Stone, Cali - Belgie IPA

Look: Golden Brown with minimal white bubbly head

Taste: Sweet, warming fruit flavors followed by hops

Conclusion: My brew reviewing buddy and I both jumped on this special edition brew when we saw it. This beer is essentially a hybrid of a Belgian and an IPA.

I was both intrigued(IPA) and disgusted(Belgian) when I picked it up. The fact it was made by Stone, however, swayed my opinion. I have never liked Belgians so I crossed my fingers and drank.

To my delight....it was GREAT! The first half of the drink you get the IPA bite, but it gets it's throat stomped on by the sweet and lightly fruity traits from the Belgian side of things. The thing I loved about this drink was that the Belgian side never becomes overly sweet as most tend to. Instead it's tempered by the IPA and the hop flavors come in near the end of the taste to mellow things out and prevent the sugary sweet Belgian coup.

This beer surprised me and I'd actually try another. I've never said that about any Belgian beer, so this is progress. Give me that diploma, I'm on my way to Belgian grad school! Well, maybe I'll start by aiming for my GED for now. I am again floored by Stone's genius and cunning.

8 Brews!

Stone 12th Anniversary – Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Look: Pitch Black – no light shone through when held up

Taste: Sharp, smokey kick, with a bitter chocolate after taste

Conclusion: WOW! Stone once again comes through with a different, yet tasty brew.

As I drink this beer watching the World Series of Poker on TV, all I can think is the Stone came up Aces. The brew is nice and thick, but not so thick you cant drink it. There is a nice balance of oatmeal and bitter chocolate hints. The chocolate used is not the super sweet milk chocolate many of you are used to, it is reminiscent of the dark, bitter baking chocolate you may have accidentally stirred into your chocolate milk as a kid.

Now that I think about it, this stout would go great with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream… Mmm, bitter chocolate float.

As I read the back of the glass bottle, I find that the inspiration for this is the world wide hop shortage. In order for Stone to get their trademark bitter bite to this beer without “over hopping” it, they turned to some chocolatier friends. Using bitter chocolate would give the beer their trademark bitterness as well as a complexity in flavor and texture. Good call gents. What better way to celebrate an anniversary than to think outside the box, but stay true to your roots.

Here’s to 12 years of brewing ingenuity and originality, and many, many more years of success. CHEERS!!

I give Stone’s 12 Anniversary brew a 9 out of 10

Stone, Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Look: Brick red like the original. Thin light tan head that disappears quickly

Taste: Bitter with floral and sweet hops

Conclusion: I do believe Arrogant Bastard was one of, if not the first brews we reviewed on here. Life is a circle and we come back around to it again.

This is, obviously, an oak barrel aged version of their powerfully tasty original. The initial taste is almost a bitter pineapple bite. Then the sweet hops creep in and douse the fires of bitterness.

I could definitely taste the difference as I just had a regular Arrogant Bastard last week. I'm sad to say this one wasn't what I'd hoped. Don't get me wrong, it didn't taste bad. I just felt the bitter and sweet theme of the beer didn't blend that seamlessly with the oak aging. Still cool to see Stone trying different takes on their beer. They always seem to have some kind of specialty beer on tap. This one, however, just not something I'd go back to routinely. I'll stick with the original.

6 Brews!

Stone Vertical Epic

Look: Amber color, light foamy white head when poured

Taste: Lots of citrus, definitely barley… almost Belgian, but not as sweet.

Conclusion: I know, I know, it’s a Belgian-ish beer, but this one is different. It does not have the horrid, over-the-top sweetness that many other Belgians do (Delirium Tremens). Vertical Epic has the citrus tang to it, the natural barley sweetness, and the malt liquor taste to it, but it does not have the “extra sugar added to cover up our errors” flavor.
At first sip, the citrus and sweet hit my nostrils like a Mike Tyson punch. “Aw Crap!” I thought, “a freakin’ Belgian…” My first few sips were not too exciting. It had a distinctive malt liquor taste to it and a distinct citrus flavor, but the sweet was not there. After a few sips, I began to enjoy the beer. It could have been that my taste buds to used to the flavor, or that I was getting buzzed rather quickly, but after a while, the beer is not bad. The strong flavors last through out the drink (and my buzz), and eventually you get used to it. Don’t get me wrong, its not the best offering Stone has, but its not the worst… or maybe it is, but that’s not a bad thing, it still Stone!

The alcohol content was not listed on the growler label, but I imagine this one to be in the 9-10% area. Even the Stone site does not give a percentage, only that it “varies.” Well, this one varied well.
I give Stone’s Belgian-ish offering a 7 out of 10.

BEER FLOAT

Ingredients: Stone Imperial Russian Stout and Ben & Jerry’s Vanilla Ice Cream

Taste: The beer choice is strong, smoked coffee flavor and bitter. The vanilla ice cream adds a sweet after taste to the concoction.

Conclusion: I know what you’re thinking, but no, this is not the first time I’ve had one of these; nor will it be the last. Think of it as a colder, bolder black and tan. My first was at a bar with some soccer hooligans I’ve since befriended. They ordered me up a Newcastle float some years ago. I’ve since had a few more, but the last one of note was at the fabled Stone Brewery on my last birthday. I decided to replicate the experience and review it for the site, since technically it is beer related. We’ve had a bit of a heat wave the past few days in SoCal, so I thought a beer float would hit the spot. Nice and cold brew with some ice cream… it just hit the spot. Thing is, the beer was so strong, it kind of warmed me up a bit too. Still worth it though. The depth of flavors created was pretty amazing. I used some traditional vanilla ice cream, about one scoops worth, because it’s a pretty versatile ice cream with its neutral flavor and all. The foam created was pretty wicked. To say it was an acquired taste is an understatement. The foam is very bitter with an ever so slight sweetness to it. It contained all the smokey flavors of the beer as well, so you have a bitter sweet, smokey, eatable cloud floating at the top of your drink, and its pretty harsh. After a few spoonfuls of the stuff, I couldn’t take it any more. I busted out my straw to get to the goodness of the beer. The foam was so thick it held my straw in place without it sinking to the bottom of my mug. I did not see that coming.

“LOOK MA, NO HANDS!”

The vanilla ice cream blended well with the smoked coffee flavor of the beer, but something was missing… Blend you say? I gave it a stir with my spoon then tried it again. Man, what a difference. Its like a dark beer milkshake! …with some harsh foam on top. The beer itself was fantastic though. Nice and creamy with a better mix of bitter and sweet and a strong smokey blast. This drink is cool enough to ward off the heat, but thick and strong enough to keep you warm in the dead of winter. Its kind of like those new sports jerseys being made by Nike and Adidas that will keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Only this one tastes good and looks better.

I'd recomend trying this with any dark beer because of the more intense flavors dark beers bring to the table. Maybe a vanilla or any other sweet stout would work great as well. Although I've not tried it yet, I bet this would work great with a Young's Double Chocolate Stout... Mmmm, chocolate beer float...

I didn’t give this post a score because its not a drink you can just go to the store and purchase… well, not yet anyway. STONE, get working on it!!

Stone, Russian Imperial Stout

Look: Black as the deepest depths of the ocean. Small lacy tan head

Taste: Massive mouthfeel with chocolate, roasted malty flavor and a warm burn

Conclusion: This is a 10% behemoth in monster's clothing. The brew doesn't try to deceive you with it's dark and thick pour. It tells exactly of what's to come which is an initial coat of varnish...errr stout, that covers your tongue and starts to distribute the gargantuan roasted malts and rich notes. I saw on the label they even brew it with some anise. There's a multitude of different dark and luscious flavors that come through excellent, but even better when it's warmed a bit.

Speaking of warm that alcohol doesn't burn at the end of the taste but gradually cozens your innards like Peto-Bismol(if it actually tasted good). This certainly isn't the strongest beer alcohol-wise but it's heavy enough that you have to enjoy it and take your time. My buddy and I had one prior to heading into a LA Galaxy game and found it exceedingly difficult to chug the last couple gulps. Try chugging hot chocolate...you get the same effect.

Still, this Russian Imperial Stout is amazingly stellar and would go probably just perfect as a beer float. If you do indulge in ice cream that is. Don't miss this one. It's a keeper...at least for as long as you can resist opening it.

Stone, Eleventh Anniversary

Look: Thick black, with thick tan head

Taste: Hop filled flavor with smoke, fruit and malt flavors

Conclusion: My compadre and brew reviewing partner proposed that we try to home brew a dark IPA before I came across this brew. I thought it was a crazy but interesting idea. Little did I know I'd be drinking this very thing weeks later!

That's right, this is a Dark IPA. Don't take this while you're sleepy or you'll be smacked back to a flavor filled euphoria quick fast and in a hurry! Initially you taste a monster amount of hops that's filled with delectable smoke and fruit flavors. Like Stone's Ruination this one has an extreme amount of bitterness that is perfectly balanced with the strong aromas and taste. At the finish you'll find there's a strange bitterness that is foreign yet strangely familiar. I was walking around my house when it finally dawned on me...that's grapefruit! You get that same sweet, mouth puckering taste at the end but it just puts the icing on this amazing birthday cake that Stone brewed up.

It packs a 8.7% alcohol punch that brings a slight warmth with it. I first had this at Stone's brewery a couple of months ago. Stone really hit the nail on the head with this one. I hope they keep it around even after their 11th year. Please, please, please. If you're up there Jebus...make it happen! A stellar creation that's sure to turn some heads.

9 Brews!

STONE – RUINATION

Look: Reminds me of a pint full of rays of sun with a frothy white head.

Taste: Sharp as a skinning knife! This beer is hopy, hopy, hopy!! Holy Herbert is there hops in this thing! This beer cuts you deep and leaves you begging for more.

Conclusion: This beer is one of my all time favorites. It is currently in my top three, and I don’t see it being dethroned any time soon. This beer is the sole reason I became a hop head! It has changed my pallet and my life forever.
If you are a hop head, you can thank me later, if you are not, proceed with caution…
Ruination will blitz your taste buds and sack your tongue. There is no stopping this juggernaut. After a drink or two, everything else that enters your mouth will be bland and tasteless. The item’s flavor will wilt like a rose in the desert. It will stand no chance of survival. The 100+ IBUs will not surrender your taste buds easily.
I really cant stop singing the praises of this beer. This beer is “a liquid poem to the glory of the hop” written in the styling of Charles Bukowski. It is good on so many levels, and it completely changed my perception of what a beer should be. This beer had to be saved to commemorate our 50th beer review, and it gives us great pleasure to give this beer our first better than perfect 11 out of 10 brew review.

Stone, Old Guardian Barley Wine

Look: Light brown with a goldish coloring. Creamy and slightly cloudy

Taste: Strong, smooth, hop filled IPA flavor

Conclusion: The flavor of Stone's barley wine mirrors their double IPA Ruination. It is initially slightly bitter but extremely smooth on the palate. At 11.26% alcohol and with 95 IBUs(International Bitterness Units), this barley wine is incredibly powerful. But don't let the bitterness units fool you though, this barley wine is quite smooth. There is almost no alcohol burn and it coats the tongue. Rich and flavorful. As Mr. Burns says...."Eeeexcellent".

8 Brews!

Levitation – Stone Brewery

Look: Dark, dark brown if held up to the light.

Taste: This is a good dark ale, but packs enough of a hoppy punch that it can be considered a dark IPA. In traditional Stone fashion, this dark is packed with hops and flavor. It has a slight toasted nut flavor, but not a lot of smoke flavor.

Conclusion: At 4.4% alcohol, its not the strongest beer, but you will definitely feel its effects. It is a great stand alone beer, and pairs well with any meat item or pizza. But, seriously, what doesn’t go with pizza? It will most likely kill the flavor of any fish or vegetable dish you attempt to pair with it.
The beer does not pour with a big frothy white head nor does not sit heavy in your stomach. It is very light, which is surprising given its dark color. It is a very refreshing beer for a warm day, but not a hot day. I’d recommend drinking it in fall and winter as it will keep you warm, but it is also perfectly suited as a spring time beer.

All in all, 7 brews out of 10

Stone, Smoked Porter

Look: Dark, oaky, brown, almost black.

Taste: Initially a very roasted barley flavor. Finishes w/ a coffee, toasty flavor with a light aftertaste. Consistency is light despite the dark, rich flavor.

Conclusion: This is a high quality porter with a great toasted barley taste over-riding all the way through. Coffee and maybe some toffee flavors in there too. All in all a very satisfying and not too heavy brew. This would be great on a cold winter evening with a nice fire going...if I had a fireplace. There isn't a whole lot of depth to the flavor but Stone is great at keeping it simple and still making a refined beer.

Rating: 7 Brews!

Stone, India Pale Ale

Look: Cloudy yellow/tan. Resembles a Hefeweizen

Taste: 6.9% Alcohol volume. Initially bitter but light at the same time. There are some fruity notes and a strong hop presence. Finish is dry but tasty.

Conclusion: I am prefacing my decision by noting that I am not normally a fan of IPAs. They tend to be a little dry and harsh for my liking. On the other hand, it's hard not to be biased towards the overpowering brews from Stone. I actually enjoyed this IPA but found it lacking in flavor compared to Stone's other beers. Perhaps I'm spoiled by Stone's Ruination(Double IPA) but this beer left me feeling unsatisfied. On the whole, still a very decent beer.

Rating: 6 Brews!

Stone, Arrogant Bastard Ale

Look: Red with an orangish hue

Taste: 7.2% alcohol. Initial taste is bitter and strong! The bitterness continues throughout the drink to the end. Flavor is almost stout tasting with a nice, powerful hop flavor.

Conclusion: Stone Brewing is notorious for their robust, overhopped brews and this is no exception. Everything about this beer says watch out! It'll get your head spinning before you're half way done. The hoppiness of this beer is something to relish and enjoy...I know I did. Put it this way; If ales were dogs this thing would be a spike-collared Pitbull.

Rating: 8 brews!