingers on your tongue. Great blending of all the flavors, some other vanilla beers I have had have been a little too strong on the vanilla bean.

This beer is a good thickness, almost has a slight chewy quality too it, nice amount of carbonation and head, all around great beer. Definitely the best stone beer I have had.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 00:09:17 | More by bens0n

plehnus

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma: Strong roasted notes, hints of dark fruit. Cherry slowly emerges. Some spiciness.

Appearance: Black body. Thick light brown head that fell into a thin sheet.

Flavor: Burnt flavors. Really roasted malts with hints of chocolate and fruitiness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-heavy body with a long ever so slightly dry and spicy finish.

Overall: Restrained, which is not always the case with the specialty brews, especially with an upfront advertised flavor promise. Pretty good balance of the sweetness (fruit and malt). A little to dense and roasted.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 04:09:40 | More by plehnus

nrbw23

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Pours a black color with a fairly thin brown head. Head turns into a layer of bubbles and leaves a little bit of sticky lacing here and there.

S- Quite a bit of chocolate here. A bit of cherries comes through too, but nothing over powering. Not really picking up any hops. A bit of char and roasted smell too. Nothing over the top here pretty tame.

T- Follows the nose pretty well with the cherry coming through more than in the nose. Has sort of a sweet and tart taste. Light roasted malts and milk chocolate.

M- Lighter side of medium in body and carbonation.

O- Not bad I guess, but cherries aren't really my thing.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 04:01:41 | More by nrbw23

samie85

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours a deep jet black with a finger and a half of dark brown head.

S-Slightly smoky and roasted with a very slight hint of cherry.

T-Big roasted notes with dark chocolate and a slight hint of vanilla with not much in the way of cherry.

M-Rich, smooth, and approaching full body with low carbonation.

D-Very easy drinking with nice layers of flavors and no hint of the 7.3% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 04:06:05 | More by samie85

philbe311

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A half fingers worth of dark brown rich head that was a bit late in forming... Modest retention gives way to an uneven veil of rich lacing with a bit of a thicker collar... The color is a deep dark brown...

S - Sweet milk chocolate... Ultra sweet caramel... Milk duds... Cocoa... A bit of chocolate milk... The cherry notes build as this one warms... Some light vanilla notes... Wonderfully sweet desert aroma all the way around...

T - The sweetness from the aroma is present, but it is joined by a load of roasted malts... Hints of coffee... Some slightly tart black cherries... A bit of booziness throughout... Just the slightest of hop presence lies beneath the surface...

M - Medium to full bodied... Slightly dense... Lightly carbonated... A light bitterness... Slightly smooth... Slightly creamy... A bit of a chalky finish...

D - A very nice collaborative effort between Stone and Troegs... A desert beer without doubt... Lots of chocolate and cherry in every facet - kind of like a chocolate covered cherry in a bottle... I have no complaints and would both recommend and try to seek out a couple more bottles in the future...

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 02:42:55 | More by philbe311

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #55 (August 2011):

Award-winning homebrewers collaborating with two great breweries? Smells like a win. Speaking of smell, cocoa nibs and cocoa liqueur with an edge of tart cherries get smashed against a roasted beeriness. Dark? Yes, Stout dark ... even the lacing is dark. Stodgy body, the chocolate flavor melds well with the roastiness of the malt. All parties tight- ened the reins on that hop wagon that blazes through the brewery. Cherry is not too subtle; tart and fruity without a big sweetness, which lets the chocolate and Stout qualities play as well. These guys threw chocolate and cherries at this beer, and it ends up being pretty kickass.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 13:34:00 | More by BeerAdvocate

UnderPressure

South Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours pitch black with a medium brown foamy head. the head has a little bit of a pink hint I'm assuming from cherries.

Dark roasted grain, a little boozy aroma. Similar aroma to most imperial stouts.

Chocolate and coffee flavors with a tart cherry finish. An overall sweet flavor. Not much hop presence.

Heavy bodied, velvety smooth mouthfeel. Dry finish provided by the cherry tartness.

This is an interesting stout with an awesome, complex flavor. It pairs very well with a fudge brownie.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 01:31:34 | More by UnderPressure

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.05/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours jet black with a small tan head.

Aroma is of a normal stout. Lots of roasty malts with just a subtle hint of cherry.

Starts out with some earthy hops and roasted malts. Pretty heavy coffee flavor. Cherry is more subtle in the back end, but more dominant when it warms.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin, but not too bad.

It's ok. I like the coffee flavor, but the rest of it is just kind of meh.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 21:28:31 | More by jmarsh123

ianjsullivan

Maryland

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

ST: 12oz poured into a pint glass. The bottle lists ABV but no DBD or BOD.

A: Jet black with a huge thick half-a-finger fluffy brown head. The head has wonderful retention and sicks on top like a dollop of sour cream. It leave nice thick lacing.

S: Cherries, vanilla, roasted malt, coffee.

T: Vanilla, roasted malt, and sweet cherry. Bitter chocolate and bitter cherry show up on the smooth finish.

M: Medium and smooth.

O: A very interesting beer. The cherry is very noticeable, but the beer is not too sweet; there are bitter flavors that balance the beer out. The head on this beer is fantastic, and it is a very smooth beer. It does feel like it should be a bit heavier.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 21:05:36 | More by ianjsullivan

Khazadum

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Really dark and dank looking head. Pharmaceutically elegant and creamy. Good head retention, some sticky lacing, inky darkness with a hint of ruby edging.

The aroma is bitter dark chocolate, hints of tartness from cherry but very faint. Its acidic from the burnt grain, acrid even. Needs more strength here for sure.

Flavors are strong at least. Opens milk chocolate, betraying the nose, some cherry nature but very faint. Acidity of cherries, not sweetness. Not much to be honest. Burnt grain hints on the back end, some roasty nature of coffee. Finish lets that roast build and envelop the palate. Thats a nice finish. Very slow, very low, but appreciated.

Medium body, not really creamy. Some nature of fluidity and depth. Great sticky character in terms of flavors. Its an alright stout, nothing I'd rave about but nice. Definitely not worth 5 dollars.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 00:59:30 | More by Khazadum

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours jet black into the tulip glass with a one pinky creamy caramel colored head.

S - Cocoa, cherries/dark cherries, and mild vanilla. The overall malt bill lends a mild to moderate roasted aroma.

T - The strongest flavors come from the cherry/chocolate/cocoa combination which stays pretty even across the entire sip. The cherry strikes the tongue with a tart zip, the cocoa is warm and roasty, and there's a slight liquor sweetness and alcohol presence added in. The vanilla is just present enough to compliment and not overpower the flavor combination. Bitterness doesn't surface until the very end to keep things from getting too sweet, but does not linger. The palette is left with a mild lingering chocolate liquor sensation.

M - Heavy medium body that's borderline full bodied, carbonation is very low to create an almost velvet-like texture. The sweetness leaves the lips with some sticky sugar on it.

O - Worth checking out if you like chocolate cherries. In a market filled with all sorts of stout styles, this is one you don't see on a regular basis which makes it that much more enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 00:12:47 | More by jzeilinger

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle says 2011

A= Pours a deep black color with a nice dark tan head on it that rises to only one finger and falls fast but leaves some pretty lacing.

S= The smell is big on chocolate and the cherries show up in the background. Smells like those candy cherries you get on a ice cream. Good roast in it as well as some nice sort of spice. It almost has a cinnamon smell to it but I know it doesn't have cinnamon. Maybe thats the vanilla coming through.

T= The taste has a more prominate note of vanilla as well as the chocolate. The cherries play a minor role in the flavor but they do come through a little. The chocolate tangos with the roasty malt in the stout base providing a jumping point for the vanilla to come through. It all melds nicely.

M= The mouth is about right. Great carbonation and the flavors last.

O= This is a beer that could have very easily been too much if the flavors weren't done right. Stone did it right however. They balanced the flavors and provided a unique beer that tastes great. Wish I had a few more of these.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 05:56:50 | More by jjanega08

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from above the glass leaves a big brown head that floats above a clear black beer with a pretty decent lacing if you can manage to keep some in the glass long enough.

The aroma is a rich roasted dark chocolate malt laden with cherries, reminds me of a 30's molasses medicine with some cherry flavoring to hide the taste of the molasses, this, in a good way.

This full bodied stout has a definite cherry on roasted milk chocolate malt taste that brings some tastes of molasses to the party.

A full rich beer with full rich tastes, a pretty darn good drink yet it misses in some way, maybe if the cherry had been more chocolate or even vanilla it would have been worth another bottle or two.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 23:40:15 | More by LXIXME

Mdog

Minnesota

3.18/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Black, small brown head.

Smell: Roasty, slight chocolate.

Taste: Starts with dark chocolate, midway through it gets a tart cherry flavor that fights it out with the chocolate for control. Doesn't mesh well.

Drinkability: An odd experiment and pricey.

I picked up a bottle of this since I thought it might be a chocolate covered cherry flavored beer. Unfortunately this seems to not mesh particularly well, tart and bitter instead of a sweet combination. Bummer.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 02:21:40 | More by Mdog

LittleDon

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Oily jet black with a short lived head and no lace. Roasted malt aroma that is not particularly strong. Very big body and nice soft mouthfeel. Much of the flavor comes middle to end with chocolate and a bit of alcohol, particularly in the finish. Perfect amount of sweetness with a hint of bittersweet at the end. Didn't get much cherry out of the flavor but there was a bit of acidity present.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 23:31:44 | More by LittleDon

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Pours black in the glass, with a finger of dark looking burnt mocha head. This retains with a rich ½ finger that skims the surface, throwing up a creamy cascade that descends down the sides of the glass and leaving back a good bit of robust spotty lace. The aroma is tart smelling with cherry juice that jumps right out, mingling with notes of cocoa bean husks and crunchy roasted coffee. This is pretty even between cherry and malt here overall in the nose.

The taste is similar, with a dark and juicy cherry tartness that is set against a backbone of sticky sweet chocolate character and more burnt and bitter notes from dark roast and a touch of citric flavors. The finish is dry roasted and a bit charred with a smidge of lingering cherry that hangs on the lips a bit. The mouthfeel is medium to fuller bodied and a bit prickly initially on the tongue with then more of a soft chewiness to the carbonation that hangs on the edges of the feel. A gentle alcohol presence mostly just adds some fullness to this and thankfully keeps any distracting warmth out of the equation. Although it does enhance the burnt qualities of this a good bit.

I guess your enjoyment of this is going to depend on if you’re into Cherry Stouts or not, as this basically came off to me as a slightly fuller version of the Bell’s version (which seems to be another quite polarizing beer). This is heavy on the cherry flavor but it doesn’t dominate, as there as still plenty of chocolate and roast present here to help keep this interesting. This isn’t some mind-blowing collaboration between Tröegs and Stone but is pretty darn solid for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 17:56:15 | More by Kegatron

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Decently thick black body. Some deep reds and browns when held to light. Head is a darker tan with red tinges and leaves a thin ring around the edge of the beer. Minimal lacing. Solid swirl produces a good head but retention is low.

Smell: Cherries, char, a touch of smoke, and loads of chocolate. Cocoa, nibs, and milk chocolate all make an appearance. Chery flesh and fresh-pressed juice. Cherry cordial as well. Lots going on here. Some nice roasted malts. Sweetness is definitely present. Nice balance going on here. Sweet in good measure.

Taste: Chery cordial dusted with cocoa powder. Lots of chocolate malt thrown in with real chocolate. Cherry runs on the candied side, but pushes a little real cherry through on the back. Char rounds things out nicely and helps prevent things from becoming too sweet.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. Slightly dry. Carbonation is on point. Could use a bit more body to carry some of the flavors, but other than that, it works well.

Overall: Nice compliment of flavors. The cherry plays well through the chocolate. Enough malt to carry through the sweetness. Definitely not what I was expecting, given Troegs penchant for sweet cherry flavor. Nice collaboration and then some.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 03:52:29 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Yagman3000

New York

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from a 12 oz. bottle into a goblet.

Appears very dark but still maintains a hint of ruby. There's a very small foamy and filmy head.

Smells like chocolate with coffee coming through underneath. Can't pick up any cherry through the nose.

Tastes like cherry up front and then transitions into dark chocolate.

It's mouthfeel is a little thinner than I'd prefer.

Overall I'm a bit dissapointed. I would have liked to have a beer with greater thickness and even more cherry.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 03:24:55 | More by Yagman3000

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a tulip glass)
A- The jet black body shows a hint of cocoa-red glow at the base and during the pour. There is a sea of microbubbles that form a light brown head that pops but last for a good bit.
S- The soft tartness of cooked cherries blends with mellow roasted black malt notes in the finish.
T- The flavor of chocolate tootsie rolls is full with a touch of tartness that could be from cherries. There is a nice earthy black roasted malt flavor in the finish. Some cherry pits and charcoal notes come through in the finish aswell. As the beer opens up the taste of baked cherries grows also. M- The medium-full mouthfeel has a creamy texture and is almost chewy at times with no alcohol heat noticed.
O- The chocolate flavor is lots of tootsie rolls form the nibs but not much chocolate malt character makes it taste a bit artificial, even though it is not. The cherries are very subtle with mostly just a tartness and some cooked flavors coming through. However underneath it taste of a great stout that just gets buried.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 21:01:13 | More by rhoadsrage

MaxSpang

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a tulip.

APPEARANCE

This beer pours thick and very dark. It actually looks a tad syrupy, and has almost no light coming through in the glass. It has a small khaki head with moderate lacing.

SMELL

The beer has a milky sweet aroma. There are some nice subtle roasted malt notes, as well as some nice raisin and breadlike character. The cherries are definitely present, but not overpowering in the least bit. As it warms, there's some nice coffee and bitter chocolate character. It reminds me of chocolate covered cherries, which I think is what the brewers were shooting for.

TASTE

Ah, the cherries add a nice layer to this beer. It's a slightly tart and a tad syrupy, which is nice. There isn't a lot of the roasted malt character, but those flavors are there. The chocolate comes through and works well with the cherry flavor. The lactose sugar creates a nice milky sweetness. It's almost dessert-like. Overall very pleasant.

MOUTHFEEL

This beer has got some nice body, but isn't molasses thick. It's quite drinkable, but the sweetness makes it able to be sipped and savored.

OVERALL

This is a nice beer! It wouldn't be a beer to drink every night, but that's why it's a special release. It works on a lot of levels, and could be great if served with dessert. Overall a really solid brew.

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 01:45:48 | More by MaxSpang

TheDudeRules

Minnesota

1.15/5  rDev -69.2%
look: 4 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Black pour with a two tone mocha head that is several fingers thick. Red tinge to the outside of the liquid. No lacing to speak of. Smell is nail polish remover. The smell actually travels into my throat and lingers. This is fun. Taste is cherry and chocolate like the label says, followed by paint thinner, which the label does not say. I can actually feel my eyebrows stand straight up upon sip. Wow. Awful doesn't even scratch the surface here. One would hope that time in the bottle would help, but there is no hope for this. Once again my least favorite most over hyped brewery has shown their true colors. Lets put something real shitty in a bottle to make a buck.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 17:24:26 | More by TheDudeRules

maximum12

Minnesota

2.1/5  rDev -43.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1

Picked up this pricey 12 oz. bottle when it came to Minnesota along with its Green Tea cousin. Split with my wife as a nightcap.

Pour is stout-black. Smell is powerfully sweet, roasted malt mixed with cherries, & a medicinal undertone. Good though.

This Cherry Chocolate Stout doesn't hit a genuine note anyplace. Cherry Nyquil. /end review. There's a roasted edge that clashes brutally with the artificial cherry, chocolate with a bitter slash. Vanilla comes in to fill the back-end, but ewwww. Six ounces might be too much.

Just a front-loaded full of strong tastes, none of which taste like they originated in nature. Huge doses of artifical everything. Either the ingredients here weren't top-notch, or they just disagree with one another at the bazooka level. Not even mediocre, brushes up to actively repulsive. Disappointing.

EDIT: as this beer warmed, it got worse. Fast. Not sure how two good breweries could have whipped this up, but between the wife & I, more than half the bottle ended up in the drain. This was a disaster in a glass for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 04:33:43 | More by maximum12

danmcg62

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours a dark as night black color with a very thin reddish/tan head that dissipates rather quickly.

S-I'm getting the sweet chocolate and mild vanilla at first. Mild cherry and booze.

T-The cherries are at the forefront with the vanilla and chocolate pulling up the rear. I like how the fruit comes out first and the chocolate/vanilla calms down the fruitiness.

M-Fruity, milky, sweet.

O-I really liked this beer. The fruit notes and the chocolate/vanilla notes really complement each other quite nicely. I'm definitely taking my time with this one. More of a sipper than I was expecting, but good stuff nonetheless. I highly recommend it if you can get your hands on it. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 03:41:11 | More by danmcg62

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Apppearance. Pours nearly black with a finger of tan head.

Smell. Roasty malts, some sweet dark chocolate and dark fruit, plums and cherries

Taste. Sour dark cherries, roasted malt, unsweetened dark chocolate, and a hint of maraschino.

Mouthfeel. Medium body with medium, fairly prickly carbonation.

Overall. Not the rich stout I was expecting. Sourness doesn't really go well with this one and the cherry taste is not very fresh or appealing to me.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 03:56:07 | More by Rutager