Stone California Double IPA

Cask@The Spoons at Liverpool St Station, with thanks to Ang for another pint. Had 3 pints all up and was loving it. More earthy than Stones other IPA’s/ DIPA’s, i guess due to the use of English hops as well as US varieties. This was still very hoppy, with some nice floral hop notes. Very sappy, earthy and floral hop notes throughout. UK BREWERS TAKE NOTE, WE NEED MORE BEERS LIKE THIS, Loved the bitterness, which was intense enough without being over the top. Well done Stone!!

Cask handpull at Folkestone Spoons. OK, so I was looking forward to this beer almost more than any other. Even the thought of it brought me out in a big smile. A 7% DIPA brewed in Kent at Sheps, a brewery I sometimes much deride. Stone Ruination is one of my favourite beers too so anything like that would be great. Then I got 2 pints of it and took it upstairs to the gallery of this converted former church (fitting really). The aroma is simply a 10. The dry hopped hop, the simcoes screaming through and then this toffee malt. (2 hours later). The beauty of cask conditioned beer. Earlier it was great on nose, sweetish toffee caramel in mouth, a touch thin even and fantastic hoppy finish. But just something missing. Now the condition is perfect. Still a 10/10 for a leafy dry hopped aroma. Like rubbing a fresh hop flower between your fingers. Some hop resin. But the mouthfeel has got better, creamier, fuller. Still distinct caramel, but wider, fuller mouthfeel to when I first had it. Finish has lasting, oh man, lasting green, simcoe, dry hop flavour. Didn’t know it was going to be on, no idea, just the discovery, the worry about distribution, how much was made, would only specific Spoons get it. I went home after the first 4 pints and then did an 80 minute round trip to come back and have it again just in case I didn’t have it again or in this good a condition. I’ve never had a beer brewed in the UK like it. At no time did the alcohol come through until the next morning when I felt like death. Not as cold or as hard as some US IPAs I’ve had. Funny, I tried it 2 days later in London and couldn’t finish the1/3 pint when I had it through a sparkler (Radox), but I had it later and it was still stunning, but not as good as that first time, but still one of the best UK brewed beers I’ve had.

A Mes rate: many pints at the Crosse Keys during the launch event.
Bright, light copper coloured with an excellent off white head and just in superb condition. It took easily as long as a Guinness to settle after being poured. This is absolutely stunning stuff. Amazing bitter and peppery fresh green hoppage. So grassy it’s unreal. Smells very much like freshly harvested ganja. The dry hopping seems to have happened no longer than 5 minutes ago. It’s certainly one of the best smelling beers I have had in a very very long time. A glorious malty backbone emerges once in the mouth giving it fanbloodytastic balance. Dry yet oily with a huge bitter and oily finish that has excellent length. The hop blend is one of the best I have come across with the Simcoe in the finish easily stealing the show. So so very very good, one of the best beers brewed in this country and my hat comes off to Mitch for a world class job.

Cask (handpump) at the Wetherspoons beer festival launch event, Crosse Keys, City of London, March 2008. With sparkler and without. Amber colour. Lovely condition. The aroma knocked my socks off and hit me well before the beer got anywhere near my nose. Sappy and herbaceous, but also citric and resinous. The grapefruit really kicked in on the palate. I was rather dubious about the use of Target hops as I think they generally produce boring beers but they did nothing to drag the beer down in this case. If anything they enhanced the effect by adding a very slightly spicy British twist. And it has a firm pale malt backdrop to provide exemplary balance, so its not just a one-trick pony. Nice pithy, sharp grip in the mouthfeel but hugely smooth and drinkable for the style. Superb in every respect. Doubly enjoyable to be able to drink it in the company of Greg and Mitch. Lets hope the Sheps brewers learn something. If they’ve recovered from the shock yet.

Cask conditioned at a Wetherspoons. Amber gold with white head, crystal clear. Firstly, I have to say, this was in top notch condition, which must have been a really difficult thing to do on strange equipment, and well done to Wetherspoons for arranging this. The beer is astringent, mouthdrying with a flowery, dry bitterness. Quite scented, marigolds, and a full body which masks the strength well. Maybe a little too single tracked to deliver hops, but a great beer non the less. Superbly brewed chaps.