Stone 9th Anniversary Ale

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

22 oz bomber. Reading the commerical description, it seems like a great idea. However, there is something not quite right with this one. Up front, there are all the right hop aromas but something doesn’t meld perfectly with the flavors. It is still a good beer and I appreciate the creativity, but I wish it went together a bit better.

Clear amber body with a very creamy white head; Big nose but there is quite a bit of metal in it, lots of soapy hoppy aromas as well; Huge soft carbonation, soft texture a little thin though, lots of bitterness a little sweetness as well; Quite long finish starting with lots of alcohol turning dry bitter then sweet, pine and soap aromas. The only not perfectly balanced Stone brew I have had.

Fine offering from Stone. Interesting combination of wheat and hops. Crisp yet full bodied. It was great after about six months.

Pours a bright orange-copper color, with lively carbonation, and topped by a frothy inch of white foam. Okay head retention, moderate lacing. Citrus and pine hop aroma. The very first sip stabs my palate with sharply bitter pine hops, but then it, um... (mellows is NOT the right word), it um,... let’s just say that it backs down a bit. Still very bitter, with tons of pine and a bit of citrus, just not quite as stabbingly sharp. Behind the hops is a malt profile that doesn’t exactly provide balance, but does provide ample body. As long as a hoppy beer’s not a thin hop tea, I don’t really care about the balance - I like the extremes. Then, in the finish, there is a little bit of licorice maltiness that I always seem to find (and enjoy tremendously) in Stone beers. Medium full body, soft but prevalent carbonation. Too bitterly hoppy to be called smooth, but the mouthfeel is fairly soft. Drinkability? While I can’t exactly say that I’d want another bomber of this TODAY, I’d sure love another tomorrow

Cloudy deep straw colored pour with a rocky white head. Nose is mostly about the sweet malt backbone, but I do pick-up some biscuit and piney hops. Smooth, medium bodied mouthfeel. Very lightly carbonated. Flavor is dominated by the malt, but it does have a nice citrusy hop component as well.

By the description on the bottle I was expecting something along the likes of Three Floyds Gumballhead, a beer I enjoy. That’s not exactly what I got. Pours a hazy orange with a towering creamsicle colored head, interesting. Dwindling slowly, lacing left behind is sporadic and thin. Sweet and piney hops appear first in the aroma, followed by caramel, wheat and alcohol. Flavor is less than gratifying. Notes of grapefruit and pine, more caramel and a hefty dose of wheat that tastes tired and ultimately is a little off-putting. Alcohol isn’t masked whatsoever and this ends up tasting like it was thrown together in a hurried manner, haphazardly. Finishes moderately sweet, then with lingering hops providing for a dry finale. Palate is sticky and sharp, not very quaffable. A let down, as I feel an anniversary beer from a brewer is really the ultimate expression of their capabilities, or should be. Granted, in most cases it doesn’t work out that way at all. Creativity is definitely a strong suit of this brewery, but in this case it sails into left field without a hope of being caught.

The 22 ounce bottle poured a slightly hazy pale amber beverage with a off-white creamy head that was fully lasting and left great lacing on the glass. The aroma was very hoppy with hints of pine resin and a notable grapefruit nose. The body was medium-full with soft but plentiful carbonation and a lightly creamy texture. The flavor starts off sharply bitter but very quickly mellows and sweetens. This lasts through the long finish which is also quite warming.

On tap at the brewery. Slightly hazy, goldenrod colored pour with a milky layer of white head. Pleasantly hoppy aroma with a lightly caramelized malt backing. Some tropical fruit notes of papaya and mango blend nicely with a bit of soft red grapefruit. Medium bodied, creamy carbonated, soft mouthfeel. The hops have faded some, but create a not-so-bitter tropical fruit flavor thats quite enjoyable. Nice, supple malt background with a cream of wheat smoothness. A bit of light caramel sweetness and grapefruits linger in the final smack.