Just in time for the World famous San Diego Comic-Con, Stone Brewing CEO Greg Koch has teamed up with Wil Wheaton (most famously revered in this sector of the universe as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Drew Curtis of Fark.com to blow nerd minds everywhere, releasing their ultimate creation- w00tstout!
From all corners of the globe, all forms of nerd kind answer the irresistible call, the call to nerds, geeks, gamers, artists and pop culture fans to assemble in the greatest city on Earth. That’s right, friends… Comic-Con International: San Diego is here.
Just in time for the largest gathering of geekdom in the United States, Stone Brewing Co. has assembled a team of masterminds all their own in an attempt to produce a craft beer worthy of World Domination! This new super hero brew team was comprised of: actor and self proclaimed geek Wil Wheaton, Fark.com creator Drew Curtis and Stone Brewing Co. CEO and Co-founder Greg Koch. Together, they have channeled breath into the now living force they call- Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout!
For this beer, each beer hero, or beero, put an element of themselves into the brew…some wheat malt from Wheaton, some rye and pecans for Curtis (who is from Kentucky) and of course, Koch’s hops. Combined into a barrel-aged imperial stout, the team has released a juggernaut of a craft creation.
This is one complex beer that cannot be taken lightly. If you are not a fan of bourbon barrel-aged beers, you might want sit this fight out, and the brewers of w00tstout are okay with that. Quoted from the Stone Brewing Company promotional video, Wheaton says, “You don’t want to make a thing that everyone will like, you want to make a thing that the right people will like.”
An Imperial Stout brewed with rye, wheat malt and a healthy dose of pecans make up just some of the flavor layers in this beer. After the finished product came out of the fermenters, 25% was placed into bourbon barrels to age for 2 months, giving it the deep and complex oak and bourbon flavors tasted throughout.
My first taste was poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter glass. The initial aroma was sweet and nutty, followed by oak, cocoa and of course the bourbon. Slight vanilla aromas join into the mix as well. This beer has a beautiful and delightful aroma to it. As it warms, the nutty vanilla and bourbon aromas strengthen.
w00tstout offers very deep and complex sweet and spiced flavors from the pecans and rye, with tons of upfront bitter chocolate flavors dancing throughout each sip. You are treated to a pleasant offering of bitter cocoa, roasty malts and strong bourbon flavors that mingle nicely together. On the back end, this beer leaves a lingering taste of chocolate, oak roasted malt and slight vanilla flavors. Clocking in at 13% ABV, this beer definitely has a boozy bite to it, but doesn’t overstay its welcome by any means. The nutty, roasty chocolate comes even more to life as it warms, as does the booze bite. My tasting notes at this point actually say, “Yum” as it warmed. w00tstout has a thick and creamy feel to it, but is quite smooth as you drink.
w00tstout is definitely not a beer to be taken for granted. Much like a pretty girl, it should be respected and treated properly. Treat it right, and it should treat you right in return. Drink it responsibly, as this is meant for a lasting sipper. Not a crushable party time beer.
As stated before, if you are not typically a fan of bourbon barrel-aged beers, w00tstout might not be the hero you call upon. But if it’s a strong, dark hero you seek, w00tstout is ready to step up the plate and save the day. Grab one while you still can before it disappears…. forever!
Photos by Three B Zine (threebzine.com) For more info visit Stone Brewing Co website.