Ken Schmidt / Iron Fist / Stone Mint Chocolate Imperial Stout - Stone Brewing Co.

vkv822

Oregon

4.31/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

on-tap @ Belmont Station.
from notes.

Black, with a foamy, creamy light brown head.

Tons of chocolate and mint in both the nose and taste. Really awesome.

Full, creamy body with mild, foamy carbonation.

I was very pleasantly surprised with how prominent, and well done, the chocolate and mint are. Reminds me very much of the Andes thin mint chocolates. A real treat.

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2013 06:40:27 | More by vkv822

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at blind tiger- pours a rich black color with two fingers if mocha colored head, decent retention and solid streaks of lacing.

Smell is like a mint mocha- mint, chocolate and coffee, maybe a little hint of booze but nothing substantial.

Taste is complex and exceptionally well balanced. Roasted malts up front followed by the "thin mint" taste, then some coffee and then a little hop bitterness to make this one not too sweet. Excellent.

Mouthfeel is very nice- smooth, rich, full bodied and yet surprisingly drinkable (for a stout that is). Moderately carbonated. I would recommend this first and foremost because it is a great beer but also for its novelty. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2013 21:30:38 | More by Hopdaemon39

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.84/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Had on-tap at Sierra Grille.

Poured into a snifter, pitch black body with a 1-finger tan head. It falls to a thick ring and a partial cap eventually.

Good, strong scent that is surprisingly well-balanced. Mint-chocolate candies come to mind, caramel, and molasses.

Taste follows well but not quite as nice as the scent. Definitely lots of milk+dark chocolates and caramel ruling here, mint is pretty obvious but it's not in the forefront, thankfully not overpowering at all, though after a while it gives off kind of a toothpaste vibe. Some bready notes there as well. Not much roast presence here at all, definitely a sweet beer.

Very slick feel with medium-low carbonation. A little hot on the tongue.

Very solid representation of a mint chocolate stout, it would be easy for a beer like this to be a disaster. Not something I'd want to drink often but quite good.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2013 16:34:58 | More by Chico1985

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a black in color with not even a hint of light coming through. Beautiful web lacing on the glass but not a lot of head at pour. Smells malty - some chocolate and roasted malts. Flavor is very nice with mint and chocolate all clearly coming through on the front side with a pleasant lingering malt flavor on the back. Well done and perfect for the season!

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2012 18:39:15 | More by Oakenator

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

First had: bottle from Capone's, Norristown, PA
This review: on tap at Capone's

I found this beer to be pretty lousy in the bottle, so I figured I'd give it a try on tap. It was better, but not by a whole lot.

Once again, a solid black pour, a small beige cap that receded to a tiny ringlet. Aroma of dark roasty malts and cocoa, definitely a bit of mint in there, which was not in the bottle at all. The taste was better, displaying a closer sensation to an Andes mint, though more on the chocolaty side, with the mint present but mostly subdued. But, like the bottle, there was still a heavy bitterness in this that was very uncomfortable and made drinking any more than a sampler size impossible for me. Very unbalanced. The mouthfeel was a bit better, standing at about medium, with the booze being better concealed and the chocolate coming out more. Decent overall, but not something I'd go for again, now that I've had both serving types.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2012 00:46:24 | More by Rifugium

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

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

On Tap at Capone's.

Stone Mint Chocolate Chip Beer is a black stout. The body is thick and very black, nothing coming through the edges. A beige head about an inch up above leaving minor notches on the way down. Scent is what you would expect, mint, it hits the nose on impact with some cocco scent and roasted character. A bit of alcohol seeps through, but not the whole 9%. Tis the season. Thinking this would be a overly sweet cloying mess, I was surprised I was able to get through the glass. The mint while the main flavor, does not overpower the malt base and chocolate. This also has a hoppy middle that's subtle, and helps the sweetness subside. Feel is smooth, this goes down easy with a small carb popping off, just a bit of alcohol flavor which I feel is needed in this type of beer. This is a step up from DFH's Black and Red, the mint flavor is big, but not as cloying as you would think it could be. Good in small doses.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2012 06:16:52 | More by onix1agr

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Capone's for their Black Friday festivities and served in a Weyerbacher tulip.

Stone's collaboration Mint Chocolate Imperial Stout pours a solid black, with around a finger to a finger and a half of tan foam crowning the beer. Head retention is decent and lacing is left behind in thick rings. The nose has an intoxicating blend of aromas, with cocoa powder and fresh mint leaves swimming together, led by the former. Flavor wise, this is basically an Andes mint in a glass. Bittersweet dark chocolate is the highlight, witha supporting mint nite that's easily noticeable, but not overbearing. The mouthfeel us superbly dialed in. It's a little on the dry side for a stout, but that compliments the flavor profile wonderfully. The carbonation is spot on subtle, just barely there. This Mint Chocolate Imperial Stout is easily one of my favorite of the Stone collaboration brews.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2012 07:54:11 | More by axeman9182

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This poured out as a very deep black color with a creamy tan colored head on top. The retention and lacing we very good on this beer. Very sticky lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer has a great balance of natural mint and cocoa on the nose. There isn't much malt coming through though. The taste is very good too, it tastes how it smells. Lots of mint blended with a dark rich chocolate flavor. There is a hefty amount of bitterness in there also. The mouthfeel was smooth, oily and almost a little on the gritty side but perhaps that was just yeast from the bottom of the keg coming out of the line. Overall, it's a stunning beer... It's much more balanced than Red & Black from Dogfish Head. It tastes better from start to finish. This is a very good brew and deserves to be tried especially during the winter months.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2012 04:02:43 | More by Knapp85

UCLABrewN84

California

4.48/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Haven Gastropub in Pasadena, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Thick foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of chocolate, cocoa, mint cream, and Junior Mints. Taste is much the same with a really nice cocoa and minty finish. There is a mild roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is super tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2012 01:45:12 | More by UCLABrewN84

kemoarps

Missouri

4.36/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Deep black, mid-brown billowy head that hangs out and laces the glass like a pair of sneakers.

In a blind smell test, I would be hard pressed to pick which was which between this beer and a pack of thin mints (disclosure: I absolutely LOVE thin mints. Like, more than is healthy. If I had to choose between giving up thin mints for the rest of my life or giving up beer for the rest of my life... well, ok I'd probably give up the cookies, but I'd have to at least think about it). sweet dark chocolate, peppermint, some roastiness...

The taste has much of the same. The mint is less pronounced, but leaves a nice clean finish on the back end. The chocolate becomes more bitter cocoa powder/baking chocolate, a little burnt malts. mildly bitter.

very smoothe. The alcohol is a little more apparent than I would prefer, but by no means is it 'boozy.'

I really like what this beer is. This is not going to be for everyone, and it's not one I would necessarily drink alll the time, but it is a very well crafted beer featuring a set of flavours that are very near and dear to me.
If it sounds even the slightest bit appetizing to you I'd look for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 06:31:42 | More by kemoarps

tdm168

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to jtd1969 for sharing this one

A - oil thick, pitch black with a big, brown head that has good retention

S - mint leaves, chocolate, roasted malts

T - huge chocolate, mint leaves, roasted malts, mild bitter finish

M - full bodied, well carbonated, warming alcohol

This beer was awesome! The chocolate was incredible, indulgent, impressive, and rich. The mint was heavy on the nose, but added a nice compliment to the chocolate in the flavor. This has tremendous drinkability for the ABV. If you like a chocolate stout or if you like a little something different, this is most certainly a beer that is worth trying. I am very impressed!

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 01:25:30 | More by tdm168

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

355ml bottle poured into tulip 26/4/13 cheers Rutager for sending me the bottle

A black liquid with an inch of cola edge, big loose mocha foam quickly ends up as a thick film that leaves lots of random lace

S peppermint girl guide cookies with some chocolate chip mint iced cream with just a little licorice and booze, not sure why but I'm loving it

T a little coffee and char from the dark roast but somehow takes away from what the nose was offering, what I could smells still there but the proportions are mixed up and I like the taste but the nose was great

M not as thick as the color would imply but far from water, bubbles almost cream it up and there's just a little heat, strange finish of minty char, reminds me of a chocolate mint Prime Time cigarillo with some coffee

O I could see this one getting a pretty wide range of ratings, interesting to say the least and if every aspect was as sexy as the nose this would be a world class beer

One of those beers where one sip its awesome and the next not so much, smells great and although its not lacking in any department there's room for improvement, strange but successful

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 04:51:47 | More by wordemupg

Dope

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I'm just getting around to this one finally.

A: Pitch-black pour. Enormous and dense medium brown head. Head fades very slowly. Awesome head retention and surprisingly solid lacing too.

S: Huh, very interesting aroma. Lots of dark chocolate and mint. Kind of like a peppermint dark chocolate bark. Or a hot cocoa with peppermint in it. Quite unique and inviting if I'm honest.

T: Yup. Loaded with mint and dark chocolate. Bitter chocolate throughout the entire beer, the mint is mainly at the beginning and at the end. Lots of chocolate in the middle as it gets less sweet into the finish. Bitter mint lingers in the aftertaste, almost like a breath mint.

M: Medium bodied, smooth.

O: Really unique and delicious beer. The chocolate and mint is a perfect combination. Neither overpowers. Missing much roasted malt below it all but it's still excellent, if a bit one-dimensional. But hell, clearly it's intentional. It's a mint chocolate stout and it does what it says it is quite nicely. Like drinking alcoholic mint chocolate chip ice cream. It's tasty and a nice treat.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 03:25:07 | More by Dope

Reidrover

Oregon

4.21/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle from "Lifesource" Salem. $3.49 Pours elegant black with a small yet resilient bubbly tan coloured head. Minty,roasty,coffee aromas..nice. Typical roasty,deep dark coffee Imperial but with a fresh mont leaf taste running through it..always there..weaker at the start and stronger at the end..were also the chocolate ( milk) taste comes to the fore..like a good quality chocolate chip and mint ice cream! Luxurious palate creamy chocolaty minty smooth Great dessert beer

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 17:27:26 | More by Reidrover

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz. bottle poured into a tulip style glass. Liquid portion comes out pretty close to black in color. For all intents and purposes it's black, but realistically it's really dark brown, you can tell by the highlights. Dark tan colored head that provides some really good lacing to it.

Smell is really good, totally has both chocolate and mint smells. Pretty straight to the point, literally smells like a melted your peppermint patty. Smells really good, just doesn't smell like a normal beer, it's ok there's nothing normal about it.

Taste is good, a bit stronger than the smell. A bit more roasty than in the smell, you can actually detect some nice dark roasted malts. Plenty of chocolaty flavors, but more like coco than dark chocolate (though there is a slight bitterness from it too) then there's a nice minty flavor. Sort of a beers take on a cold mint hot chocolate, it really tastes good, just meant to be a dessert type beer.

Mouthfeel is good, full bodied without being too overwhelming. A beer like this you'd almost expect it to be like a melted chocolate bar, but it's not. It's still smooth with a good carbonation level. Starts sweet with a slight bitterness, then a nice warming effect from the mint. Very good, still very drinkable overall. In my opinion it's more of a sipper that you can split with someone (even if it's a 12 oz. bottle), but it's something a sweet beer lover can polish off on their own. Huge props to John for the hookup on this bottle. *Review'd this one from previous notes.*

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 02:27:50 | More by AndyAvalanche

neenerzig

Ohio

4.48/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into my snifter, this beer pours a very dark brown, almost black color with a nice tan head that is about 2/3 inches thick when poured. After a few minutes the head starts to settle down to a nice thick ring that lines the inside of the glass along with some swirls of foam here and thee on the surface of the beer. Decent lacing. Aromas of milk chocolate and mint, a hint of licorice, and some roasted malt notes. The taste is pretty much the same, milk chocolate and malt upfront followed with a bit of vanilla, roasted malts, perhaps a hint of coffee, a slight touch of licorice, and it is all rounded out with a nice citrus hop flavor with just a bit of bitterness on the back end. The flavors blend perfectly as the beer sits and warms up a bit. Absolutely fantastic! Has a crisp, yet smooth, somewhat chewy and sticky, full bodied mouthfeel with moderate to heavy carbonation. The flavors like to linger on the palate for awhile after each sip. Awesome drinkability as the 9.6% ABV is well hidden. Drink this one while you can still find it!

Eric

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 05:33:23 | More by neenerzig

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.26/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

a black pour with 2 fingers of fluffy tan head, excellent retention and excellent amount of lacing. smells of licorice, chocolate, mint, toasted grains. the mint is slightly subtle on the first sniff, but once you start sipping it comes out fully. the flavor up front is minty and chocolatey, hints of dark roasted grains and licorice ignite in the finish. a very robust stout. full body with moderate amount of carbonation. this would be an ideal dessert beer. a delight of a drink, this is not to be passed up if you can still get your hands on it.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 17:29:35 | More by facundoCNB

farrago

New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

An aggressive pour yields a slow building finger plus of super dark brown foam, mix of all bubble sizes, the larger ones contribute to above average dimpling, the retention is fairly good and, although thin, there’s more lacing than one might normally expect from the beer type. Jet black liquid, fully impenetrable, very smooth in appearance though, as if highly polished stone. The nose is as advertised, bodacious mint and milk chocolate, smells straight out of a candy shop, if you focus hard you might also get orange peel, black tea leaf and some scone notes but this is mainly supposition. The palate is slightly more developed, full-bodied, the carbonation is a little lower than it needs to be to keep the pacing brisk. Oats, granola cereal, coffee bean, orange citrus and vanillin drift in and out, has more general stiffness, this evidenced by more bitter dark chocolate than milk chocolate presence. The mint remains close to overpowering, especially retronasally. Overall, has good balance and handles the ABV fine. If you really like mint chocolate you will really like this beer. I really like mint chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:57:08 | More by farrago

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.66/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Appearance. Pours thick and dark brown, pretty close to black in the glass and topped with a finger of thick tan head.

Smell. After 8 mints, some metallic hops and a bit of dark malt.

Taste. Dark chocolate and some kinda fake tasting mint flavour. There's some bitter grassy hops and a bit of dark malt as well. Some sweetness, but certainly not sweet.

Mouthfeel. Full body with below medium, smooth carbonation.

Overall. This was a nice experiment but to me, the sweetness should have been upped making this more of a desert beer than it is. Still not bad, but once was enough.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 02:24:54 | More by Rutager

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.89/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this bottle into a snifter glass and got two fingers of initial foam that died down really quickly. The coloring is very appropriate for "stout" (where no light is coming through).

You can really pick up the mint from this beer. I also get a healthy amount of chocolate and coffee in the nose. It plays pretty well together.

The flavor doesn't have quite the same amount of balance. You can definitely get the mint up front, and on the back end the coffee really comes out. I don't get as much chocolate in this beer. It is a little unusual, but a new/different opportunity.

I recommend buying a single bottle for a new experience.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 23:36:00 | More by ummswimmin

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.45/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

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

Appearance- Black with thin mocha head that didnt last long, but left great lacing.

Smell- Chocolate mint up front, boozieness, dark roasted malts, possibly some light hop presence.

Taste- Wow. Chocolate and lights hops first, but quickly turns to mint. Gets mildly boozy and malty, then finishes with hops and mint.

Mouthfeel- Super smooth. Mild heat, but finishes with a mouth-cooling affect from the mint. Finishes super crisp!

Overall- I'm pretty surprised by this one. It's a real cool beer that tastes great as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 16:38:07 | More by Seanniek91

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Founders snifter on 1/3/12

The beer pours languidly; scorched brown in color. The head is slow to take off, but when it does, it reaches two and a half fingers. Thinner retention with ample amounts of lacing.

Chocolate and mint are, of course, the focal point of the aroma. They are so strong as to make the immediate area smell of mint chocolate candy; it makes me fondly remember the way Old Blue would fill the area it occupied with various and sundry internal combustion fumes. This seems really hoppy too, but I can't quite decide if I'm merely detecting the mint. Hints of dough.

One sip is all I need to reckon this is just really hoppy; it's the green, piney type of hoppy which seems to blend with the mint. The chocolate is fairly smooth all the way through the mid-section. From there, roast flavors are manifest in greater amount and the finish is burnt chocolate with hints of ash.

The medium-full body is viscous and rather inky. Moderately high carbonation keeps the feel on edge, which jives with the flavor profile. Boisterous yet balanced; I am impressed.

Wow, I'm floored by how good this is. I wish I had bought more of it.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 07:26:31 | More by Ryan011235

jeonseh

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle

A - Dark chocolate brown with a one finger head that fades away

S - Like a Andes candy with mint chocolate and a slight sweet cream it as well as cream

T - Like drinking a Andes mint a there is roasted dark chocolate with a good, but not overpowering, mint presence

M - Light body with a slight astringent roasted malt that lingers on in the finish 3.75

O - This is a good and interested beer that tastes exactly like you would expect a mint chocolate beer to taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:25:03 | More by jeonseh

oline73

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

Pours almost black color with a nice layer of tan head. This beer has really nice chocolate/mint flavor to it. Mint scares me because it can make things taste like mouthwash, but that's not the case here. Reminds me of a thin mint. This is a really nice use of mint in a beer. Stone tends to be extreme, but they didn't overdo it here. There is a really nice sweet roast throughout that brings everything together.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 23:14:30 | More by oline73

metter98

New York

3.95/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a quarter finger high tan head that died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are moderate aromas of mint leaves in the nose along with not some notes of roasted chocolate malts.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has more prominent flavors of roasted malts and a moderate amount of bitterness. The bitterness and minty flavors linger through the finish, which also has some hints of citrus and pine resin hops.
M: It feels medium-bodied and somewhat dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very minty and has a nice blend of roasted malts but it seemed like it could have used a little more chocolate and sweetness in lieu of bitterness to make this taste like one of those chocolate mints that they leave on your pillow at a hotel when the bed is turned down for the night. It is quite drinkable because the alcohol is well masked from the taste. However, the balance improves as the beer warms up.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 03:13:22 | More by metter98