Stone 7th Anniversary Ale

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

Special thanks to BBB63 for this gem. Poured a dark and hazy auburn orange that wasn’t easily visible through, however, no floaties or sediment to be found. Created a layer of head but it would break up quickly leaving behind small patches of foam. Aroma has a moment of fruitness while also showing its malt and caramel character. Some hops in the nose to be but very faint. In the flavor, i can tell it has lost some of its initial freshness because of its transformed malt and sweet caramel profile, but a small yet ever presence of hop hides in the background. Hops are still both floral and bitter overall. Also, a small resemblance to fig and some other type of fruit; perhaps raisin. Carbonation is weak but with a clean and dry ending in the finish. Again, i should be so ever thankful to BBB63 for giving me the chance at this two year old beer, since it seems to have almost dissappeared off the face of the earth.

Courtesy of Pailhead. Pours orange/amber with film for head. Huge sweet caramel malt aroma, faint hops in the background. Flavor very much the same with some dry smokiness in the finish. Very well done.

2 years old. Pours a thick deep orange with a creamy white head. Aroma is big malt and big hops(still). Hops taste is big, but seem mellowed. Great malty background. I would have liked to try this one fresh. This beer is huge. Enourmous mouthfeel.

Thin head with light carbonation. Reduces slowly. Nice caramel malt aroma with plenty of hops. Bit of bread and biscuits. Color is a medium golden amber. Malty flavor with more caramel, hops and a bit of spices. Thick palate from the abundance of malts. A nice watered down version of the arrogant bastard. Finish is thick and coating with plenty of malts. Nice alcohol warming. I am liking this more and more as I drink it. Stone strikes again!

Bottle: Lots of caramel with a light hop balance in the aroma. Pours a transparent orange with a small white head. Lots of caramel and light banana bread up front. Hops are very subdued at this point but are still present. Reminds me a lot of an aged barely wine. Would have really like to have tried this a little more fresh.

Bottle from Pailhead. Ruby colored with nice off-white head. Good lacing. Malty sweet BW aroma, boozy and slightly oxidized in the nose. Malty sweet up front with tobacco and slight oxidation for flavors. Only slight bitterness from hops remains. Nice.

(on bottle)(on bottle) Had this baby a bit too warm, so...Earthy, lightly rotten + some a snag of strawberries; cool. Very malty beer and a tad too sweet, like a heavy bock. Slightly burning finish, in all the sugarness.

Fine off-white head, dark orange body. Roast, fruit, hop, spice and cookie aroma. Sharp and somewhat unbalanced but still pretty nice. Yeast, nut and fruit flavor with a heavy spicyness. Dry and biding with lots of flavor. Good bitter in the end.