Stone Cali-Belgique IPA (Cali-België)

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Escondido, California USA

A bomber bought from Utobeer. Poured into ESB glass for breathing reasons. The initial aroma is of intense grapefruit; citrus hops and vanilla. This beer really does melt in your mouth. I can depict citrus; vanilla, creamy white Swiss chocolate and butterscotch. A lovely balanced IPA although hoppy and full bodied. A long lasting refreshing IPA even though not as clean and simple as Goose Island. An interesting effort. I am not sure of what hops they used but the taste is more interesting than most IPAs. I find the abv accurate although and feel more alchohol here than I anticipated. There is a lovely warmth to this IPA which is commendable. I also think this as with other Stone beers are not affected by the travelling which is commendable. A top notch IPA. Well done Stone.

Pours a deep golden color with a generous white head that leaves a sticky lacing. Aroma is of citrus - orange and strawberries, with pine notes and a hint of vanilla. Taste is marvelously balanced, with the citrus and vanilla qualities muting the hops at first, but finishing bitter after all. Extremely complex beer!

This is ok, there are good flavor notes here but the beer is slightly unbalanced: not enough bite to it and a little too sweet.

Clear amber colour tall head. Strong hoppy aroma. Lots of Sinmcoe dominates the palate. Very rich and creamy. Great IPA

22 oz bomber, enjoyed with MLR. Wow what an interesting beer, but that is what I’ve come to expect from Stone. Aroma is of earthy citrus hops with a hint of dry spice. Flavor is similar but with added complexity of the hidden malts, hot alcohol, and the not-so-Belgian yeast. I’ve had Belgian IPAs before, and this isn’t one of them. Overall, a very intriguing brew.

Pours a slightly hazy golden with a big fluffy head that leaves excellent lacing... Aroma is yeasty, somewhat citrusy, fruity, very floral with no real discernable hop presence.... Flavor of bubblegum, yeast, a certain hop i cant pick out, low key malts, subtle spices... Hoppy up front with some lingering dryness... Medium bodied, medium mouthfeel, creamy as it warms... Not a big fan of these Belgian IPAs....

Appearance: A rich golden color. 12-15 SRM, perhaps. Poured clear. Smell: A bright hoppy nose. Taste: This is where the ale shines. The Cali-Belgique features a nice balance of a sharp hoppiness and a belgian spiciness. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, smooth but with sharp initial hops Drinkability: This is my first try at a California IPA/Belgian hybrid. And I liked it! I really enjoyed the belgain influence on the IPA-ness. You get some really nice hop notes but it’s not as heavy handed as a lot of IPA’s I’ve tried. I don’t know what the availability of this beer is but if you have a chance, it’s definitely worth a pint. Or two. Serving type: bottle

I was really excited about this one when I bought it, but was a little dissapointed. The yeast in the belgian white ale side of it conflicted with the hops of a traditional cali IPA and really didnt help each other. A very interesting idea from Stone, but not the peanut butter and chocolate combination they were hoping for.