Stillwater Artisanal Ales Surround
What the brewers say
“Like a sound system that fills the room with audibles swarming in every direction, this massive smoked wheat stout overtakes your senses with aromas and flavor of dark chocolate, caramel, roast, smoke, earth, and wood, It’s heavy, but you have to drop that bass every once in a while if you really wanna get down.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Smoky (cherry wood?). Nice dark coffee notes with hint of cocoa. Medium cherry esters. with a light undertone of ash. Mild hops aroma.”
Flavor: “Light smoke notes complement full-bodied roastiness. Alcohol is smooth and warming. Good roast malt up front, with a bit of smoke. Mild chocolate. First sense is sweet, but some lingering hops bitterness, the roast edge, and alcohol dry out the finish. Fairly fruity. Aftertaste has a low hops note and smoke that continues after the sip.”
Overall: “Bittersweet and chewy, this is a heavy hitter. The smoky notes provide additional body and fullness without coming across as a campfire or a rauchbier. The balance of the smoke in this beer in enjoyable. It is not over the top and it lets the chocolate notes come though. A light burnt note plays well with the smoke.”
