Chris Banker / Stone / Insurgente Xocoveza Mocha Stout

From Stone Brewing Co. – Each year we hold an American Homebrewers Association sanctioned homebrewing competition, the champion of which gets their recipe brewed and distributed nationwide by Stone. This year’s winner, Chris Banker, helped keep us grounded to our homebrewing roots by introducing flavors consistent with our regional apalate. His chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, chile pepper, and coffee-infused milk stout was built to mimic the flavors of Mexican hot chocolate, a beloved specialty from our neighbors to the sout, as our collaborators from Baja California, Cervezeria Insurgente, will attest. Layered with tiers of earthiness, spice, and roast, this creamy, semisweet blue ribbon beer confirms that the spirit of the American homebrewer is not only alive and kicking but thriving at an all-time high.

Stone Brewing Co. – Chris Banker / Stone / Insurgente Xocoveza Mocha Stout – 22 oz. bottle poured into a goblet. 8% abv.

Appearance:  Pours inky black. No head in sight, quickly after the pour. Upon movement, you’ll get a nice rim of tight bubbles.

Aroma:  Vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon, pepper essence. Coconut.

Taste:  Spicy bitter nutmeg. Coffee, chocolate, cinnamon covered almonds, spicy hops. Pepper finish.

Mouthfeel: Thinner than expected. Medium bodies. Lively, dry carbonation.

Overall: This was nothing like I expected in terms of final execution. There are many other tasty stouts infused with similar ingredients on the market, but unlike those beers, this was far more balanced, very dry, and didn’t have that heavy body that 3 more abv. percentages would have brought this beer.  Needless to say, this was very delicious.