Stone Vanilla Bean Porter

Stone Vanilla Bean Porter is an American Porter brewed with Madagascar vanilla beans, 5.9% ABV. Bottled on 08/21/16, opened on 10/14/16. There is a best by date, but it has smeared off of the bottle that was provided for review. This beer will be available on draft, and in the Cabin Fever Mixed 12 pack.

The beer pours just as one would expect it to, an extreme dark brown color with a big tan head. The head has great retention as well. I’m getting some soft vanilla, sweet milk, and mild roasted malts on the nose. A little chocolate creeps into the aroma as the beer warms up some. I was expecting a taste that was sweet and roasty, but this has gone in a bit of a different direction. A tasty roasted malt flavor is certainly there, but there is a surprising amount of hop bitterness and acidity to this as well. The vanilla is maybe a touch too subtle, but it’s obvious enough throughout the taste. I really wish the vanilla added a bit more balancing sweetness. The finish is dry and bitter with a chalky chocolate flavor that lingers on.

The longer I sip on this the more I get used to what it has to offer. Not the best that I’ve had from Stone, but even their “not best” can be better than a lot of beers out there.