Stone - Southern Charred (2014 series)

1) Create two beers that are for for very very few people.
2) Use two of the most accurate names in the beer industry...names that make it nearly impossible for folks to misinterpret that one beer is a Crime, and the other is pure Punishment.
3) Communicate clearly and accurately what people should expect from the beers. Use both video and the written word to communicate this. Throw in some pictures as well. Make sure the amount of peppers and heat factor are abundantly clear.
4) Don't use any "calls to action" in the communication such as "Try one today" or "Get yours before it's too late." In fact, don't say or do anything to encourage people to buy it. Leave that choice up to them.
5) Price it expensive, after all it was very expensive to make. Certainly the resultant pricing alone will keep all by the most diehard pepper and heat lovers away.
6) Cue complaining complaining complaining when folks find out that you didn't lie to them or mislead them and the beers were exactly as stated.
7) Scratch head in wonderment. Consider making people sign a bloody form next time to acknowledge that they know what they're getting themselves into.

I would not expect it to mellow. It's called Punishment. ;-]-=

 

its possible but I kind of doubt it. I live in northern virginia, which is a suburb of Washington DC, and we have one of the highest cost of livings in the US. Highly sought after large format bottles are usually in the upper teens and can easily push into the 20's and some into the 30's. There are of course some more localized breweries that make world class beer that isn't nationally known, and that's really where its at. I can get a special release from Hardywood, Williamsburg Alewerks, or Three Brothers for usually around $12. Even those are starting to rise though, Three Brothers' Resolute, a BA stout that is every bit as good as any, will sell for $18 I think this year. And that's at the brewery, which is in a fairly rural college town 2 hours from here. If any were to hypothetically make it into a store up here (it won't), it would go for over $20.

 

Sheesh! It's literally the only beer from Stone that I didn't like. I paid for the beer, I knew it would be hot, but I still thought I'd like it. I didn't. I'm allowed to have an opinion, right?

 

LOL. Of course. That wasn't aimed at you specifically, but at the general reactions I've picked up on from many folks. Glad you like our other stuff!

Try this...next time you're having a group of people for enjoying beers, crack open the Punishment and try dosing a half oz or so into the IPAs or Double IPAs you're drinking. I love to do this myself. Adds in a less-punishing amount of heat, but still quite a bit, and also I really like the citrus / heat interplay. Personally, it's my favorite way to enjoy Punishment. Cheers!

 

Actually, that sounds like the best way to consume that beer. Thanks for the tip!

 

Anyone know if this may be hitting Northern California?

 

Ive still got my 2013...i guess it is time to drink it to make room for this year's

 

Quit being so reasonable.

 

I really hope I can grab a bottle this year; I was pretty pissed when I missed it last year (the only one of Stone's one-offs I didn't see). I bought Crime instead, and...

 

So, can anyone who's had a chance to try this year's (and also had last year's) speak to whether the barrel-time difference has a noticeable impact on the taste?

 

For the record I have and would again easily pick BCBS and Parabola out of that lineup blind. Both are very distinctive. To my palate, there isn't a beer out there that has the mouthfeel of BCBS or the distinctive toasted coconut bomb that is FW's barrel program's call sign. The rest, I'll give you, are varying degrees of similar.

On topic, I really enjoyed Mikhail's Odd and will likely seek this out as well. It's Stone, who does everything quite well. Maybe not the best of the best out there, but I haven't been anywhere near disappointed by any of their offerings.

 

Honestly, I'm a little bit scared, Southern Charred is one of my favorite beers ever from Stone and hearing of a change, well...luckily I just picked up three from 2013.

 

This is a tweet from the DMV Stone Rep.

I really wish Stone was better at telling people up front what the distribution would/will be like with special releases like this (unless I somehow missed it this time). This is just like what happened with w00tstout 2.0 and Varna Necropolis.

@StoneGreg Whatever happened to Quingenti Millilitre releases going national?

Just my little input for the online comment box. I'm loving everything else though.

Edit: It says So-Cal only on the sales materials site, but the general press releases don't say that. Also, hitting distribution can be confusing because they mean your 'local' distribution through Stone's own distribution company.

 

So this is seeing virtually no distribution, or am I missing something?

 

Damnit. No Ohio for this. Stupid laws

 

I liked Crime and Punishment. Not as much as Dostoevsky's classic, but they were excellent chile beers in my opinion. I drank each bomber in its entirety and would have had more. If I see them again I actually might pick up a couple more to save them from being bought by people who will just drainpour them after not listening to Stone's advice.

I am one of those diehard spice and pepper lovers that Greg mentioned BTW.

Also sad to see that Southern Charred isn't getting national distribution. It sounds interesting.

 

Correct.

Nobody is seeing it outside of So-Cal.

This is from Stone's Sales Materials website.

 

Normal consumer.

Oh look a new stone beer, aged in bourbon barrels! Oh yeah they did peppers for that vertical epic, it was pretty good and I don't even like peppers. No idea what kind these are....I mean I don't eat them, but stone is always great.

Pour beer

WHAT IN THE FREAKING HELL IS THIS AWFUL CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And it was only 20 dollars, for a bourbon barrel aged beer today that isn't close to causing most to double take. Price it at 40 or 50 and sure people would think twice. BTW I have 3 bottles left of that shit since I just assumed I had to buy fast!

 

Was really excited for this last year and found one of the few bottles in my area. The barrel quality was amazing but it was much hoppier than I was expecting, thought the aging would lessen the hops but no. This one's aged shorter so it might even be hoppier!

 

I'll trade you my pair for some Illinois goodies?