Stone Brewing 'Stochasticity Project HiFi+LoFi Mixtape' Ale. 8.8% abv. 70 IBU. Deep amber color. Finger of white head. Outstanding retention, excellent lace. Nose of bread, stone fruit, notes of herbal spice and wood. Front taste of bitter earthy hops, amber malt, sweet stone fruit, dank back end. Aftertaste is flat earthy, light malt, tangy citrus sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, tangy, slightly thick.

This is a good beer that fell slightly below expectations, inflated they may be. The aroma promises a complex mix of fruits and herbs, but the taste does not fully deliver. The sweet fruit flavor is present, as is a bready malt taste, but the spice bouquet and herbal profile are nearly absent, replaced by a dank bitter hop impression. There is some citrus riding the back of the aftertaste, but it is faint and not enough to make up for the lacking initial taste.

All this being said, I still encourage you to seek out this beer, especially its offshoots, which make good use of this beer as a solid base for further experiments. It's certainly a brew that invites discussion and even debate regarding its unusual flavor profile and ultimate delivery. Recommended, especially if you like experimental brews.

From the brewery:

"A beer that pays homage to a centuries-old tradition of combining new beer with aged “stock ales.” Freshly brewed beers of the day often were very smoky and bitter tasting, and were blended with older beer that had mellowed with age to produce more drinkable libations. This modern brew will showcase our brewers’ talents by blending a stock ale aged more than three months in oak foudres (large wooden fermentation vessels) with a fresh version of the same beer to create a perfect harmony spanning end to end on the taste spectrum."

[source: stochasticity.com]

"There is no happenstance or coincidence. Dumb luck is a fallacy and randomness a commonly accepted mistruth. Much of what seemingly falls into place and seems so natural is a result of Stochasticity, a concept embraced and exalted by this special and unpredictable series of beers, where exotic notions, ingredients and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint. Fresh and Vintage tracks combine for the perfect liquid playlist. Even before the science of beer was fully understood, those seeking to present the finest iteration of an ale had their ways of ensuring flavors and textures that were a cut above. In Britain, pub owners kept ‘stock ales’ on hand, beers that had been left to mature in vats or oak barrels. During this aging period, the beers would mellow and occasionally, develop a twinge of tartness. These publicans were unaware of the oxidative or microbilolicigal reasons for such changes, but found that blending some of their stock ales with fresh beers – which dented to be overly bitter and smoky – made ideal quaffs for their patrons. For this beer, we have taken a page from this tale of British pub life and blended a stock ale aged more than three months in oak foudres (large wooden fermentation vessels more commonly used by vintners) with a fresh version of that beer to create perfect harmony spanning end to end on the taste spectrum."

[source: bottle]

Project 805 'Andullo Figurado' Torpedo. 6.25x52. Light brown wrap with some spots and darkened veins. Good build, mostly straight lines. Nice cut on the torpedo crown. Good light, quick roast. Medium draw pre- and post-flame. First half taste is smooth mild tobacco with cedar notes, herbal aromatic on the exhale. Second half is creamy, with a stronger cured wood flavor, light coffee, bright herb notes.

Aroma is more present in the second, herbal, slightly sweet. Even burn throughout. Ash was perfectly marbled light and medium gray layers, holding at a good two inches.

This is a very good, pleasant mild cigar. A creamy wrap, nice draw, cedar and herb notes that gradually rise moving toward the band, but never venturing into any harsh bitter tastes. Aroma is pleasant but not over the cliff like most aromatics. It doesn't stand tall against other similar sticks, but it is well crafted, consistent, and has a nice evolving taste. Well recommended.

From the company:

"Andullo, the exclusive tobacco in Project805, bound in a balanced blend of the finest Dominican leaf for an incredibly aromatic and complex smoke. Hand-finished boxes, each one unique, manufactured by a network of underground craftsmen. Project805 is the cigar they tried to keep from you, this is the disruption they tried to suppress, yet here it is, in your hands – you are now part of the disruption. You are part of the disruption, the first wave of underground trendsetters prepared to experience Project805's secret ingredient, Andullo. What is Andullo? Andullo is a unique tobacco never before used in cigars. Naturally flavored, aromatic, and so utterly different it is a disruption to the Industry. Expertly blended and hand-rolled at La Aurora under the supervision of Ventura Cigar Company."

[source: venturacigar.com]

Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project 'Bocky Bier' Lager. 7.5% abv. Black color with thick, nearly two fingers of tan head. Excellent retention. Moderate lacing. Nose of sweet bread, raisins. Front taste of dark roasted malt, raisins, plums. Aftertaste of malt, dark cherry, fruity hops. Medium body. Mouthfeel is thick, a touch syrupy, sticky.

This is an excellent beer, very malty with fruity notes and a nice roasted grain taste. This beer encourages me to explore the other offerings from this small tenant nano-brewery. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Bocky Bier is a single-decocted, dual-strain fermented, six week lager – if you’re trying to impress your pals.  More simply, it’s a malty, dark lager. This tribute to our great friend was made with this goal in mind: maltiness.  We wanted to make the most deliciously malty bock bier ever made, using every dream we’ve ever dreamt about the possibilities of a vast maltiness. We are pleased with the results."