Stone Levitation Ale

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

Pours clear dark amber / copper with a rocky beige head. The aroma is quite hoppy with floral and tropical notes along with smooth citrus along with a solid toasted malt backbone. Medium body with a touch of harshness and some prickly carbonation. The taste shows lots of oxidation with plenty of woodiness and some pine. There is some toasted malt as well. The finish is fairly harsh. This was still consumed before the ’best by’ date, but hopefully I can get a fresher bottle in better shape at some point to rerate.

This one was weird for me. I’m a fan of other Stone brews but this one left a resiny aftertaste that was somewhat unpleasant. Strong piny hop nose with a a bitter orange peel overtone and old bong water funk. Flavor was similar with a medium to thin body and not enough malt to keep up with the rampant flavoring hops. Sharp aggressive bitterness with a stinging carbonation. This is a good beer that could use some refinement. Too over the top.

This bottled brew from a bottle shop poured a large sized head of foamy fine to medium sized tan colored bubbles that were mostly lasting and left behind a transparent typically carbonated golden red brown colored body and a thick foamy lacing. The aroma was cloven hoppy and malty. The crisp mouth feel was tingly at the start and at the finish. The semi-thin flavor contained notes of hops. A decent one that I would consider buying again.

Nice dark honey color with a creamy brown head. Hoppy nose with little smoke. Very light flavor with less hops than the nose would suggest. Session.

Pour from the 12oz. bottle: Delicate array of malts, hops overload for an Amber ale. I love that. Typical for Stone, which is fastly becoming one of my favorite breweries. Other distinguishable tastes include citrus peel, earthy notes, sweet caramel, fruity plum, and pine. A tad bit too carbonated. Drinkability: Wicked drinkability. Rebuy: Again and again. #122 on 16092009, DG.

Keg at Pivo Bar, York. Clouded amber with slight head. Just had to go for it, but it turned out to be quite tart and acidic over a fruity, caramel body, not what I really expected. Smooth and a little thick on the palate, a bit of a struggle.

Draft at Old Town Ale House in Fishers - Aroma loaded with caramel malts and finishes with crisp hops. Flavor is toasted malts, caramel and citrus hops. Palate is smooth and tart. A fantastic session beer.

Deep amber pour with whispy off white head. Aroma is very hoppy for an amber. Mostly pine. Flavor is strong piney, perfumey hops and not much else. Weird juicy fruit, caramel malt. Very carbonated.