A subtly smoky porter that shows just how appealing a beer can be when the brewer uses a light touch with the smoked malts.

Stone Brewing Company
Escondido, Calif.
www.stonebrew.com
Phone: 761-471-4999
Distribtion:  AL, NH, AR, NJ, CA, NM, CT, NY, CO, NC, DE, OH, FL, OR, GA, PA, ID, RI, IN, SC, KY, TN, MA, ML, VE, MA, VA, MI, WA, NV, WI

Food Pairing Recommendations
Goes well with most beef and pork dishes, including rich, smoky barbecue.

Judges’ Notes
This beer pours very dark brown with flashes of reddish-orange around the edges.  Black malt and wood smoke are the keynotes of the aroma, with just a touch of soft, spicy hops in the background.  Tom and Pete both commented on the wood smoke’s almost campfire like character.  The smoke aroma was distinct but not overpowering and worked well with the black, roast malt notes.  The smokiness followed from the aroma into the flavor and was again well-balanced against the coffee, caramel malt, dried cherry and spicy hop flavors.  Roast malt acidity and hop bitterness balance out considerable malty sweetness to keep the flavor profile in line.  Tim liked the faint tartness that dark malts contributed to the flavor, while Lee spoke highly of the creamy roast and underlying chocolate notes on the palate.  This is a beer with a long, dry, smoky finish that doesn’t lose its identity as a porter in a wash of smoke.  Overall, the panel thought this was a well-made, clean and balanced beer, but some thought it could have used just a shade more smoke presence to bring everything together.  This is the perfect partner for real, smoke-fueled barbecue and would pair well a Carolina-style pulled pork sandwich.