Stone Brewing (Escondido, California) has officially announced that it will begin the Seasonal Release of its fan-favorite Stone Xocoveza, an Imperial Mocha Stout inspired by Oaxacan Hot Chocolate, in late September/early October 2020.

First introduced in 2014 as a special collaboration project and now annually released with the “same divine recipe” packed with only the highest quality ingredients, Stone Xocoveza is an Imperial Stout featuring coffee from Ritual Coffee, cocoa from Belyzium Craft Chocolate, peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and lactose. Coming in at a comforting and sip-worthy 8.1% ABV, Stone Xocoveza is back to help you “embrace . . . shorter days and longer nights.”

“We trialed some new coffees from a few suppliers for this year’s Stone Xocoveza,” explained Steve Gonzalez, Stone Senior Manager of Brewing & Innovation – Small Batch. “The clear standout was Sítio Cafe Forte, a Brazilian coffee roasted by Ritual. The chocolate notes of the beans piqued our interest, and when we pilot brewed the beer with this coffee, the results really blew us away. Ritual is a company that has a well-deserved reputation not only for quality, but also sustainable sourcing and a commitment to diversity.”

Stone Xocoveza is available now in California and full distribution is scheduled to begin on October 5. You can expect to find this Seasonal Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles – cans and bottles will both be adorned with newly redesigned label artwork – and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia and throughout the rest of Stone Brewing’s nationwide distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Stone Xocoveza from Stone Brewing

Release – Seasonal/Special Release; returning late September/early October 2020
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 8.1%
IBUs – 50
Added Ingredients – Coffee from Ritual Coffee, cocoa from Belyzium Craft Chocolate, peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg & lactose
Fun Fact – On the coffee chosen for the 2020 batch of Stone Xocoveza: “High quality ingredients are the key to the nuanced flavors of Stone Xocoveza. This year, Stone proudly partnered with Ritual Coffee, a fully independent, woman-owned roasting company. Ritual is known for its seasonally fresh, single-origin coffees purchased directly from farmers and producers. In the same way that Stone defined the West Coast Style IPA, Ritual pioneered coffee’s West Coast Style of light roasting that pushes the boundaries of what coffee can be. Sound familiar? This relationship is intentional and nothing short of perfect.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://find.stonebrewing.com/#ready