Stone 11th Anniversary Ale

Tipped back 8-30-2007 to honor of the Grand Poobah of beer, MJ..... Pours almost balck w/ a tall creamy froth. Head retention is superb slowly reducing to reveal a full downy canopy of thick, sticky lacing. The aroma tells the tale of a full blown IPA complete w/ generous citrus rind overtones accompanied by only mild whiffs of malt. The aroma doesn’t match the color. I expected some roast component to factor in but it’s just not there. I’m not complaining though. It’s the Criss Angel mind freak show. Full nectar w/ creamy soft residual effers. It’s like drinking heavy cream. Nice! Now thats what I’m talkin’ bout’. Texture goes a long way w/ me and this ones there all the way. It’s mildly sweet like my third grade teacher but throws copper at you when arroused. A big roasted malty backbone supports the colony while Robo Hop hacks down the sludge walls with his electrified pole arm. As the fight ensues nuances are laid waste yet accounted for by my accute palate. Theres a defined chunky chocolate creep in the shadows that creates a diversion from the backbone and clobbers Robo Hop in the face on the way down. Nuances of molases, beef jerkey, leather, slight smoke, and grapefruit citrus rind. Could this be the "Smoked Indian" I’ve heard about ? The finish is so well balanced w/ perfect bittering of all the decadent slop. Even though the chocolate malts persist to the end theres a defined asprin burn that lingers and tingles the tongue for a while. Damn, I wan’t another one. This is the best new seasonal these guys have put out since V5. Wagner is a genius!

WOW! Stone not only knows beer, but really knows IPA’s. What a change from last year. This one was surprisingly more awesome then I had hoped for. Looks like a porter, dark brown, with a light brown head. Pours like a stout, beautiful, teasing cascading affect. Taste like an IIPA. WOW! Strong citrusy grapefruit aroma, intense bitter pineyness and incredible citrus flavor. Dry, dry, dry finish, great bitter aftertaste. Easy to drink and incredibly satisfying for you hopheads.

Loved this guy. It really is like a black IPA, with a great hoppy aroma, but a dark complex roasty flavor. Just a truly yummy tasty beer.

Wonderful reproduction of the Stone IPA aromas. If you were to do a blind smell you wouldn’t be able to decide which is which. Full of grapefruit, citrus, pine, and slightly floral. The pour is smooth and heavy. Not much head until I swirl the beer and then a tan head and all the aromas burst out. The initial and mid-flavor is 180 degrees from an IPA, smokey, carmel, chocolate with a small malty sweetness. Finally in the aftertaste you taste those wonderful hops you smelled and with their taste the bitterness also takes the field slowly dominating the malty sweetness. Their is a wonderful juxaposition between the hops/aroma and malt/flavor that will be perfect for any fall or winter evening.

OK, First let me qualify the score: A) I’m a BIG fan of Stone’s products and B) I love beers with Simcoe hops! This beer is a WOW!!! I heard/read all the hype before the release and was mildly excited. I remembered the 10th and it was really good. The 11th was beyond my expectations. You open the bottle and the room fills with grapefruit/citrus aromas. Pours black like a good stout, but make no mistake this is NO stout. It’s all IPA! The first sip is an assault on the palate not unlike Ruination with grapefruit and citrus flavors which are explosive on the tongue. You would expect from all these hops that the finish would be bitter and drying, but not so fast. The roasted malts kick in which seem to subdue bitterness and leave you with a little mocha chocolate flavor. A truly fantastic beer! I’m buying a case and trying one every few months to see how it ages or maybe they won’t last that long.