Stone 8th Anniversary Ale

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

bottle. Pours a rather dark, cloudy red with a dense, bubbly white head. Aroma is sturdy of barley with a little caramel and reasonable zesty hops. This stuff is pretty sticky in the mouth and all around mild, especially for Stone. There’s some far off bourbon beneath the barley and the hops remain fairly covered up. Palatable enough, but really nothing exciting.

From bottle. Pours a dark murky brown with minimal head. Nose is dark fruits and sweet breads, with yeast on top. Nose is similar to AB. Taste has more of the sweet yeasty bread up front, but with a dry coco and some of that toasty/roasty in the finish. None of the AB bitterness though, as this goes down smooth and tasty. Palate is just the right consistency, not thin but not too chewy either. A fantastic brew.

22oz. bottle. Dark red-orange with a small offwhite head. Tannic and chalky malt aromatics, some toastiness. Ruddy and sweet malt, giving way to a spicy herbal hop component that becomes almost medicinal in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium heavy, somewhat sticky.

(on bottle thanx Rasmus)Dark brown, small white head. Cloying, carameled, ryebreadaromas. Small carbonation, and a small hopflavour. Dominated by dark cookies and korendertastes. Small lash of alcohol to the finish.

Bomber. Pours a carmel-red color with a very light tan head. Sour aroma gives way to a smokey, roasty, malty flavor, with carmel and sugared fruit notes. Mild hoppiness on the finish makes this one damn warm and smooth offering. If I were running stone, I’d unretire this one.

From a bomber dated August 2004. Man, the past few days have been crappy, so I popped the cap on this to give me a lift. Stone, as usual, does not dissappoint. Pours a deep, dark, hazy amber with a light tan head. Complex nose - cetainly malt, plus chocolate and a nice roastiness, all on top of a light hop. Overall, there is an earthiness to this aroma, almost wood or bark. I have seen other raters use peat in their reviews, maybe this is what they meant. Flavor is also complex, malty, earthy. The borbon influence is apparent, and so is the alcohol to some extent, but it all just goes together; it works. Finish is a roasty, bitter chocolate, hangs a bit in the mouth, leaving a bitterness that reminds you of the experience you just had. I opened this to lift me, and lift me it has, into a calm, warm familiar place. Simply lovely.

Had in a bottle last year and just had some more on tap at the brewery. Just way to much sweetness and roast for it to be a good stone. Thought some age would have cut it off, but it didn’t. Still, kind of tasty...much more similar to a bizarro scotch ale than an ASA.

Awesome! But I never expected anything less from Stone, bitter but mild and a nice rich color, I just wish that it was not retired.