Stone & Wood’s winter offering, Stone Beer, is a nod to the traditional European method of putting heated stones into the kettle. The 2019 version is a magnificent porter, where the subtleties of the wood fired stones hang in the background of rich chocolate, roasted malts and bitter hops. A great example of a style I love, and perfect to finish off the first week of winter.
Bottle. Pours deep black with a medium cappuccino coloured head and thin lacing. Subtle aromas of dark chocolate, espresso notes, dark malt, heavy toffee and just a touch of milk. Big, rich and smooth mouthfeel full of dark chocolate, cocoa, nuts, berry filled espresso, a subtle lick of smoke and a quite bitter finish of earthy hops and heavily roasted malts. Perfectly balanced, with not a hint of alcohol despite the 7.2% ABV.
A big thank you to Stone & Wood for again sending us samples ahead of launch and letting us be one of the first to try this beer!
4/5. Trent.