Stone Levitation Ale

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Amber Ale
Escondido, California USA

(11/3/08) Draught sample at the brewpub in Escondido. Clear deep amber color. Aroma of flowery hops, grapefruit and a bit of tropical fruits. Pleasant bitter hoppy flavor with some citrus and a sweetish malt background. Medium-bodied. Very tasty.

Bottle. Dark brown/reddish beer with a strong head. The aroma is very well hopped, and the flavour is very dry and hopped with a mild roasted’ness. Overall a good beer.

12oz bottle from Lagunitasfan. Pours amber with light tan head. Aroma is hops, citrus, caramel and malt. Flavor is malt, hops, caramel, bread and some citrus. More of a pale ale that Stone Pale Ale. Nice ale with good balance.

Amber copper with a firm tan head. Grapefruit hops, grass, caramel malts in the aroma. Body is a bit watery. Light, crisp grass, grapefruit, and some caramel. Pretty solid amber, but could use a stronger flavor.

Bottle. Golden-amber pour with a fluffy white head. Aroma is of caramel and citrus. Mouthfeel has a little bite from the bitterness but far from overwhelming. Flavors are of caramel, bread, citrus and pine. The aftertaste is very clean and light. This is a great session beer.

Local brew, but I haven’t had a chance to try it at the brewery yet. Tried it for the first time out of the bottle. Pours clear amber color with minimal head. I didn’t find it quite as bitter as some of the reviewers here. Taste is pretty hops forward, with a good spiciness. It could use more malt to balance the flavor.

16 oz draft poured an amber color with an off white head. Sweet, caramel aroma with a good bit of resin hop aroma. A big time hop bitterness that goes well with the medium sweet body. A surprising amber that drank like a pale ale. Not really to style but a great beer.

Bottle from Utobeer. As a British ale drinker, this is really interesting and exciting. A best bitter strength beer made for quaffing, but in a suprisingly small bottle. Looks beautiful. Mahogany, lasting thick beige head. Spicy hop aroma, bit of ginger to go with the grapefruit. Yep. Just as I feared an unbalanced best bitter. You just can’t stick a load of floral and spicy hops over a beer without the malt backbone to keep it in balance. Yes the aroma is glorious, but it’s just got no middle and then sweet toffee and stinging harsh hop on finish. Where Thornbridge Lord Marples shows how to do this style of beer well, this doesn’t which is a great shame as it could be so much better. Yes the hops are fun. I mean really fun. But the rest just falls away and the finish is too metallic.