Drew Curtis / Wil Wheaton / Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout Release Marks the Beer’s Grand Quinquennial

ESCONDIDO, CA (July 18, 2017) – Extreme beer geekery meets the collective goings on of extreme geekery beginning the week of July 10 when Stone Brewing releases the latest regeneration of its nerdiest collaboration beer—Drew Curtis / Wil Wheaton / Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout. The specialty imperial stout in 22-ounce bottles and draft will invade retailers, bars and restaurants in select markets nationwide.
 
Returning in galactic glory, the collaborative trio composed of Stone Executive Chairman, co-founder & self-proclaimed beer geek Greg Koch, Fark.com creator & craft beer-loving Drew Curtis, and web celeb & actor Wil Wheaton developed a recipe that pulls from each of their individual backgrounds and predilections. The specialty imperial stout draws its huge flavor from wheat (Wil’s contribution), pecans and bourbon barrels (two homages to Drew’s home of Kentucky) and Greg’s lifelong quest for pushing the limits of “Why the hell not?” to make bigger, bolder beers. The result is a beer bursting with a plethora of aromatics and flavors: cocoa, coffee, licorice, oak, nuts, vanilla and, of course, bourbon. It’s perfect for a warm summer evening, a cozy winter’s night or the approaching destruction of the entire human race (be it externally or internally inflicted).
 
The bottle art for the 2017 edition was entrusted to heralded comic book writer and artist Walt Simonson, best known for his work on Marvel Comics’ Thor. Simonson also lends his talents to other comics such as Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and if the front of the bottle doesn’t already give it away, Alien.
 
At 13 percent alcohol by volume, the unearthly imperial stout may be enjoyed fresh, or cellared for months or years for rich flavors to mature and develop even more prevalent dark cocoa, coffee and nut flavors. We recommend storing bottles in a cool, dark cellar. Or deep, dark space.
 
“Five years of this proverbial tradition means our fans can now enjoy a five-year vertical,” said Greg Koch, Stone Brewing executive chairman & co-founder. “I think I can speak for all three of us when I say that Drew, Wil and I can’t wait for this momentous w00tstout occasion. We’re more than excited to revisit the past five years of two nerds and a passionate beer geek collaborating on one really good beer.”  
 
A beer of such grandeur deserves a celebration of equal fanfair.  In a festival dedicated to the convergence of geek culture and beer culture, Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout will hence be honored on July 19, 2017, at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station. Hop-Con 5.0: The w00tstout Festival is an annual celebration of nth-degree beer geekery, where attendees will enjoy:
 

• Fifteen 3-ounce beer samples per guest, 5 of which are w00tstout
• Opportunity to sample the full five-year vertical
• A commemorative Hop-Con 5.0 glass
• Unlimited plays at Mike’s #HOPCADE
• Gourmet food stations with unlimited tastings

 
Five bars will serve the best drafts, collaborations and creations from Hop-Cons of yesteryear. There will be more than 80 beers on tap, including all five vintages to sample the full vertical, and three custom cask variations of 2017’s Drew Curtis / Wil Wheaton / Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout.
 
This year, a special big-screen showing of Night Flight: Born Again will be aired during the event in the movie courtyard. The tribute to the most radically fun, nostalgically cranium-busting television program is a tribute featuring some of the weirdest and wildest Night Flight moments of all time.
 
With each admission to Hop-Con, fans may purchase a signed lithograph of the bottle artwork designed by Walt Simonson, with 100% of proceeds going to Hero Initiative. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit stonebrewing.com/hopcon.