Smoked Porter - Stone Brewing Co.

russwbeck

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: This is an outstanding looking smoked porter. Very glad I got a picture of the pour. Three or four fingers of light brown head with huge bubbles inside, sitting atop a black pour. The retention is decent, but the lacing is outstanding, coating the sides of my Stone IRS goblet.

S: The smoke is noted on the aroma, but it isn't the major factor. Caramel and roasted malts, molasses, chocolate, and slight char. Pretty nicely balanced, but nothing is overly impressive. More on the porter side of things (I guess that's why they list it as an American Porter instead of a Smoked one), and isn't as crazy smelling as others that closely resemble bacon.

T: The balance of the taste, however, is something to write home about. It resembles the aroma, but takes it to the next level. The taste is built on a base of chocolate, caramel malts, molasses, and dark fruits that let the roast--from both coffee and malts--shine through. Sweet, complex, and smokey, this porter is one to be taken seriously.

MF: The body is lighter than most porters, with an average carbonation. The beer is silky smooth, and is top notch in terms of drinkability.

O: Stone Smoked Porter is cheap, readily available, offered year 'round, and is delicious. If you're like me and skipped picking this up every time you go on a beer run...bring that streak to an end, you'd be doing yourself a favor.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 00:14:38 | More by russwbeck

BeerDocT

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Served in a chilled tulip glass.

-Appearance 3.0: Pours out a nice, jet-black color so indicative of porters and stouts. Creamy and small head. Somewhat translucent and not thick, inky black.

-Smell 3.5: Smells very much like a porter, but has a subdued bouquet. Strange, for a "smoked" beer, I do not smell much smokiness.

-Taste 4.0: Front is slightly sour which leads to the middle which is very nice: toasted grains, but the grains in question still maintain a certain "grassiness" that is indicative of lighter beers. Finish is all hops and smoke and is wonderful. I definitely taste the high alpha Columbus hops and they are excellent. Aftertaste is long and dry and smoky. Excellent

-Mouthfeel 2.0: This beer is obviously CO2 carbonated. It could have been so much better if it had been bottle conditioned and the carbonation amped up considerably to make it "frothy."

-Overall 3.5: This is an excellent drinking beer, but I imagine it would overpower any food you consume with it. Who needs food? Just drink it. My opinion is that this is an excellent tasting beer, but that Stone needs to upgrade several elements of this beer. Room for improvement in several areas.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 04:28:59 | More by BeerDocT

fields336

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

side by side w chipotle and vanilla porters

A: pours a dark brown/black color when held up to the light has some deep ruby streaks. 2 finger light brown, khaki head on it. foamy, fluffy hangs around. sticky lacing is adhering to the sides

S: coffee, chocolate, earthy, slight smokiness, toffee, roastiness,r

T: chocolate, coffee, roastiness, smokey, bacon, slight vanilla, charcoal, earthy, toffee, bitter chocolate. as it warms, dark fruits and chocolate are prominant, with some licorice undertones.

M: medium/full bodied, not syrupy but enough sugar to hang around and coat your mouth. finish is sweet and toasty/bitter. really delicious beer

O: I love this beer, it's such a great beer and only 6%, so much flavor packed in. Great to cook with too!

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 00:31:49 | More by fields336

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Man, I haven't had this one in years, yet I have a bomber in front of me. Oh, what to do...

Served in a Port City tulip.

A: Mean head, mocha color so to speak, sticky, and with a very dark brew below it.... almost black even.

S: Like toasted, slightly burned milk chocolate. Really nice and a totally breathe of fresh air from many porters out there.

T: One of the all-time standards and I see why: Toasty, but not too. Yep... I can see how this appeals to the dark beer loving masses. Milky and candy-like, roasty goodness for sure.

M: Snot-like enough, and infinitely drinkable, with lots of lacing and a welcome departure from most of the porters I've had here recently.

O: One of the the all-time greats for most people. But for me, it was really, really good.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 05:08:43 | More by Chaney

3BeerGuys

3.18/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: dark ruby when held up to the light, lacing on the glass and a nice cream colored head that retains its apperance.

S: lightly smoked with hints of chocolate and malt.

T: flavors are not super deep. Smokier up front than on the finish, lighter than expected.

M: well carbonated, light in the mouth with a clean short-lived aftertaste.

O: good. Could be smokier and more alcoholic. Easy to drink. Keeping in mind the simplicity of the ingredients, its one to buy again.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 02:56:16 | More by 3BeerGuys

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from tasting notes.

Poured out a dark brown color with a brief flash head and minimal lacing, smells and taste mostly of chocolate, coffee, and has a very accessibly light licorice / smoke character to it. Seriously, it's really quite light on the smoke for your typical smoked beer. In that regards, it could serve as an introduction to the style for the neophyte....medium body and carbonation, a fairly by-the-books porter that just happens to have an exciting accent of smoke along for the ride. However, I personally have come to expect a lot more smoke from a smoked beer than what has been presented to me in this brew...

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 03:50:43 | More by WastingFreetime

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bomber from Wegmans Syracuse NY for 5.49$

Appearance - Black/brown colour with with an average size fizzy light brown head. I can't make out the amount of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for 3-4 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, chocolate, grains, roasted notes

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, chocolate, and some roasted/toasted nuts. There is also a bit of a smokiness and a touch of bitter coffee flavour. It ends with a grainy/chocolate aftertaste with a bitterness that lingers for a bit.

Overall - Very drinkable, but a little plain/boring. My bottle is a little past the exp. date, but still. A great session beer, but lacking the wow factor that most Stone beers have.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 23:59:36 | More by spinrsx

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.23/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown, light mocha head. Smoke is noticeable to the smell, but not overwhelming. It's also got a latte sort of fragrance. The smoke works well with the standard porter fare. This beer is quite robust, which I prefer in my porters. This was a turning point for me and smoked brews and even if it's not for all occasions, it's a supreme smoked porter for when the time is right.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 04:33:01 | More by TheRealBigC

beerme626

Kentucky

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Liquor Barn in Lexington, poured into a tervis tumbler (still don't have my glasses yet)

A: Rich dark, practically opaque, with a nice two-finger head, very tan, that diminishes but doesn't quite disappear after 2/3 of a beer. Seen better, but it's very good.

S: Rich caramel, malts, and chocolate.

T: A tasty porter. Rich is the word of the day. Complex malts and syrup initially, with a nice touch of hops and coffee on the back end. Bittersweet. Not as much obvious smoke, but an aftereffect of smoke that feels good.

M: Rich, and frothy without being foamy. Bubbly without going overboard, and a very pleasant feel on the tongue. Ideal for a porter.

O: I've been more blown away by porters (Founder's, Great Lakes,) but this is very good.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 02:04:21 | More by beerme626

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from 7/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours dark, almost black. Thin light brown head with little lacing. Roasty malts and light smoke throughout with a mellow roasty faint smoke finish. Not as smoky as a rauchbier or Smoke Jumper, but nicely made and tasty. Surprisingly tasty for a 6% beer. Medium bodied. Worth a revisit.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 23:46:31 | More by LiquidAmber

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle at Woodman’s in Rockford, IL in early 2012 since it is no longer sold in Wisconsin. Pours a dark brown color with off white foamy head. Has a mild smoked scent. Taste is robust yet still sweet with caramel malts finishing with a smoking flavor that delivers a hoppy after taste.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 19:42:37 | More by Lemke10

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

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

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

T - Starts off with a mix of roasted chocolate malts with some lactose sweetness and a bit of smoke. Through the middle, some licorice comes through with a bit of bitter coffee and a bit more smoke. The finish is a mix of smoke, roasted chocolate, some earthy hops, and a touch of lactose sweetness.

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

D - Very drinkable. Really nicely balanced smoked porter. The chocolate malts are really nice with the smoke flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 06:12:14 | More by ngeunit1

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.35/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz. bomber into a Cigar City snifter. Shared with schen9303. Side-by-side with the vanilla and Chipotle versions.

Opaue black but thin beer. .5 finger light cream head with poor retention. Spotty lace with no cling. Not much to this one.

Roasted malt, liquorice, smoke, and maybe some bitter chocolate. Some mild creaminess ties this one together. Average.

Opens liquorice, smoked malt, peat, chocolate, and some cocoa at the end. Bit of lactose tartness at the finish. Roasty aftertaste. Decent.

Light bodied with moderate to ample carbonation. Prickly and bubbly in the mouth and crisp going down. Accented finish with a slight lingering aftertaste. Refreshing though I'd prefer a bit smoother.

Solid. Overall a nice beer and one that I can see being a good base to add components to. This one's not gonna blow you away but its a good baseline of what a porter should be.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 22:52:54 | More by SpeedwayJim

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured into tulip glass.

reviewed from notes taken 7/17/12.

Appearance: Dark brown to light black bodied beer with medium brown colored head. Nice lacing.

Smell: Lots of smoke thats earthy and meaty. Little bakers cocoa and chocolate malts.

Taste: Just like the nose. Meaty, bacony, earthy, and peat moss smoke. Touch of chocolate and roastiness. Really tasty smoked beer.

Mouthfeel: low end of medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. Wish the beer was a little thicker, but it makes it more drinkable which is a fair compromise.

Overall: This is a no frills smoked beer. A solid beer that you can never go wrong with purchasing. Especially, if you want a consistantly good smoked beer for a reasonably cheap priced bomber.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 23:33:02 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

starkmarvelo

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Stone Smoked Porter

A pours a almost black with dark red when held to light. Loose rocky mocha colored head.

S Chocolate, coffee and cream, Very faint smokeyness.

T follows the nose very well. Dark chocolate, coffee, and caramel. Hops are kept down, and a very faint smokiness.

M medium mouthfeel, and medium carbonation that brings out flavors well.

O sweeter than expected, with less smoke than expected. But excellent none the less. Very decadent, great by itself, or for dessert. Buy again.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 22:39:08 | More by starkmarvelo

minnesotaryan

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass.

Pours a deep dark brownish black, some light tannish head at the top. Impeccable lacing!!!

Smells deeply of smoke, chocolate hints too, very rich.

Tastes of bitter dark chocolate, burnt caramel, vanilla, dark cherry, coffee and a good amount of smoked malt. There is a lot going on here.

Mouthfeel is smooth, good carbonation, very easy to drink.

This beer is wonderful, great aroma, wonderfully rich and complex, good body, across the board it delivers.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 00:39:48 | More by minnesotaryan

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Consumed 7/14/12

Note: 2010 bottle, aged by accident

Appearance: Dark brown, clear around the edges, nicely-sized light tan head, fades to an above-average ring, keeps a little, creamy cap, leaves some lacing

Smell: Chocolate and char, in moderation - dry baker's chocolate and dark chocolate - smoked and burnt malts, nicely balanced with the other aromas - smells richer than a 5.9% would suggest

Taste: Nicely balanced and flavorful - burnt and roasted flavors - smoked malts and dark chocolate, basically, but it's more complex - some coffee, some sweetness from caramel malts - mildly bitter, very drinkable

Mouthfeel: Medium body, very smooth, a slight bite from the smoke, but ultimately easy to drink

Overall: Classic

I've had this in the past, but I never sat down with a bottle to review it. This is a great porter. Its smokey characteristics are brilliantly well done. I don't feel like I am drinking an ash tray or chewing on a burnt hamburger (win). Stone's standard lineup consistently sets a very high standard that few other breweries meet.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 03:31:48 | More by angrybabboon

darrellzilla

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours coffee black, with a slightly reddish cast like a dark chocolate when held up to the light. Decent tan head (1 inch or above) that laves good lacing though melts quickly.

Immediate dark chocolate/espresso notes with a slightly cherry aroma. Slightly oily mouth feel leaving a generally pleasant bitter chocolate aftertaste. Very smokey, but not overpowering.

This beer is such an easy drinker that I polish off a bottle before I even notice what I'm doing. A solid tasty dark brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 04:57:04 | More by darrellzilla

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle into tulip.
Best before 08/27/2012

A- Dark brown, almost black pour with a two finger, soapy, sticky light tan head. Lacing is clinging in gobs around the glass.

S- Dark bitter chocolate, dark roasted coffee, a slight floral hop bitterness with a small amount of char, and tobacco. I'm not a real smoke beer fan and this one I feel is something you can use as a "beginners guide to smoke beers" I liked it so much last year I had to get another bottle.

T- Dark coffee up front, than an automatic smoke hits you. It's reminiscent of burnt toast and camp fire smoke. Not as sweet as the nose leads on but there is a bit of vanilla and bitter chocolate in the back end.

M- Medium bodied, slightly creamy. Definite chewiness to it.

O- I really do enjoy this beer. I think mostly because the smoke is not right in your face like a rauchbier. It's complimented by the dark malts and the other flavors.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 01:06:31 | More by korguy123

acevenom

Louisiana

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a large brandy snifter. Pours dark brown to black with a creamy tan head that dissipates slowly. As is typical of Stone beer, there is plenty of lacing left on the side of the glass. Mild smokiness could be detected in the initial pour. The nose reveals more smokiness to accompany the dark roasted malt. There's a mild aroma of chocolate and hops. The smokiness is prominent, but well balanced along with the taste of the dark roasted malt and chocolate. The hops are faint in the background. The body is light to medium with moderate carbonation. The beer is smooth, making this a highly drinkable porter. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 19:16:29 | More by acevenom

Jesse13713

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into an Arrogant Bastard pint glass.

Appearance - Three full fingers of rootbeer brown head, even from a quiet pour. The head soon clumps and appears spotty,making the lacing hard to grade because of the whipped-cream-like noggin. The beer is fairly dark, appearing black under ill-lit circumstance. Taking it closer to the light yields a more dark maroon color.

Smell - Roasted peppers and a huge campfire waft of smoke. Smoky oats and barley float above a bit of chipotle pepper aroma. There is a bit of sweet honey to the nose as well, though it well-hidden.

Taste - Huge scores of roasted barley and burning wheat stalks. A very light chipotle pepper taste in the back of the throat. Mild bitterness lingers around with dark, chocolaty malt before the two become friends. Smoke coats the entire roof of the mouth, while the sweeter flavors play on the tongue beneath it. Drinking out of the bottle yields a sweeter molasses note.

Mouthfeel and Drinkability - Surprisingly tart on the tongue at first. The low abv allows for a smooth, smoky ride. Imagine coming home from a campfire, the smell of smoke on your clothes - smoking a cigarette after eaten a lightly hot pepper about ten minutes prior. That doesn't make much sense. But it sounds good right now so I'm gonna leave it in the review. Light on the palate, certainly not alcoholic, and easily sessionable. I want to have this out by the campfire.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 05:08:31 | More by Jesse13713

scratch69

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Dark brown color with two fingers worth of tan head. Nice amount of lacing.

Smell- Roasted malt, chocolate, and a hint of hops.

Taste- Roasted malt, smoke, and chocolate. Just a hint of citrus-like hops toward the finish.

Mouthfeel- On the light end of medium bodied. Smooth with a light amount of carbonation.

Overall- Pretty good example of the style. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 14:29:00 | More by scratch69

MadScientist

New York

4.73/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a moderately deep garnet with excellent clarity. A tan very long head settles to a quarter of an inch of foam and leaves some lacing on the glass.

A smooth smoke aroma blends nicely with a roasted malt aroma. There is also supporting malt character aromas of bready, toffee and chocolate. Hops aroma is not perceptible. There are mild dark fruit esters of prunes and figs.

There is a perfect balance of dark malt and smoke flavors that progresses to a roasty dry finish. A medium sweetness with some toffee and chocolate notes blended with a moderate hop bitterness.

The is a rich, complex porter with a nice balanced smoke character underlining and supporting the key porter qualities.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 00:06:59 | More by MadScientist

mschind

California

4.18/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle with best by date of 7-24-12

A- Beautiful dark mahogany. Crystal clear around the margins. One finger mocha head that fades to a persistent cap and lots of lacing clinging to the glass all the way.

S- Biscuity roast malt with a mild smoked peat aroma, a bit like the background of a good scotch. Very faint herbal hops.

T- The malt is up front, sweet and smoky givving way to some mild bitterness and dark chocolate. Finish is slightly dry with a little mineral astringency..

M- Full bodied and smooth with sublte carbonation.

O- Can't beat if for the price. An interesting combination of smoke and malt. It would go well with a fruit and cheese course or a selection of chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 00:48:22 | More by mschind

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into a snifter

A- Dark brown, borderline black with red around the edges. A one finger tan head. Head retention is lacking but has nice lacing.

S- A good bit of chocolate up front followed by a subtle smokiness. A fruity bitterness from the hops. A nice smelling porter.

T- A bit of chocolate and roasty malts up front. The smokeyness comes in behind the beer and leaves a pleasant aftertaste. A fruity sweetness as well. This beer also has a dry woody character to it.

M- This is a very smooth porter and pretty easy drinking. It has a feel that makes me think there's lactose sugar in it. Moderate bitterness, good carbonation, full feel.

O- Great porter, all there is to it.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 00:44:15 | More by TwelveOunces