Chris Banker/Stone/Insurgente Xocoveza Mocha Stout Coming 9/8

We brought you details of this beer back in July, and now the release details from Stone:

Our newest release is the stuff that local homebrewers’ dreams are made of…and one brewer’s in particular. The champion of Stone’s 2014 American Homebrewers Association rally and homebrewing competition, Chris Banker, got to brew his Mexican-hot-chocolate-inspired recipe at our Escondido brewery with a little help from Mexico’s Cervecería Insurgente. Chris Banker/Stone/Insurgente Xocoveza Mocha Stout is an intriguingly complex brew brimming with an earthy medley of spicy, roasty flavors, and we’re sending it out into the world starting Monday,September 8. You can learn all the delicious details on the official beer page or by watching the new video. 

If you want to find out ahead of time where you can get your hands on this tasty brew, check the Stone Beer Finder for help finding it at a bar or retailer near you.

Stats & Tasting Notes by Brewmaster Mitch Steele

• ABV: 8.1%
• IBUs: 50 IBUs
• Availability: Limited22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning September 8
• Hop Bill: English Challenger, English East Kent Goldings
• Distribution: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA and Puerto Rico
• Appearance: Pours black with a thick brown head.
• Aroma: Intense cinnamon, cocoa and coffee are followed by nutmeg and peppers. As the beer warms up, the flavor combinations evolve and the cocoa and vanilla notes really start to open up.
• Taste: Cocoa and cinnamon are at the forefront. The coffee, nutmeg and vanilla follow, and the fruitiness and heat of the pasilla peppers come through nicely on the finish.
• Palate: Full-bodied and very smooth with a light bitterness. The sweetness adds a lot to this beer without being too syrupy.
• Overall: When we tasted Chris Banker’s winning beer at our annual AHA Rally back in March, I think everyone on the brewing team was blown away by the multiple layers of flavor in this beer. Chris’ inspiration was Mexican hot chocolate, and he was able to perfectly replicate the flavors. The inclusion of Cervecería Insurgente for this collaboration was a fun addition. We first met co-founders Ivan and Damian at the 2014 Craft Brewers Conference in Denver, and given their brewery’s proximity to us in Mexico, and their approach to brewing, we thought they’d be a perfect fit for the third collaborator.