San Diego’s Stone Brewing Co. is one of the best microbreweries in America and their Xocoveza Mocha Stout is just one of many reasons why. The recipe was created by a guy named Chris Banker and it was good enough to win a homebrewing competition. Stone took his recipe and collaborated with Mexico’s Cervezería Insurgente to bring Xocoveza Mocha Stout to the masses. This is one of the best stouts that I’ve ever had. It has a rich aroma, full of cocoa, coffee, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and toasted malts. It tastes even better than it smells. I get coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe some cloves, and there’s a little bit of heat on the finish because they brew it with chili peppers. Chris Banker says that he was inspired to create a beer version of Mexican hot chocolate. He succeeded spectacularly. This is a very drinkable beer, even with the 8.1% alcohol content. It warms you up and leaves you wanting more. Too bad it’s a limited batch and it’s hard to find. I was lucky enough to get in on draft. I would definitely grab a few bottles to hoard if I come across any in a liquor store.
Critically Rated at 15/17
Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young
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