Here’s a peek at a beer that will return as part of Stone’s Anniversary celebration. This is Xocoveza For The Holidays & New Year and it will return this winter. This stout brewed with cocoa, coffee, peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg was last brewed in 2014 with home brewer Chris Banker. Look for Xocoveza to be packaged in 12oz bottles and the beer will hit 8.1%-AbV. 
AVAILABLE: November 16, 2015
Our chocolaty, winter-spiced mocha stout is back. This insanely delicious take on Mexican hot chocolate is crafted with cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. First brewed in 2014 with San Diego homebrewer Chris Banker after his recipe was named the winner of our annual homebrew competition, it quickly became a cross-country sensation as craft beer media and fans cheered for Stone Xocoveza…and clamored for more. We too loved this beer, so of course we caroled ¡Claro que sí!
Now gifted with a new name, Stone Xocoveza for the Holidays & the New Year has joined our eminent lineup of special releases. We’re releasing it just in time for that time of the year when the joyous spirit of giving is in the air and good behavior is generously rewarded.
AVAILABLE IN:
12OZ BOTTLES, SIX-PACKS & DRAFT
STYLE
MILK STOUT
ALC/VOL
8.1%
IBUs
50
HOP VARIETIES
ENGLISH CHALLENGER & ENGLISH EAST KENT GOLDINGS
TASTING & PAIRING NOTES
MITCH STEELE
Brewmaster
Appearance
Pours black with a thick brown head.
Aroma
Intense cinnamon, cocoa and coffee are followed by nutmeg and peppers. As the beer warms up, the flavor combinations evolve and the cocoa and vanilla notes really start to open up.
Taste
Cocoa and cinnamon are at the forefront. The coffee, nutmeg and vanilla follow, and the fruitiness and heat of the pasilla peppers come through nicely on the finish.
Palate
Full-bodied and very smooth with a light bitterness. The sweetness adds a lot to this beer without being too syrupy.
Overall
When we tasted Chris Banker’s winning beer at our annual AHA Rally back in March 2014, I think everyone on the brewing team was blown away by the multiple layers of flavor in this beer. Chris’ inspiration was Mexican hot chocolate, and he was able to perfectly replicate the flavors.///
ESCONDIDO, CA (Nov. 16, 2015) – Some things are just too good for the world to be deprived of them. This is true for Stone Brewing Co.’s rerelease of the delicious and wildly popular beer that was introduced last year in 22-ounce bottles as Stone Xocoveza Mocha Stout. It was an instant hit. Because craft beer enthusiasts voiced fervent adoration via social media and online forums, Stone was inspired to embrace the joyous spirit of giving and rebrew this milk stout infused with cocoa, coffee, peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Starting this week, the beer is making a comeback in 12-ounce six-packs and on draft at select retailers, restaurants and bars nationwide.
First brewed in 2014 with San Diego homebrewer Chris Banker, this Mexican hot chocolate-inspired creation was named the champion of Stone’s annual homebrew competition. Thanks to the adoring public, this creamy, spiced stout has gone from initially being a one-time offering to a yearly limited release. While returning with new, winter-influenced packaging and a new name, “Stone Xocoveza for the Holidays & the New Year,” the tasty, complex recipe remains the same.
“Since this beer first arrived on store shelves and on tap, Stone fans and team members have clamored for more,” said Stone CEO & co-founder Greg Koch. “We felt compelled to bring back one of our most popular and beloved beers as a way of thanking those who voiced their opinions. Now, Stone Xocoveza for Holidays & the New Year will be a yearly tradition we can all eagerly anticipate.”
When re-creating Banker’s original recipe, unconventional brewing ingredients were used to emulate the rich, robust flavors of Mexican hot chocolate. Cocoa and milk sugar added during the brewing process gives the beer another level of sweetness. Coffee provided by San Diego-based roaster Mostra Coffee, pure cocoa from Southern California’s ChocoVivo and vanilla give the beer a rich, roasty flavor. Cinnamon, nutmeg and a small dose of pasilla peppers create a medley of piquant aromas. The malt bill offers the beer a strong backbone for all those flavors and aromas, while English Challenger and English East Kent Golding hops provide the perfect amount of bitterness to harmonize with the flavorful diversity.
Stone Xocoveza for the Holidays & the New Year may be enjoyed fresh or stored at proper cellaring temperatures for months or even years. Over time, the malt character will evolve, making the cocoa and coffee flavors more prevalent.
The home brewers name is Chris "Banker" not Banks fyi
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