Stone Spotlight Series: Drew & Steve's Imperial Mutt Brown Ale

Stone Spotlight Series: Drew & Steve's Imperial Mutt Brown Ale

Stone Brewing Supervisor Drew Neldon and Brewer Steve Via joined forces to develop the award-winning beer. When brainstorming recipe ideas, Neldon wanted to brew an altbier, while Via was interested in exploring brown ales. (Before crafting this beer, Via felt he’d never had a brown ale that synced with his palate.) Rather than focus on a single beer category, the duo decided to combine the best qualities of both styles by using four different malts to make a unique mongrel, hence the name: Imperial Mutt Brown Ale.

“With such talented and inventive brewers on our team, each installment of the Stone Spotlight Series has had very stiff competition,” explains Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele. “During the judging session earlier this year, we were most impressed by the English notes coming from Drew and Steve’s beer. After brewing their recipe on our 120-barrel systems, the character of the English ale yeast really shines, along with the interesting blend of malts used.”

The beer’s grain bill is made up of Victory, chocolate wheat, Vienna and Honey malts. Fruity and bread-like aromatics are joined by subtle coffee notes. Mild roast and coffee traits carry over to the flavor, followed by hints of toffee and molasses. Magnum and East Kent Golding hops offer a restrained, balancing bitterness to a strong malt backbone. When all these qualities combine, the result is a full-bodied, malt-driven beer that’s smooth and easy to drink.

Stone Spotlight: Imperial Mutt Brown Ale is ready to be enjoyed fresh or may be aged for months or several years at proper cellaring conditions (55°F or lower). Although Drew and Steve’s Imperial Mutt Brown Ale will be available in limited quantities, fans can look forward to a new winning beer every year from the Stone Spotlight Series that showcases Team Stone’s brewing talent.
3.7
336 reviews
Escondido, United States

Community reviews

3.6 (Bottle, 0.65 l - BB 04/03/15, from Alko Arkadia, 20170520) The beer poured clear and deep dark brown. Its head was medium sized and white. Aroma had dark chocolate, molasses, malts and hops. Palate was full bodied and lightly warming with medium carbonation. Flavours were sweetness, malts, molasses, grass and bitterness. Aftertaste was malty and bitter. A rather tasty but too boozy brown ale.
3.9 Dark brown, cloudy, small tan head, some sticky lacing. Aroma of molasses, roasted malts, some chocolate and coffee. Taste is all malts, molasses, caramel, dark fruits, medium sweetness. Slick feel, full body, soft carbonation, long finish. Overall a good ale, a bit boozy, well balanced and tasty.
3.6 Bottle at One Pint Pub, Helsinki. Bottled on: L4/03/15. Colour is clear dark brown with small slightly brownish head. Aromas and flavors: Some dry fruits, chocolate, some raisins, some coffee, some hops and malts. Pretty good, could be more fresh. Nice malty backbone.
4.1 0,65l bottle shared with wiosna @ One Pint Pub. Pours very dark brown with a low head. Aroma is lightly roasted malts, some chocolate, some molasses, a hint of coffee. Flavor is roasted nutty malts, coffee, molasses, some chocolate and some hops. ABV completely hidden. Great beer that leans on malts. I love it.
4.2 22floz bottle purchased about ten months ago for $5. Stored in a non climate controlled basement (~50 - ~65 degrees Fahrenheit) Stamp bottled on imprint of 04/09/15. Appearance for what is worth is a so-so chestnut brown and little head development. Smells pretty delicious with a nose that consists of dark dried fruits such as raisins and molasses. Silky smooth texture for such a bold malty beer. Flavors of brown sugar, pecan, and a dash of coffee make for a delectable after dinner treat on its own or with dessert.
4.0 From bottle pours a rich very dark ruby stout like dark brown colour initially with bubbly/frothy tan head which quickly goe but clings around the glass. Rich aroma of molasses, stewed fruits, bourbon, a note of coconut, vanilla, toffee along with slight coffee roasty notes. Taste is straight up medum to full sweet however this is quickly offset by just the right amount of bitterness. Texture is oily slick and chewy with long lingering finish. Alcohol is well hidden. A fine strong beer to be sipped and enjoyed!
4.1 caramel, chocolate, roasty, black, white foam, medium sweetness, lightly bitter, medium body, long finish,
3.9 Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Belgian snifter. Appearance: Pours with a clear dark brown body and a decent, off-white head. Limited lacing. Aroma: Dominated by toasted grains with roasted nuts and caramelized sugar notes. Potency is moderate. Flavor: Largely follows the aroma, with caramelized malts, roasted nuts, dark bread and chocolate malts. Mouthfeel: Carbonation is medium-light. Body is medium-full. Alcohol presence is very light for ABV. Overall: A tasty, rich brown ale with good balance and well hidden alcohol.
3.6 Dégustée en compagnie de Mademoiselle Irina par un soir d’automne de grandes pluies glacées. Le liquide a beau être très bon, celui-ci est moins réconfortant que je l’eusse espéré. Nez de raisins, de fruits foncés, de caramel chauffé, d’alcool du sud et de toffee. Des arômes qui me paraissaient douteux lorsque le liquide était encore froid mais qui prennent une très belle tournure au fil des degrés Celsius. En bouche le liquide petille beaucoup sur un corps mince et froid. Amertume importante qui jure avec ces arômes de fruits sucrés et de dessert. Mes narines éprouvent un plus grand plaisir que mes papilles si je puis m’exprimer ainsi. Beaucoup de houblons qui me gèle le palais pendant de longs instants. Ce n’est pas la bière hivernale que j’espérais.
3.6 Dark brown, almost black color, medium beige head. Sweet aromas of syrup, caramel, fruit cake, raisins and dates. Sweet taste of caramel, sugar, dates and cough syrup. Slight bitter finish. A bit too sweet, but pretty good.
3.5 Tasting glass at stockholm beer and whisky festival 2016. Pours dark brown with little head. Malty, sugary aroma with nutty, caramel taste.
3.1 Draught at Taphouse, Copenhagen. Clear deep amber beer with a nice beige head. Malty caramel aroma, cocoa, licorice, some dark bread. Licorice and dark bread flavor, chocolate, some mash.
3.6 From tap. Pours clear and golden brown with a small tan head. Aroma is toasted malty, caramelish and toasted. Bitter. Toasted and caramelish malty. Bitter nd roasted malty finish.
3.9 Tap@Taphouse, Copenhagen (Stone TTO 27/11/2016) - dark brown pour with beige head. Toasty and roasted malty aroma and taste, medium sweet with some caramel, toffee, light cocoa, nuts, medium bitter in the finish. Solid.
3.8 Pours a very dark brown with almost no head. Aromas of chocolate, lactose, roasted nuts, roasted malt, slight vanilla, brown sugar. Taste is chocolatey sweetness with slight roasted notes and caramel maltiness. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation.
3.8 From tap at Taphouse. Dark brown colour with an off-white head. Aroma and flavour of roasted malt, caramel, coffee, fruit, bitterness, nuts and bread.
3.8 Draft. A dark brown beer with a red shine under a brown head. The aroma has notes of caramel, malt, spices, and citrus fruits. The flavor is sweet with notes of alcohol, brown sugar, malt, spices, and citrus fruits, leading to a bitter finish.
3.3 Bottle from Beer Gonzo webshop, Earlsdon, Coventry consumed at Frank at Polderflora campsite, Saturday 24th September 2016. Pours brown with a light tan very large head. Aroma is malty, some molasses, sticky dates and a little wet leather. Taste is fruity and a little boozy, light cocoa touches, some caramel and toffee. It’s ok but I am not wowed by this beer. A6 A4 T7 P3 Ov13 3.3
3.5 Rich deep dark brown coloured body with a nice thick tan head, about three centimetres tall. Aroma of rich caramel, toffee, toasted malt, nuts, earth and a bit of unfinished sugars. Medium to Full-bodied; Strong rich roasted malt flavour with bunches of nuts, earth and toffee very strong throughout. Aftertaste shows some grain, nuts, toffee, roasted malt and a lot of earth with even more malt - but the alcohol does come through near the end and shows quite a bit. Overall, a nice and robust brown with a lot of flavour, a lot of nuts and earth with some unfinished sugars that show through at the end, however, all things said - this is still a brown, and it doesn’t really compare to other beer styles. I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased from Costco in Pentagon City (Arlington), Virginia on 17-May-2015 for US$7,69 sampled at the mountains of Shendendoah National Park just a week later on 23-May-2015.
3.7 Bottled@Rådhuskällaren (REX), Umeå. Black colour, mediumsized brown head. Aroma is liquorice, some nutty, mild ripe fruity and sweet malty notes. Flavour is sweet malts, some ripe fruits, nutty, mild toffee as well as some sweet fruitiness. Nicely extreme, even though carefully balanced.
3.4 Bottle at Rådhuskällaren, Umeå. Dark opaque brown color, small steady brownish head. Caramel, toasted malts, grass in the nose. Medium-bodied. Caramel, toasted malts, maybe hints of chocolate. Covers abv well. Ok but nothing unforgettable.
4.0 Bottle. Aroma is very nice, caramel chocolate booze. Taste is great too, caramel again, dark fruit, Mars bar, light spice. Dark fruit. Good stuff.
3.7 Svart med høyt beige skum. Luktet kaffe, mørk sjokolade, nøtter, svisker, kakao, kirsebær og trevirke. Middels fylde. Hadde forventet mer smak ut fra lukten. Lett brent karamell, kandis, nøtter, kaffe, noe pepperig og mørk sjokolade. Noe salt i avslutningen.
3.7 Brunsvart farge med masse tykt beige skum. Lukter av kirsebær,sjokolade og litt alkohol. Mildere i smak enn forventet. Kjenner alkoholen godt. Søtlig skarp avslutning. Sitter i.
4.0 Pours a dark brown with a medium brown head. Aromas of dark fruits. Taste of fig and toffee, chocolate and a hint of coffee with a little vanilla at the finish. Very complex beer. Medium mouth feel. Good head retention and nice lacing in the glass.
4.2 Pours deep and dark brown with a layer of lighter brown head. Aroma is rich and figgy with smoky malts. Flavor is smooth with more prunes and figs but with a creamy mouthfeel. The alcohol content is masked well while the beer is nice and cold.
3.9 Heavy alcoholic nose, notes of treacle, raisins, a touch of cherry. Delightful mahogany color. Rich palate, sweet and honey-like. Pleasant bitter finish with roasted, rather than hoppy notes. An interesting new style--sweeter and more mellow than most imperial stouts, but not cloying like some barley wines.
3.9 British hops, earthy, perfume, lots of chocolate, vanilla, roasty coffee, dry woody notes, grainy, ABV hardly noticable. Deep Brown colour, medium tan head, lacing. Salty, noticably sweet, low bite, deep and velvety Smooth, chocolatey and coffee aromas, light touch of alcohol. Fullbodied, soft carbonation, slick feel, chocolatey and roasty finish. Rich and luscious.
3.6 [8123-20160401] 1pt6floz bottle. Fruity punch aroma has a floral light cleaner note. Black body with a medium-lasting foamy light mocha head. Bitter grainy fruit flavour has a heavy malt base. Medium body is deceptively strong. Good. (7/3/7/4/15) 3.6 (c/o blankboy, w/ him, GregClow, jercraigs)
3.2 Draft to taster at cappy’s pour opaque dark brown with thin tan head. Nose toffee, slight vegetal. Taste similar to nose, toffee, vegetal. Not a fan.