Stone - Double Bastard 2011

Dear readers, first of all, HAPPY STOUT DAY!!!  Well, for most of you who will be reading this, International Stout Day was yesterday.  Our bad for posting in the evening!  Also, my bad for not realizing International Stout Day was today and not preparing a stout review in advance.  In the absence of a magnificent stout review, I have provided links to a number of delicious stout reviews we have done in the past.  Here they are, in the order that I found them: Darkness 2011, Darkness 2010, Avery - The Czar, Bell's - Expedition Stout,  Founders - KBS, Great Divide - Belgian Yeti, North Coast - Old Rasputin and Victory - Storm King.  Enjoy!

Tonights review is of Stone Double Bastard.  This is another new brew to MN from Stone.  Duns just reviewed their 15th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA and absolutely loved it.  I have high hopes for Double Bastard since I have only heard good things about this ominous bottle of hoppy, malty and alcoholic destruction.

First impressions... DAYUM!  I opted not to go through my normal routine of looking-sniffing-tasting and just decided to dive right in.  This bastard caught me off guard.  Bigger, bolder and hoppier than expected.  The appearance is almost soothing.  Perhaps a mechanism to lure you in much like the gentle glowing light of a deep see angler fish?  Clear, with a burnt orange color and a very minimal head.  Smooth pour.  Lots of dark fruit with hints of vaporous vodka in the aroma lets you know this sucker won't go down without a fight, or at least without some rosy cheeks and fuzzy memories.  Can definitely smell some strong caramel and vanilla as it warms as well.  The taste is very similar to a bold American Barley Wine.  Nice and thick, almost syrupy, with strong hop bitterness at its core surrounded by dark cherries, toffee, caramel, toasted bread.  Anything else?  Oh yeah, booze!  And plenty of it. But not a harsh biting booze.  More of a warming, numbing of the tongue sensation.  Perfectly acceptable in a beer of this size.

Overall - This is my first experience with the Double Bastard.  If I were in a cage fighting match with this beer, I'd be knocked out in the first round by a round-house kick square to the nose.  But I'd love every second of it.  This beer puts forth no subliminal messaging or subtleties about its intended purpose on this planet.  It's a straight-forward all-you-can-eat buffet of awesome.  Bold and full of hoppy and malty flavors, this brew is for the adventurous beer lovers out there.  I'll be finding another bottle of this Double Bastard and giving it some age.

Mechanical Angler Fish... way scarier than normal Angler Fish.

Stone Brewing - 15th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA

Tonight I'll be drinking the 15th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA from Stone Brewing in Escondido, CA.  This follows last year's Emperial IPA, which I unfortunately did not get to try, because Stone hadn't expanded their distribution to MN at that point.  This brew was created by the President and co-founder of Stone, Steve Wagner, who says it's a "chuckling jab at those looking to lay territorial claim to the Black IPA style.  There's this small faction of people that seems to think it can call Black IPAs 'Cascadian Dark Ales,' historical accuracy be damned.  So, we thought we'd lightheartedly lay claim to our own style, dubbing it 'Escondidian,' both as an homage to our hometown of Escondido, CA and as a gentle ribbing to those Black IPA fans worshipping a false Cascadian idol."  This brew comes in a 22oz bottle that features the signature devil-dude on the label.  Who doesn't love Stone's label art?  It's badass!

This is a beast of a beer, with 10.8% alcohol and 100 IBUs - so I fully expect it to be hop-nificent.  It's going into my drinkin' mug, since my nice glassware is all stuck in the dishwasher.  The beer is a thick black color with a medium brown head.   Mammoth waves of resinous hops and pine cones start off the aroma, along with some layers of roasted malts....hard to pick out anything specific, maybe some coffee and cocoa.  The taste hits like a firetruck.  Roasted malts fused with dank, pungent resinous hop bitterness.  It's got that gritty, rich texture that you typically find in an imperial stout, with some cocoa and just a hint of coffee making up the base.  Intense herbal undertones ride through the middle, with a slight alcohol heat warming things up into the finish.  The finish keeps the hop bitterness going.....and going.....

Overall Rating:  This is an amazing Black IPA.  This beer takes the style to the next level....Stone has set the bar high!  This beer may be tough to find, but you come across it, don't pass it by.  An absolute hop-bomb and one of my favorites of the year.  A

Stone - IPA

Tonight I'm drinking some hop flowers... err, I mean Stone IPA.  I hadn't even started typing this out prior to opening the bottle.  When I cracked open the cap, a pungent wave of juicy hops permeated the air.  I'm liking this IPA already!

Some of our more observant readers will notice that Duns reviewed this IPA back in April.  Generally, when we overlap reviews, it's because my short-term memory has all but disappeared and I forgot that Duns reviewed the beer already.  However, tonight it's on purpose.  Last week I posted to our Facebook page asking people to tell me what they were drinking that evening.  If they did, I'd review the brew.  Almost immediately, one of our readers from Iowa replied.  He was enjoying a tasty bottle of Stone IPA.  Cheers Dave! Tonights review is for you.  Let us know what you thought of Stone's IPA below.

This green gargoyle-laden bomber is packed full of tasty hop morsels.  I can already tell from the aroma.  The brew is a hazy golden orange.  Clearly unfiltered, or is that haze from the dry hopping?  Either way, I want to stick my face in it.  The most noticeable flavor here is a spicy, juicy hop.  A full body supports this heavy load of hops with some bready malt flavors present to give this brew some balance.  No alcohol, mild carbonation and a hop bite come together to form a deceptively smooth and refreshing finish.

Overall - I sure am happy you were drinking this last Tuesday Dave.  Otherwise I wouldn't have picked up this bottle.  This is a great IPA, and certainly one of the better ones on the market these days.  The aromas are floral and juicy, flavors are big and full and the finish is as smooth as silk.  If you haven't had Stone's IPA before, I'd highly suggest you go find yourself a bottle.

Stone - Levitation Ale

Another night, another tasty brew!  Tonight's brew comes courtesy of Stone Brewing.  Every since these guys started to distribute out our way Dunz and I have jumped on the opportunity to taste as many Stone creations as we could.  Prior to tonight, we have reviewed seven (seems to be a common number these days) Stone brews to date.  We have tasted everything from Stone's Arrogant Bastard to their Cali-Belgie IPA and on into a delicious Sublimely Self Righteous Dark IPA.  Unfortunately, the limited release bottles don't make their way out here.  Hopefully if we drink enough Stone beer they will think the market is large enough to warrant sending a few bottles our way.

This bottle of Stone Levitation boasts the same gargoyle theme that we have all come to know and love.  The beer trapped inside is a clear burnt amber color.  A solid, creamy light tan foam forms and refuses to retreat.  Citrus and floral aromas are very prominent and supported by a hint of caramel and toasted bread.  The flavors here are intense replications of the aroma.  It starts off with a strong hop bitterness that quickly gives way to a fruity-citrusy combination which further yields itself to a sweet caramel finish.  No alcohol and a mild carbonation allow the primary flavors of citrus and caramelized bread to linger throughout.

Overall - A very tasty hoppy amber ale from Stone.  As with most Stone beers, Levitation doesn't really fit nicely into any single category of beer.  If anything, its a majorly hoppy American Amber Ale on steroids.  Bold flavors throughout kept me coming back for each sip.  Even though each aspect was bold and distinct, nothing completely overpowered this beer.  Levitation is a nicely balanced but bold brew.  Lucky for me its availability is year round!

Stone - Smoked Porter

Tonight I'm reviewing Stone's Smoked Porter.  While I have come across many smoked porters in the past I'm not quite sure what to expect from Stone's version.  Every since they have arrived in MN I have been intrigued by their creations.  Their beers, aside from the ones specifically designed to do so, tend not to fit into any specific style category.  Arrogant Bastard is a prime example.  Beer Advocate categorizes it as an American Strong Ale. I can go with that.  But it could also be placed within a strong, hoppy American Brown Ale or some other derivation of the style.  Bottom line - Stone likes to twist things around a bit.  It keeps me interested in trying their brews.

This smoked porter has been brewed by Stone since 1996.  It has garnered some high praise on Beer Advocate and RateBeer.  Stone's website attempts to make the case that this beer is one for those who may not like dark beers.  For some reason, I have trouble seeing a smoked porter as a gateway beer for anti-dark beer drinkers.  Maybe that's just me.  But I know people who love dark beers but wouldn't touch a smoked beer with a 10 foot pole.  Lets crack this bomber open and see if it lives up to the hype.

Stone's smokeified porter starts out like most others within the category - clear, deep brown with a soft tan foam.  The aromas are subtle but distinct.  A light smokiness mingles with a dark malt sweetness.  Nothing too bold here.  The flavors follow through with a clear smokey overtone throughout what is otherwise a basic porter.  Light chocolate and coffee notes on top of a smooth malty sweet base with barely a hint of bitterness.  A bit of alcohol sneaks it way through towards the end of the bottle.

Overall - Well, I guess Stone was right.  For a "gateway" beer to the dark side this would be a good candidate.  No flavor is too overpowering and the overall beer is very easy to drink.  I was a little disappointed, though, since I expected something more bold from Stone.  This could be seen as their beer for the masses which is fine with me.  But for a Stone beer, I wanted a little more.

Stone - Pale Ale

This evening I had the pleasure of enjoying one of the few nice summer evenings we have had in MN since, well, last summer!  My wife and I went out to the arboretum and had a serene, peaceful picnic on the top of the highest hill within the park.  Even though we were surrounded by crab apple trees, we still had a wonderful scenic view of the surrounding area.  It was a great way to clear my mind, relax and spend some quality time with my better half.  I feel great!

Now that I am one with nature I feel more qualified to give my opinion on topics that are related to nature.  Lucky for us, water, barley, hops and yeast are all natural products readily available on this little blue planet of ours!

Tonight's review is from Stone Brewing Co. out of Escondido, CA.  We have reviewed a number of their brews in the past, all mighty delicious.  You can find them all in the Review Archives if interested!  Stones Pale Ale is their flagship brew.  Based off of the classic British Pale Ale, Stone adds their own southern Californian spin by adding a healthy does of Magnum and Ahtanum hops to a rich malt backbone.  In classic Stone form, the bottle depicts a Gargoyle on the front with a little story about its origins on the back.

True to the websites description, this pale ale is a crystal clear deep amber.  A voluminous off-white head gives off a subtle woody, floral aroma.  Caramel malt blends nicely with the delicate hop aromas and doesn't steal the show.  The flavor is really where the maltiness kicks in.  Smooth, clean, toasty caramelized malt is first in line.  The Magnum hops do a nice job providing a solid bitter foundation to cut the sweetness a bit.  Some more woody, earthy tones creep around as the flavors commingle together.  Absolutely no alcohol is present and the carbonation is soft which supports the smooth mouthfeel.

Overall - This pale ale is certainly worthy of carrying Stones flagship banner.  Its not overly done with extreme hoppiness like some other West coast pale ales I've run into.  I like a solid malt character with just enough of a hop boost to push it over the edge from an American Amber Ale into an American Pale Ale.  In fact, I dub this a new style - American Amber Pale.  Feel free to borrow the description and place it on your bottles for the next batch.

Stone - Cali Belgie IPA

First off, I'd like to express my absolute joy about the fact that I am finally done with my exam!  No longer do I need to come home after work and worry about studying.  I get to do things like write about beer without feeling bad about it! Which is good news for both myself and our wonderful readers.

And speaking of our readers, if you want another way to follow us throughout the day follow us on Twitter at Worldobeercraft!  Not only will we let you know about what we are reviewing, we will post the beers we are drinking at any given time throughout the day as well as other beer related information from some of our favorite breweries across the country.  Lots of great information is out there and Dunz and I are excited to utilize what seems to be this silly form of communication.

Tonights brew is another from Stone.  We had a bit of a Stone-ganza when they first started shipping out to Minnesota. We reviewed their Sublimely Self Righteous Black IPA, normal IPA, Ruination IPA, and Arrogant Bastard.  From that list, you can probably already tell two things: 1. They have some pretty solid IPAs and 2. They are from California.  And Californians love them some hops in their beers.  So tonight, it seems appropriate that I'm reviewing yet another IPA from Stone, their Cali - Belgie IPA.  I'm assuming this is going to be more on the hoppier side just from what I know from this brewery.  Lets dig in and find out.

The brew is brilliantly clear.  Clearly filtered which takes away from what you would assume from a Belgian beer.  The head is a nice and frothy white.  Very aromatic, clearly a Belgian yeast strain was used.  Some spicy grapefruit and lemon zest.  Oh hey, I just read the bottle and its apparently their standard IPA fermented with a Belgian yeast strain.  Look what happens when you read!  Its all making sense now.  A nice bitterness flows through the lemony, bready and somewhat tropical fruity flavor profile.  Nicely balanced with hardly any alcoholic bite.  Dry and bitter rounds out this easily drinkable IPA with a Belgian twist.

Overall - I'm pretty happy this one comes in a 22oz bomber.  Well brewed and easy to drink.  Quite refreshing on a 95 degree day like today too!  I wouldn't pick it up if you are looking for a more Belgian-y Belgian IPA.  This brew certainly errs on the side of IPA.  But it is delicious if you are looking for a beer to spice up your standard, run-of-the-mill IPA.

Stone - Arrogant Bastard

Tonight I'm drinking Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale.  This classifies as an American Strong Ale, with a hefty 7.2%ABV.  Stone has an awesome blurb on their website about this beer, and I'm going to quote it below, for your reading pleasure. 



Stone - rebel craft brewers with a devil mascot...arrogant bastards!

 "This is an aggressive ale. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory–maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make things taste better. Perhaps you’re mouthing your words as you read this. 

At Stone Brewing, we believe that pandering to the lowest common denominator represents the height of tyranny - a virtual form of keeping the consumer barefoot and stupid. Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste. As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity. There have been many nods to Arrogant Bastard Ale…even outright attempts to copy it… but only one can ever embody the true nature of liquid Arrogance!"

The beer is a beautiful, dark reddish brown with a huge two+ inch fluffy head - really a nice looking beer, and with great retention.  The nose is a blend of aromatic, piney hops, toasty malts, and a alcohol-soaked plums.  The taste is pretty complex, there's a lot going on in this one.  Starts off with a big sweet maltyness, caramel and butterscotch primarily.  Things quickly divert from there into a big, bitter chunk of hop flavors that are spicy, oily and more pine cones.  Those pine flavors have been a recurring theme for Stone (and yes, that's a good thing).  The finish moves back into sweet territory, with more of caramel and a hint of roasted grains, everything ending dry.  The body on this beer is hard to judge, definitely on the heavier side, but the higher carbonation breaks it up and helps with the drinkability.

Overall Rating:  This is a big, complex, hoppy beer that legitimizes Stone Brewing's obnoxious arrogance.  They made a good beer, and they know it!  Those of you that like the barleywine style will love this beer.  Although this is technically an American Strong Ale, it drinks like a good barleywine. 


**Side Note:  As you may have noticed, I'm doing away with the number ratings.  From now on, I'm going to rate beers from 1 to Z and everywhere in between.   

Stone - IPA

Stone IPA was first released back in 1997.  The brewers at Stone are self-proclaimed hop-heads, so they bring big doses of Columbus, Chinook, and Centennial hops in this brew, with an emphasis on the dry-hopping.  6.9% ABV and 77 IBUs.

This beer comes in a 22oz bottle with their signature winged rebel demon-man on the front.  It's a clear light amber color with a full finger of white head that sticks to the glass nicely.  Great retention.  The nose is reminiscent of the Ruination I had last week, but a bit softer.  The thick tropical fruits are barely there, oranges and mangos....but this time there is more of a pungent, herbal honey sweetness present.

The taste starts off immediately with spicy hops.  Very spicy, very herbal, bitter, and piney.  Also some grassiness in there.  These hops really dominate the flavor.  In the background there is a creamy, honey-lined maltiness that never actually gets sweet, it knocks at the door politely while the hops destroy the hotel room.  Some fruitiness or tart would be a pleasant diversion from the spiciness, but, none to be found.  The mouthfeel is creamy and heavy for an IPA, but stays smooth despite the high carbonation level.

Overall Rating:  (4.3 out of 6.0)  I'm struggling to rate this beer.  I would classify it as a nice, big, hoppy IPA, but it's fairly one-sided with spices and pine cones dominating.  This beer was actually more destructive to my palate than their Ruination Imperial IPA!  A nice beer, but not as adventurous (or fruity) as Ruination.  

**Side Note:  Ruination obviously had a strong effect on me, and influenced this review.  If I were to pit these two side by side, I would pick Ruination every time.  However, this beer is great and another winning brew for the hop-heads out there.

Stone - Sublimely Self Righteous Ale

On my way home from my place of business this afternoon I felt the intense urge to pick up some new beer.  This urge could not go unsatiated.  Even though I have no lack of bottles to review in my fridge currently, I wanted something different.  For me, going to the beer store is akin to a kid entering a Toys R Us for the first time in his life.  Every time I go to one I always find something new and I get a silly, childish grin on my face while I carry as many bottles as I can in my hands up to the cash register.  I intentionally leave the shopping carts and baskets, if available, at the door... God help my bank account if that ever becomes a habit of mine.

One of the bottles I picked up is from Stone.  Yes, Dunz just reviewed one of their brews this weekend and I wanted to get in on this party.  I have heard good things about Stone and found an impressive line up of their bombers at the brew store.  I went with one I was unfamiliar with and knew little about.  From what I derived by reading the lengthy story on the back of the bottle it was bitter, dark and well received back when it was featured as Stone's 11th anniversary release.  Its always good to see a special release beer become part of a breweries normal line up.  Must mean they are doing something right.  And I must say, I love the art that is featured throughout Stone.  Medieval gargoyles and winged beasts litter Stones website and bottles.  Very cool.

A deep brown, almost black brew flows into my mug creating a frothy tan head.  The hops are instantly permeating the air and very vibrant.  The aroma is almost all citrusy hops with a hint of roast and brown sugar in the background.  Had this been a blind tasting, I would have a very hard time identifying this as anything other than a big IPA.  The flavors flow through from the aroma with an intense bitterness and hop presence.  Lots of tart citrus flavors like grapefruit and tangy orange.  Some burnt caramel and roast begin to show up as the brew warms.  Very smooth mouthfeel with moderate carbonation.  A slight alcoholic warmth comes into play as I finish off this silky treat.

Overall 5.2/6.0 - Delicious.  I can toss other descriptors out there but delicious sums up my thoughts on this brew quite thoroughly.  Black IPAs, a relatively new brew category, are quickly catching on with craft breweries across the country.  Its no surprise that some of the best are coming from the West.  I would love to have Stone package it in six pack form.  In fact, Ill take a six pack of 22 oz bottles.  Jumbo sixer.  Now there's an idea!

Stone - Ruination IPA

Stone Brewing is here!  It's taken them 15 years, but they've finally decided that Minnesota is worthy of their presence.  Hopefully this will be the first of many....Russian River, you better be taking notes.  Minnesota needs you also.

Stone is based in Escondido, CA, and was founded back in 1996.  They've been one of the fastest growing craft breweries in the US over the last decade, which probably feeds into their brewing arrogance.  Arrogance in the world of craft beer can be justified, even celebrated, if the beer tastes good enough.  That seems to be the case with Stone Brewing, although I've only tasted a sample of their Ruination IPA in Vegas, so for me the jury is still out.  Ruination is a year-round offering with 7.7%ABV and 100+ IBUs.  The featured hops are Columbus and Centennial.

The beer is clear, golden, and effervescent with a nice layer of pure white head.  The nose is full of tropical fruits - pineapple, mango, and some grapefruit.  Very resiny, with a just a hint of pine.  This beer smells a lot like Surly Wet fresh-hopped brew, which is a very, very good thing.  The flavor is, surprise surprise, full of hops!  Not nearly as bitter as I expected with all the talk of ruination and palate destruction.....the hops are full of flavor.  Grapefruit, some almost-ripe pineapple, and resiny pine oils.  The finish brings an oily, sticky feeling that hangs around for a while afterwards, also revealing a soft floral scent.  The body is medium, and the carbonation is spot on - perfect hop delivery system.

Overall Rating:  (5.3 out of 6.0)  Stone set some high expectations with all of their hop-talk around this beer, and in my opinion, they hit the bar that they set.  This is a hop-monster, but it's not overdone to the point where drinkability is affected.  In fact, just the opposite...this beer is scarily drinkable.  If you're a Minnesotan like me that's been excluded from the Stone distribution channel for all these years, go pick this one up, stat!