06th Anniversary Porter
Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸
Porter - Smoked Special Out of Production|
Score
7.45
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An ode to density, viscoSity, and the unbearable opaqueness of being...
Considering that we were barreling down on a beeline path in what might have seemed to be a ruinous (get it?) direction with previous Anniversaries' IPA offerings to the hop god–hops are not a real religion, but perhaps they should be? Already a large and ravenous throng is ready and willing to offer their palates up on the sacrificial alter unto the not-yet deity–it might seem that we are grabbing the bottom of the steering wheel thrusting our full body weight and then some downwards to increase the force to the brakes while downshifting and spinning the wheel in an attempt at a vulpine Starsky & Hutch-esque move (how's that for a dated-not-pertaining-to-anything '70s reference there, Huggy Bear?) to reverse direction in a din of screeching tires and acrid rubber smoke (along with the obligatory camera shot of the lone-rolling hubcap) thus treating our brewery as if it were some sort of asphalt-faring drogher, to which I say a hearty "Nay!" to all that lurpy (which isn't even a real word, but it sounds cool and seems to somehow be apropos in this context) puerile nonsense for this is not what it seems by any stretch of the imagination as it is instead simply a very sharp turn within the context of that which is the Stone Anniversary Ale allowing us each to glow in our own individually pulchritudinous way as we pay homage with this sui generis "goosed up a notch or three" version of our much loved and equally misunderstood Stone Smoked Porter, which we think is truly the bee's knees in brewer's trousers.
Capice? Good. And don't worry about them succubuses (succubusi?)...our gargoyle is watching.
Considering that we were barreling down on a beeline path in what might have seemed to be a ruinous (get it?) direction with previous Anniversaries' IPA offerings to the hop god–hops are not a real religion, but perhaps they should be? Already a large and ravenous throng is ready and willing to offer their palates up on the sacrificial alter unto the not-yet deity–it might seem that we are grabbing the bottom of the steering wheel thrusting our full body weight and then some downwards to increase the force to the brakes while downshifting and spinning the wheel in an attempt at a vulpine Starsky & Hutch-esque move (how's that for a dated-not-pertaining-to-anything '70s reference there, Huggy Bear?) to reverse direction in a din of screeching tires and acrid rubber smoke (along with the obligatory camera shot of the lone-rolling hubcap) thus treating our brewery as if it were some sort of asphalt-faring drogher, to which I say a hearty "Nay!" to all that lurpy (which isn't even a real word, but it sounds cool and seems to somehow be apropos in this context) puerile nonsense for this is not what it seems by any stretch of the imagination as it is instead simply a very sharp turn within the context of that which is the Stone Anniversary Ale allowing us each to glow in our own individually pulchritudinous way as we pay homage with this sui generis "goosed up a notch or three" version of our much loved and equally misunderstood Stone Smoked Porter, which we think is truly the bee's knees in brewer's trousers.
Capice? Good. And don't worry about them succubuses (succubusi?)...our gargoyle is watching.
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7.2/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
22 oz bottle (2002 vintage) thanks at ClarkVV for this 15 year old Porter!! I am shocked at how well this held up in the bottle! Aromas are smoked malts, mild chocolate, mild cream. Tastes are of roasted malts, light smoke which is ashy and hints of licorice and some oxidation. Light cardboard.
It shows a medium bodied with light carbonation level. The smoke taste was ashy for me, but also the oxidation is lower for a 15 year old beer.
It shows a medium bodied with light carbonation level. The smoke taste was ashy for me, but also the oxidation is lower for a 15 year old beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Jul 2017
at 15:09
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
This is the 2002 Bottling from ClarkVV. Not sure where he was hiding this one. Released 2002, not the new version. Dark reddish tan. no head. Smells very smokey with fig and wood. getting a lot of oxidation but that’s to be expected. dark chocolate, no sweetness. very thin. chocolatey with a cherry juice and a lot of smoked charcoal oak.
Tried
on 29 Jul 2017
at 15:01
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle: Poured a clear deep brown color porter with a nice light brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of roasted malt with light caramel notes is quite enticing. Taste is a good mix of roasted malt with some caramel notes with a light dry finish. Body is about average with good carbonation with no apparent alcohol. Easy drinking porter with just the right amount of complexities.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Jul 2017
at 15:08
7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Brown bottle, 1 pint 6 ounces, via Philippe Boutin (merci!), savoured on my birthday 2017; eye: liquorice, opaque, thin sheet of brown head that turns into a ring, average lacing; nose: coffee, roasting, bittering hops, slight caramel; mouth: coffee, roasting, bittering hops, light caramel, astringency, acidity, lightly dry finale in coffee with presence of chocolate, full body, average carbonation, surprisingly bitter, slightly sweet, lightly harsh texture; overall: fine
FRANÇAIS
Bouteille brune, 1 pinte 6 onces, via Philippe Boutin (merci!), savourée à ma fête 2017; œil : noire, opaque, mince couverture de mousse brune qui se transforme en un anneau, dentelle moyenne; nez : café, torréfaction, houblon amérisant, très léger caramel; bouche : café, torréfaction, houblon amérisant, léger caramel, astringence, acidité, finale légèrement sèche en café avec présence de chocolat, corsée, carbonatation moyenne, curieusement amère, très légèrement sucrée, texture légèrement râpeuse; en résumé : bien
FRANÇAIS
Bouteille brune, 1 pinte 6 onces, via Philippe Boutin (merci!), savourée à ma fête 2017; œil : noire, opaque, mince couverture de mousse brune qui se transforme en un anneau, dentelle moyenne; nez : café, torréfaction, houblon amérisant, très léger caramel; bouche : café, torréfaction, houblon amérisant, léger caramel, astringence, acidité, finale légèrement sèche en café avec présence de chocolat, corsée, carbonatation moyenne, curieusement amère, très légèrement sucrée, texture légèrement râpeuse; en résumé : bien
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Jul 2017
at 15:17
9.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 10
Bomber split by 2 @ "D. & E. Tasting #3". Thanks to David! 04/12/2016 bottled. Ridiculously better than Stone Smoked Porter which was far too burned smoked with no balance. This is perfect, complimentary smoke & enough wonderful hops to make an amazing BIPA jealous. Very dark brown / black, thick creamy mocha head. Nose is nice big pine resin hop with some blue cheese hops, perfectly balanced roast, amazing hop; Taste is really good chocolate upfront, mocha, cacao, roast, greatly bitter roast, low hint of burned plastic, amazing bitter pine resin massive hop finish despite the age. Such good balance, those Stone hops. Amazing. Body is bitter, plastic, very thick roast. Really impressive.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Jul 2017
at 12:33
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Thin beige head left a cover on a still dark brown body. Malt caffeine & berry dry aroma. Medium body. Creamy. Smooth sharp & tangy on back. Dark sour berries, malt, cream, coffee, demerara, roasted. Excellent Porter
Tried
on 08 Jul 2017
at 14:00
5.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 2
Overall 5.5
Bottle. A- Savory, roasty, leather, char, soy sauce, oak. A- Black color, black liquid, beige head. T- Roasty, dry, char, bitter, leather, tobacco, oak. P- Full body, average texture, average carbonation, bitter finish. O- At well over a year old this was still heavily bitter. I can’t imagine it fresh. A bit of a chalky finish and loaded with roasted tobacco and dry leather. The finish was just too bitter and chalky. Not my favorite in a style I love.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Jun 2017
at 13:20
7.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Smoky and some caramel like a collection of unhealthy habits. Black pour with decent head and lacing. Bitter and roasty finish. Dark chocolate. Good balance. Tap at city taphouse.
Tried
from Draft
on 02 Jun 2017
at 18:03
8.9/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Pours very dark brown. Frothy, tan head that lingers for the duration amidst sticky lacing. A very attractive brew. Aroma is chocolate but with notable hop undertones: lots of pine, and a bit floral. More reminiscent of a black ipa than a traditional porter. Taste is bitter, almost too bitter with the hops mostly squelching the sweet chocolate and smokey undertones, but the balance is just kept and comes out strangely all the better for it. Full body, soft carbonation, rich, creamy and smooth. Absolutely delicious. A beer that leaves me sad when the glass is gone gets extra points in my book. At the time of rating among my best top ten.
Tried
on 13 May 2017
at 15:45
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle from Systembolaget. Black pour with a beige head. Aroma and taste of liqourice, chocolate, very light smoke, roast and a bit of coffee. Smooth with a full body. Lightly bitter smoked oak finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 May 2017
at 10:18