W00tstout is the first and only Stone 2013 Collaboration beer I have spotted so far this year at my local beer distributors. In the past, I've tried to get my hands on as many Stone Collaboration beers as possible. Every year, since 2008, they have come out with about 2 to 5 different offerings, with three different brewers working on each one. Stone is always one of the brewers, while the other two spots are filled with other well known breweries.
Stone's idea with these beers is to have no boundaries when it comes to usable ingredients in the brewing process. They work with these other brewers to create some of the most unique beers they can come up with. Some of their past collaborations include Mint Chocolate Imperial Stout and Japanese Green Tea IPA.
I've been fortunate enough to try 2011's More Brown Than Black IPA, and 2012's TBA, Saison du Buff, and "The Perfect Crime." The main draw of these collaboration beers for me, besides their unique combinations, is the fact that these beers are only brewed once in a lifetime. Once they're all consumed that's it! You can no longer get/try/taste these beers ever again.
I think that's enough of a backstory for Stone Collaboration beers, let's move on to w00tstout.
W00tstout was created by Greg Koch of Stone, Drew Curtis of Fark.com and Wil Wheaton of Star-Trek/Big Bang Theory fame. The beer is brewed with wheat (that was Wil Wheaton's idea if you hadn't guessed it), rye and pecans all aged in bourbon barrels. At 13% ABV it's no laughing matter and the bottle should definitely not be tackled by yourself (as I learned the hard way...oops).
The smell of w00tstout right as you crack open the bottle is strong, bourbon and rye mostly. Once you take a sip you fully realize what a complex, different beer you have here. My first thoughts when it came to the taste, besides having a strong alcohol content, was that of a coffee flavor. As I sipped it more and more the taste of pecans came out as well as the bourbon, with a hint of rye. A little bit of chocolate is in the flavor too. To summarize, w00tstout is delicious and the pairing of all the different flavors works well in this beer.
I would definitely drink this again, but it probably won't be around much longer. If you're like me and like to try new, very rich beers it will be in your best interest to track down a bottle of w00tstout while you still can and savor it. Stone has created another most try beer yet again!
I may be tired, but that beer is freakin delicious!
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