Stochasticity Project: Master Of Disguise
Stone Brewing

Stochasticity Project:  Master Of DisguiseStochasticity Project:  Master Of Disguise
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From:
Stone Brewing
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
9.7%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 12.96%
Reviews:
196
Ratings:
938
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 29, 2020
Added:
Jun 26, 2014
Wants:
  44
Gots:
  198
First Release: November 2014
Some illusions and misnomers lead to life’s most delightful surprises. Case in point—this beer, the yang to the yin that is the black India pale ale. Once revolutionary for its onyx appearance, it is now an accepted and beloved member of the India pale ale family. Thus we took the spirit of a dark beer—the time-honored stout—and applied a similar science of thought, brewing it to be golden-hued. Cocoa and coffee beans impart roastiness sans darkening to this brew, while flaked oats provide an enveloping mouthfeel. The result is a stout that looks more like a blonde, but is a raven beauty at heart.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by KG710:
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Rated by KG710 from Georgia

4/5  rDev +5.8%

Nov 30, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.87/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Right out the gate, this is a pretty cool beer with its turning the norm upside down appearance wise.

Instead of pouring black/brown, this imperial stout comes in a golden-amber like color with 1/2" white head. The aroma artfully drops a hefty vanilla and chocolate presence, whereas the coffee is slighter than that.

The taste is sweet, and there is no roasted malt, its a different twist on the pastry stout, with there being little to no roasted malt aspect that gets covered up or counterbalancing effect. The coffee, vanilla and chocolate/cocao notes remain sturdy throughout. Carbonation was fine. The weight effect on the beer was light. All in all its pretty impressive, its unique, it tastes good, it really is the kind of beer with stout like flavor/adjuncts that you could drink in warmer weather without it being too taxing on your body/palate. Has a nice creaminess to it. Would buy again if made in a 4 or 6 pack.
Apr 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 06, 2020
 
Rated: 4.02 by Sound_Explorer from Washington

Jan 12, 2020
Photo of jazzyjeff13
Reviewed by jazzyjeff13 from England

3.93/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A 22oz bottle with no visible BB date. Purchased ages ago from the Brewdog webshop and stored in a box. Hopefully still in good condition - let's see what this golden stout is all about....

A: Poured into a Duvel tulip. Possibly bottle conditioned. A deep marmalade-orange hue with light carbonation and flocculent, gelatinous sediment that floats lazily in the glass. Yields a very small head of creamy white foam that settles almost immediately to a patchy surface layer.

S: Aroma of rich roasted coffee with hints of bitter cocoa, caramel malt, mild barley sugar, ale yeast, earthiness and faint leafiness. Stouty without the stout - very nice.

T: Tastes of intense roasted coffee with notes of bitter cocoa, espresso, caramel malt, subtle barley sugar, ale yeast, earthiness, mild floral hints and a vague leafiness. The booze is well hidden. Slightly sweet, followed by a powerful coffee-driven bitterness upon swallowing.

M: Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with soft carbonation and superb body. Rich and creamy. Somewhat astringent; dries the palate. Aftertaste of fruity roasted coffee, bitterness, cocoa, mild caramel malt, subtle grain, earthy yeast and faint leafiness.

O: Another stand-out effort from Stone; age leaves this undimmed. Looks great, while the aroma and flavour are a superb blend of coffee, cocoa, caramel malt and ale yeast. Great body. Interesting to note how the coffee makes an excellent substitute for the dark malt in a typical imperial stout. Rich, complex and very tasty - well worth sampling should you be lucky enough to come across a bottle.
Aug 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by brittanylicious from Indiana

Feb 11, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by heysuz from Indiana

Feb 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Jan 03, 2018
Photo of GarrettB
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado

4.07/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
March 6th, 2015 - Before it was the stochasticity project, this was simply Stone's Master of Disguise. Furiously red and almost orange, it looks like an angry beer, and the aroma seems to confirm my suspicions. Spicy and with some chili and vegetal elements, it has enough malt to support the exotic scents. A little marshmallow sweetness binds all the aromas together, letting the paradox of a blonde stout precipitate into reality. The flavor is more emphatically a stout, with a sticky and foamy palate, and abundant malt in the body. A graham cracker sweetness feels very appropriate here too, with a slight hop touch that lasts well into the aftertaste. It's a curious style, and no doubt the product of a drunken dare (or an adventurous conversation at a brew club) but the result speaks for itself: spectacular in its self-contradiction.
Dec 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by bigred89 from Maryland

Oct 15, 2017
Photo of macrosmatic
Reviewed by macrosmatic from Florida

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Reviewed from notes. Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Brooklyn Brewery tulip glass.

A: A clear burnished gold – just a touch of chill haze – with a two-finger white head and a fairly low amount of visible carbonation.

S: Big coffee, unroasted coffee beans and some green peppers. Hints of cacao and a minimal light malt body.

T: Coffee - again some green coffee but there's some darker roast character here as well, and some bitter baker's chocolate. A light bready malt, and no roasted character to the malt bill. A slight hop bitterness near the end, with the lingering coffee. As the beer warms, it does develop more dark roast flavors to the coffee, as well as some more cacao flavor.

M: A light body for the "style" (but who knows what that’s supposed to be). Low carbonation sensation overall, and the alcohol is noticeable but not overly hot.

O: This was weird, and certainly worth a try. Compared to true Imperial Stout, it falls short especially in mouthfeel and the lack of roast malt character. But it's certainly not a bad beer. It’s very coffee-forward, though does develop some of that green pepper flavor. Then again, some vintages of FBS do so as well. But it’s enjoyable enough.
Sep 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.04 by SkyyNapalm from Massachusetts

Jul 23, 2017
Photo of TerribleTaste
Reviewed by TerribleTaste from California

4.75/5  rDev +25.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This was my first ever craft beer that I had ever tried.... And It spoiled the fuck out of me.....
After a heavy phase of drinking hard liquor through high-school and college I stopped drinking for almost a decade.
Then in 2014 A friend of mine offered me half of his 22oz Master of Disguise bottle and I agreed without much thought, I was never really a beer person but I didn't want to be rude and refuse him.

Those 11 oz beer changed my life.... I had never experienced so many unique flavors in one single mouth full. I was so impressed at how the chocolate, vanilla and coffee swirled around with each other. At the time I was not 100% able to understand just exactly what I was drinking, But I knew that I absolutely loved it simply from the pallet of flavors I was getting!

Since drinking that beer I have gone on quite the rampage looking for a beer to match the complexities of this offering.....Still have yet to have a beer that floored me like this one did.....

If anyone has a bottle of this stored away, I will buy it from you for a decent price....I can't find anyone who has it and I have been asking A LOT.
Jun 19, 2017
Photo of EmperorBevis
Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled and a gift from my side of the road, and I will be forced to take a look at the moment, but I am still proud to be a small recipient of such a fine ale
Mar 27, 2017
Photo of tylerstravis
Rated by tylerstravis from Colorado

3.24/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
This could have been cool if they used good coffee.
Sep 11, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by Cuervo_PCB from Florida

Aug 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4.57 by dag1991 from Ohio

Jul 16, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by calcnerd from Pennsylvania

Jun 03, 2016
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.61/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Aroma initially is coffee, and body resembles a stout (except for color). Taste brings in some more flavors, overall very complex. ABV is in there, sneaks up on you.
May 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.72 by Newport_beerguy from Rhode Island

May 16, 2016
Stochasticity Project: Master Of Disguise from Stone Brewing
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 938 ratings