Stone 13th Anniversary Ale

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

This beer reminded me a lot of Arrogant Bastard. Dark red-brown pour with an off white head. Aroma of malts, tons of hops and bit of alcohol. Flavor is potent with tons of malts upfront and the a hot bitter finish.

Bottle from Green’s. Pours a pretty dark brown with a tan head that lasts. Aroma is molasses, prune, and alcohol. Really reminds me of a lot of bw’s I have had. Flavor is sticky sweet with a nice bitter hop finish. Roasted malt mid palate with some coffee like bitterness and cocoa. The hops on the finish are distinctly pine in nature. Pretty good but a little overly sweet.

Bottle. Pours dark brown/red with lasting tan head. Aroma is piney and citrus hops with slight malt roastiness. Flavor is citrus and pine hops with roasted notes in the finish. Another awesome beer from Stone

22 oz bomber. Pours a dark amber/ tarnished penny color with generous tan head that sticks around. Aroma is overwhelming, smelling it as soon as I popped the cap off. It has the expected pine resin and some citrus hops, but also dark fruit (raisin) in the aroma. Taste is similar with ample everything -- hop flavor, bitterness, and a solid malt backbone to hold it up. It’s all presented nicely by perfect carbonation. Alcohol warmth is noticeable but not overpowering. It’s worth the 7.50 I paid while it’s still available.

On tap at OB Noodle House, deep mahogany pour with no real head by the time it got to my table. Strong aroma of fresh hops (damn i love stone beers) and rich malts. Bold and bitter flavor that has a nice little bite to it. The carmel malts and bittering hops are balanced well and compliment each other beautifully. I’ve had it a couple times since the initial rating and it’s been great every time.

Best beer I’ve had in a while. A delicious, balanced red. Pours an attractive Sedona red color, with nice almost excessive head. Citrus bitter and floral hop but round. Crisp clean finish. Very nicely done.

This beer is big. And big is fine if you can keep it balanced. This beer, however, did not seem balanced to me. Tons of rich, heavy malt and a bunch of hops that are prevalent, but overwhelmed by the richness of the malts. The alcohol content is also too prominent. I knew immediately that I was drinking something in the 10% range.I like it better when the alcohol doesn’t make itself known. Happy 13th Stone. I usually love your beer, but this one was a miss for me.

Pours darkish amber with some ruby highlights. A finger and a half of light amber-yellow head that recedes to a thinner layer with good retention. A good-looking beer. Aroma of biting grapefruit rind hoppiness with some vanilla. Mouthfeel smooth and a bit hefty. Broken rings and patches of lacing. Flavor is quite hop forward featuring grapefruit and piney resin and some light sweat. Also quite a malty presence with dark caramel/toffee and a bit of vanilla. There might be a light bit of wood and smoke in there as well. Medium-heavy bitterness overlays and scrapes the palate a bit on through the finish and aftertaste. Quite a bit of ABV presence throughout. Aside from the ABV presence I thought this was a more drinkable big beer than some of Stone’s other hop monsters [22 oz. bottle dated 6/09 - even after a year I can’t believe Stone is available in ME!]