Stone Xocoveza - Charred
Stone Brewing

Stone Xocoveza - CharredStone Xocoveza - Charred
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From:
Stone Brewing
 
California, United States
Style:
Sweet / Milk Stout
ABV:
10%
Score:
94
Avg:
4.24 | pDev: 7.78%
Reviews:
169
Ratings:
641
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 07, 2023
Added:
Jul 23, 2015
Wants:
  58
Gots:
  216
Mocha stout Aged 3 Months in American Oak Kentucky Bourbon Barrels.

BREWED AUGUST 17, 2015

The base beer is the recipe of 2014 Stone Homebrew Competition winner Chris Banker, an intensely flavorful milk stout brewed with cocoa, coffee and spices to mimic the rich flavors of Mexican hot chocolate.

IN THE MASH
U.S. Pale, Maris Otter Pale, Crystal, Black Patent, Coffee Malt & Chocolate Malt

IN THE BOIL
Challenger & East Kent Golding Hops

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS
Lactose, Flaked Oats, Coffee, Vanilla, Pasilla Peppers, Nutmeg, Cinnamon & Cocoa

AGED
3 Months in American Oak Kentucky Bourbon Barrels

CELLAR NOTES
Time spent in bourbon barrels gave an already complex beer even more complexity and flavor intensity, layering additional caramel-like and vanilla flavors on top of those already present. Aromas of rich coffee and dark chocolate are followed by nutmeg and cinnamon; a lush, heavy mouthfeel laden with charred oak and toffee engulfs the palate on the first sip. Lingering pasilla pepper and soft oak flavors persist through an exceptionally long finish in this intensely rich and satisfying beer.

RELEASE DATE: December 14, 2015
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Cylinsier:
Photo of Cylinsier
Reviewed by Cylinsier from Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
500 ml corked bottle

Pours opaque jet black, tan head is fine and firm at a half inch thick. Dissipates slowly to a film.

Smells of coffee, dark chocolate, licorice, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, oatmeal, and mesquite.

Tastes richly of cocoa, coffee, vanilla, lactose, caramel, biscuit, maple, capsaicin, and a smokey mesquite finish. Brown sugar cinnamon aftertaste.

Medium to full body with stinging carbonation on the tongue. Has a spice sting to it as well, and a hint of boozy warmth going down.

A decadent and flavorful stout with some added spice. Drinks dangerously easy and leaves you wanting more. A must-try beer, desert-like in its richness.
Dec 09, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4.41/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Draft at Bitter Creek Alehouse. I knew this would be good. Inky black pour, ring of beige head, tons of lacing. Chocolaty aroma, lots of chocolate. Taste brings the lactose, and the wooden barrel notes. Sweet with a bitter snap at the finish. Latent alcohol warmth. Superb on this cool evening.
Jun 07, 2023
 
Rated: 4.09 by smi69 from New York

Jan 13, 2023
 
Rated: 3.93 by dms1767 from Nebraska

Oct 20, 2022
 
Rated: 4.12 by Boone757 from Virginia

Jan 13, 2022
Photo of backblast
Reviewed by backblast from Alaska

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2016 vintage

Taste first off with dark coffee, dark malt with nutmeg-cinnamon mixed in. The peppers and lactose show up shortly after and the vanilla with the barrel show in end. There is a light bitterness mixed in. Well done.
Mar 04, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by Dovers from Wisconsin

Dec 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.57 by emptyglassagain from Massachusetts

Nov 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.75 by admonster00 from Illinois

Sep 19, 2020
Photo of EMV
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
2015 vintage. Poured from a cork'n'cage bomber into a Dogfish Head tuilp

L: Dark, dark pour... nearly black. Whispy tannish head. falls fast... but surprisingly good lacing.

S: Rich and spicy. Sweet cocoa, coffee, cinnamon, and cardamom. Smells delectable.

T.F: Rich and sweet up front. Lactose, vanilla, and milk chocolate. Nice and spicy... cinnamon and nutmeg. Exotic... low on the bourbon. Just a hint and not terribly boozy. Not much heat from the peppers but they do kick in a little smoky something. A little roast for balance but on the sweeter side. Medium body but lighter than expected. Low low carbonation. More spice with a pleasant lingering aftertaste.

O: I love Xocoveza and this is a really nice variant on the original. My biggest gripe is the low carbonation, but for 5 years in the cellar this mellowed very nicely. Overall nicely done.
Sep 02, 2020
Photo of frankkirchner12
Reviewed by frankkirchner12

4.78/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
After the first sip I noticed a pepper like chai tea finishes. I added some cayenne powder which is how I sometimes drink my stouts and boom! This is almost the best imperial I have ever had. Apologies to Stone for altering the flavor..
May 02, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 06, 2020
Photo of Wolvmar
Reviewed by Wolvmar from Michigan

3.53/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Mar 2020 Review (in the early days of Coronavirus...)
2016 vintage, Batch No 3. Didn’t see any dating beyond this. Same description as above but said aged in bourbon barrels for 6 months. Poured into a tulip glass.

Pour: deep brown, thin tan head that dissipated quickly with little lacing and no clouds or ring. 3.0

Nose: cinnamon, chocolate, lactose, hint of bourbon. 3.75

Taste: like the label, some char flavor, cinnamon, bourbon, bitter chocolate, lactose sweetness, lots going on, fairly balanced but char/bitterness dominates with lactose and cinnamon right behind. 3.5

Mouthfeel: low carbonation, a little thin feeling. 3.5

Overall: worth trying but not a favorite. Something about the balance between the char/bitterness and lactose sweetness doesn’t sit real well for me. Not likely to buy again. 3.5
Mar 15, 2020
 
Rated: 4.85 by TheCakePounder from Pennsylvania

Mar 01, 2020
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled December 2015; drank 1/28/16 @ Harvest Hop Haus.

Opaque brown appearance.

Nice tan head; decent lace.

Burnt caramel, dark chocolate, coconut & booze heat notes in the nose.

Medium thick mouthfeel.

Coconut, burnt caramel, cream & dark chocolate flavors up front; booze heat notes on the finish.

Too boozy for me & a bit "off" overall; still, it's bold & certainly unique. Perhaps age could whip this into shape?
Jan 01, 2020
Photo of vette2006c5r
Reviewed by vette2006c5r from Minnesota

4.57/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
Xocoveza pours black, with no head. Rich aroma, with spices, and pepper, but sweet and subtle at the same time. Flavor is sweet, chocolate and vanilla, lots of nutmeg, and a pepper like finish, with just a tad of heat. Great feel. Overall, rich and complex, sweet flavors, with a little pepper to balance it out.
Dec 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by Rootscipio from Texas

Dec 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.38 by steverx8 from England

Nov 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4.43 by travolta from California

Sep 03, 2019
 
Rated: 4.35 by epercuoco from Minnesota

Jul 28, 2019
Stone Xocoveza - Charred from Stone Brewing
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 641 ratings