Stone 8th Anniversary Ale

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

bottle thanks to secret santa. pours a deep red. with little to no head. aroma is roasted malts and subtle hops. taste is nutty. wood and mabye a little vanilla. damn fine brew.

Bottle (aged for 16 months or so). Pours a deep garnet with thin beige head. The aroma has lots of raisins, chocolate donuts, plenty of malt, and just a bit of alcohol. The flavor is both sweet and roasty with notes of vanilla, wood, and a smooth blanket of hops. This is quite a bit more pleasant than I remember when I had it (but didn’t rate it) a year or so ago. Graceful aging.

22oz - Aroma is dark cherry, oak, hops, roasted carmel malt, and raisin. Pours a deep reddish-brown with very little head and good lacing. Flavor is similar to aroma with the carmel being a bit stronger. Alcohol is more present as well. Palate is crisp and smooth. I remember having this when it first came out and not being real impressed. Now I find this to be a wonderful tasting brew.

September 2004 Draught pint at Redbones.
Pours a deep mahogany brown color with ample beige head, moderate retention receding to a ring. Smells strongly of light wood notes, mashed walnuts and rum, leafy, green resinous hops and thick and dry toffee. Flavor is hugely toffeeish, lightly roasted and rather woody. Fair amount of alcohol warmth on the end and a thick texture, coating, but with quite a bit of carbonation. Quite jumbled and forceful at this point. No doubt time will help.

12/10/2005 Bottle from Suttree, thanks!
Same mahogany brown color with deep auburn tinges on the edges, mostly clear with a foamy and lasting beige-tan head and light lacing. Aroma smells of thick raisins, brown sugar, light oak, dry English toffee, clean alcohol and a chewy caramel. Aroma is quite sniffable, and still vibrant at this point, providing for a more English barleywine-like effect with the hops having fallen off considerably at this point. Flavor is rich and strong though, with more brown sugar, walnut paste, sweet toffee and heavy cream with sugar. Oak on the end provides dryness, as does the light alcohol warmth. But the alcohol does not sting or disrupt the palate, and is well integrated. Raisins and vanilla, with a touch of baker’s chocolate linger. I though Lee’s Mild was a very well-constructed beer, and this carries on the tradition. The filtration works against the mouthfeel, but the carbonation is not heavy. Sort of a fluffy texture, ending lightly watery. Quite complex and dark without the added astringency/acidity of heavily roasted dark strong ales and stouts. Creamy vanilla, wood and raisins really go well together.

Fantastic brew sent by Ohiodad as an extra. Pours a light murky brown with minimal off white head. nose is full of smoke, roasted malt, caramel, with some hints of hop sneaking their way into the aroma. Flavor is wonderful, full of all the above mentioned goodies, added to the mix is a nice oak bourbon taste that does some amazing things in this brew. Very tasty.

Very good strength. Smoky, crisp finish. Good malt representation. Medium/heavy bodied. Very complex. Not too dry in the finish. Low carbonation. Dark red.

Bottle. Pours a hazy red color with a small beige head. Aroma of chocolate, caramel, and coffee. Flavor is roasty coffee bean like, with oak notes. Medium mouthfeel. This beer balances well. Easy to drink. I must get another one.

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry & tupalev -- courtesy of tupalev. Pours a clear dark ruby with a small diminishing off-white head. Nice lacing. The aroma of caramel and roasted malts, brown sugar, hops and alcohol was kind of Barley Wine-like and it smelled fantastic. Flavour follows the aroma and tastes delicious. Medium to full bodied and well balanced. This is great, as usual Stone doesn’t dissapoint.