Coaster Critique: Stone Collaboration Suede

Name:Suede                                                                                                                 Brewed by: Stone Brewing Co. / 10 Barrel Brewing / Blue Jacket Brewing
Style: Imperial Porter brewed with calendula flowers, jasmine and honey.
ABV: 9.6%

Poured deep brown, nearly black and glowed with a crimson hue when held to the light; pour produced a thick tan head.

Smells of dark roasted grains and notes of chocolate. The lavender is coming through faintly as well as some alcohol.

Lots of flavors happening in this beer, the lavender stands out, I’m not familiar with calendula flowers so I can’t say for sure I taste them but there is a flowery, herbal flavor going on. The honey is pretty faint and could easily be lost in the malts which have a bittersweet chocolate flavor. Suede leaves me with alcohol as an aftertaste, not to the point that I’d call it boozy though.

Overall another interesting Stone Collaboration, the flavor is quite complex but the flowers and honey right up front give this porter a soft flavor but the alcohol finish reminds you that it’s actually a strong beer, I guess the name fits. I’m not sure if bottles of Suede are still on the shelf, it was a limited release and may be gone.

Cheers
Chaddah

Chad Lothian

About Chad Lothian

Chad Lothian lives in Old Town, Maine. He is a craft beer enthusiast and homebrewer. Chad has travelled to brewpubs, breweries and brewfests all over New England.