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Stone Xocoveza - Charred
Stone Brewing
- From:
- Stone Brewing
- California, United States
- Style:
- Sweet / Milk Stout
- ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 94
- Avg:
- 4.24 | pDev: 7.78%
- Reviews:
- 169
- Ratings:
- 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
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 Doomcifer:
Rated by Doomcifer from Rhode Island
4.5/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Oct 15, 2016
4.5/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Oct 15, 2016
More User Ratings:
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
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, 2023Reviewed 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
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, 2021Taste 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.
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania
4.15/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
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, 2020L: 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.
Reviewed by frankkirchner12
4.78/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
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, 2020Reviewed by Wolvmar from Michigan
3.53/5 rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
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, 20202016 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
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
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, 2020Opaque 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?
Reviewed by vette2006c5r from Minnesota
4.57/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
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
Stone Xocoveza - Charred from Stone Brewing
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
641 ratings
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