Stone 9th Anniversary Ale

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

Pours a slightly less than clear yellow, through a bit richer than macroyellow with a thining white head. The aroma is a pungent with grapefruit and pine. Slightly sweet with a bit of graininess. This is really well balanced in the aroma. The palate is above average in terms of mouthfeel. A little fizzy, a little viscous and slippery, with a bit of warmth. The flavors are precisely in line with the aromas. Big pungent grapefruit and sharp pine balanced with sweet light malt, that might even be slightly cloying without the big bitterness. The flavors almost meld into an american style barleywine or IIPA, other than that though of graininess. Really a sharp clean bitterness as an aftertaste. I really enjoyed this brew and wish it weren’t just a one off!

Pours a cloudy orange with a big thick foam. Aromas are nasty with cheesy piney grassy hops but nothing floral or sweet smelling to blance the major phenols mixing with the hops. A really horrid smelling beer. Not infected, but might as well be. The body is med. The flavors are lightly sweet with a hodgepodge of spices, lemon peel, cloves, banna and a descent amount of sharp phenols. Finish is sweet and uneventful. One of the weakest American strongs I have had and the weakest beer I have ever had from stone.

Honestly, this tastes a lot like all of the other Stone beers. This one is a little less good though. Maybe it has more malt, I don’t know.

well. i like it a lot, but somehow it just ends up seeming kinda of run-of-the-mill. the aroma was pretty terrific. honestly, this seemed a lot like a dreadnaught without the punch. i guess the point is that it’s a pretty terrific beer, but i was hoping for more. for my money, i think i’ll stick with three floyds in this vein.

Yellow and orange in teh glass, with a gorgeous head and lots of lacing. The nose on this beer is excellent: grapefruit, lemon, banana, orange, all the fuity esters are there. There is also a hint of malt underneath the beer -- hazelnut and brown sugar. Tasting is just as solid. Plenty of fruit on the tongue -- tart and lively, with a bittering finish. Palate is neutral. Lots of bubbles, but so-so weight and a shorter finish.

Peachy gold body, with some shading around edges. Head is small, white, building around edges, and is gone quickly. Smell is wonderful, but very much like every other Stone IPA, barleywine or strong ale, showing pineapple, sugary malt. Taste is very large, nice hoppy bite with sweet malt. Balanced very well, does not get cloying. After initial swell of flavor comes softer notes of pine tree, needles, peaches and apples. Aftertaste shows some anise and unpleasant medicinal qualities. Still, this beer is made with fine ingredients and methodology. Not a bad drink.

Good rare find, Shared with Frank. A full citrus aroma with hints of caramel. A nice touch of sweet malt at the end. Very Good I’M BACK!!!!

Rich copper hued liquid with a thick white foam. Nose is sharp hops with a nice juicy hop presence. Taste is nice tangy and hoppy dry bitterness. Mouthfeel is smooth but a nice fizzy explosion. The beer resolves into a nice hop filled bitter happiness.