Stone 20th Anniversary Encore Series: 6th Anniversary Porter

Considering that we were barreling down on a beeline path in what might have seemed to be a ruinous (get it?) direction with previous Anniversaries' IPA offerings to the hop god–hops are not a real religion, but perhaps they should be? Already a large and ravenous throng is ready and willing to offer their palates up on the sacrificial alter unto the not-yet deity–it might seem that we are grabbing the bottom of the steering wheel thrusting our full body weight and then some downwards to increase the force to the brakes while downshifting and spinning the wheel in an attempt at a vulpine Starsky & Hutch-esque move (how's that for a dated-not-pertaining-to-anything '70s reference there, Huggy Bear?) to reverse direction in a din of screeching tires and acrid rubber smoke (along with the obligatory camera shot of the lone-rolling hubcap) thus treating our brewery as if it were some sort of asphalt-faring drogher, to which I say a hearty "Nay!" to all that lurpy (which isn't even a real word, but it sounds cool and seems to somehow be apropos in this context) puerile nonsense for this is not what it seems by any stretch of the imagination as it is instead simply a very sharp turn within the context of that which is the Stone Anniversary Ale allowing us each to glow in our own individually pulchritudinous way as we pay homage with this sui generis "goosed up a notch or three" version of our much loved and equally misunderstood Stone Smoked Porter, which we think is truly the bee's knees in brewer's trousers.

Capice? Good. And don't worry about them succubuses (succubusi?)...our gargoyle is watching.

We celebrated our first five years in business by releasing anniversary India pale ales, with each subsequent IPA brewed to be hoppier and more intense than the previous. For our 6th anniversary in 2002, we extended this concept by making an intensified version of Stone Smoked Porter. We cranked up the malts and hops a notch or three and conditioned it on French and American oak, which accentuated our porter’s distinctive smokiness and amplified its chocolate and roast coffee flavors while also adding subtle notes of toffee, cherries, dried berries and vanilla. We’re proud to give those who missed out—as well as those who didn’t—a fresh shot at experiencing this smoky, dark-as-night wonder.

FEATURED HOPS: Tomahawk