(Double Review) Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (1 year aged) & Stone W00stout 2.0 collaboration by Drew Curtis, Aisha Tyler and Wil Wheaton

July 23, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged abuelita chocolate, Aisha Tyler, arrogant bastard, Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, beer collaboration, beer geeks, Beer Hybrid, bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Bourbon Barrel Stout, bourbon barrels, caramel pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Collaboration beers, dark chocolate, Drew Curtis, Evangelion, Fark.com, flan, Geek Beer, Greg Koch, Hop Heads, Imperial Stout, Mari, Mari Illustrious Makinami, mocha coffee, Neon Genesis Evangelion, pecan pie, quadruple, Rei, Rei Ayanami, rye bread, rye toast, sci fi, star trek the next generation, Stone, Stone Beers, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout, Stone Ground Chocolate, Toasted Coconut, toasted pecans, toasted rye bread, w00tstout 2.0, wheat, Wil Wheaton | Leave a comment

It has been a while since I have done a double review. Most of my double reviews involve one regular beer and one spirit aged beer. This time around I wanted to do something special for the w00tstout anniversary and the tribute of the w00tstock/HopCon which is today at Stone Brewing. Today I review a 1 year aged version of the w00tstout and the newest release, w00tstout 2.0 which the difference is that it has stone crushed chocolate. You can get this in many beer stores that sell specialty craft beers and specially Stone Beers. The price is a bit higher than the previous years but I believe the ingredients and the the way it differs from last years could actually be different. So I will find out today which one will be the better deal. A 1 year version of w00tstout or the latest release with added ingredients and stronger Alcohol by Volume. Let us go and check it out. Cheers!!!

Original Review:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/stone-farking-wheaton-w00tstout-collaboration/

Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout Review
Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (1 year aged) collaboration is a 13% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with rye, pecans, wheat, hops, awesome (beer + sci-fi)*geek ideologies with a 1/4 of it aged in bourbon barrels.

Label:
Wil Wheaton first called us in 2004 ask if it’d be OK for him to put the Arrogant Bastard logo on his blog’s website (back when people still asked permission to do such things), and I just so happened to answer the phone (back when I still answered the main line sometimes). Since he was so damn enthusiastic about our beers, I said ‘Sure, no problem,’ all the while thinking ‘Hmmm…this guy’s name sounds familiar.’

Months later, in a serendipitous turn of fate, I reached out to our 10,000th email newsletter subscriber…drumroll…Wil Wheaton. Since his gigs in the iconic Stand By Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wil has become quite the renaissance man, adding author, w00tstock innovator, and homebrewer to his resume. His enthusiasm for the fermentable arts and our beer was such that after many occasions of sharing grog over the years, we decided it was time to brew in collaboration.

It was a no-brainer for us to choose Drew Curtis—who many know as the twisted mind behind Fark.com—as our third cohort. Drew was an old friend of Wil’s that I had serendipitously met (when he saw me and told me, ‘Dude, I love your beer) and enjoyed many beers with at the famous TED conference three years in a row. The beer you hold before you is an imperial stout made with wheat (Wil pretty much insisted), and we also paid tribute to Drew’s Kentucky roots by adding rye and pecans to the mix and partially aging the beer in bourbon barrels. The result? Nothing short of serendipitous.”

Greg Koch @stonegreg CEO & Co-founder, Stone Brewing Co. & Beer Seek

“Being a geek isn’t about what you love; it’s about how you love it. I’m a sci-fi geek, a disruptive technology geek, and a tabletop game geek. I’ve been lucky to do lots of work in those fields, but this is the first time I got to be a professional beer geek, and it was awesome.”

Wil Wheaton | @wilw Actor, Homebrewer & Professional Seek

“Beer tastes like my website…all over the map, but I’ve never met a beer I didn’t like.”

Drew Curtis | @drewcurtis Founder, Fark.com & News Geek
_____

Aromas:
Very rich Dark fruit prunes, raisins, plums, figs, dates, sangria, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, pecan pie, dulce de leche caramel, flan, macaroons, toasted coconut, mocha coffee, vanilla, oak, bourbon, banana notes, hazelnut, rye bread, butterscotch, toffee, licorice, brown sugar, molasses, pear, dark cherry and port wine.

Flavors:
Very Rich dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs, dates, mocha coffee, Kahlua, dark and milk chocolate, molasses, licorice, toffee, dulce de leche coffee, port wine, rye pie crust, bourbon, butterscotch, pecan pie, hazelnut nectar, bananas, clove spice, fig pudding, raisin bread pudding, coriander spice, earthy notes, hints of mint, wheat toast, old mango, pears and oatmeal cookies.

Aftertaste:
Dark raisins, old cherries, plums, prunes, hints of bourbon, port wine, oak, caramel and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, the booze is far more hidden. Syrup mouthfeel with a sipping drinkablity and pitch black appearance with not much head retention.

Overall:
The flavors have gotten better and develop a more dark fruit character than the previous w00tstout. The beer exceeds my expectations a little more than last years. The stronger Quad like flavors take over more of the Imperial Stout flavors. The only way to really find this one now is to trade for it.

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion made a return in this version of the W00tstout from last year because I wanted to represent the 3 collaborators Wil Wheaton, Drew Curtis and Greg Koch in this fine piece. While the beer is based on sci-fi, a great sci-fi anime and its characters was the perfect choice in my mind to pair with one of the geekiest beers ever seeing as Neon Genesis is a world renowned anime. So cheers to all sci-fi and anime fans alike and celebrate the communities…W00t!!

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2013-07-15-592967.jpeg

W00tstout 2.0 Review
Stone W00stout 2.0 collaboration by Drew Curtis, Aisha Tyler and Wil Wheaton brewed at Stone brewing is a 13.5% ABV World Class Imperial Stout brewed with flaked rye, wheat, pecans, hops, Stone-Ground Chocolate, awesome (beer + sci-fi)*geek ideologies with a 1/4 of it aged in Kentuck bourbon barrels.

Label:
In 2013, our CEO and Co-founder, Greg Koch, invited two respected fans of craft beer, brewing and all things Stone to develop an intense, inventive beer capable of not only delivering immense ﬂavor, but also serving as a ﬁtting, singular celebration of über-level enthusiasm. Self-proclaimed geeks in a number of arenas, the duo of thespian and renaissance man Wil Wheaton and Fark.com online news guru Drew Curtis proved up to the challenge, calling on their personal backgrounds to devise an imperial stout brewed with ﬂaked rye, wheat and pecans that was partially aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. Shortly after being released, this creation—dubbed “w00tstout” in honor of w00tstock, Wil’s annual tribute festival to cross-genre geekdom—became an instant cult classic.

Despite the fact that Greg spent the ﬁrst half of 2014 on an international walkabout-style sabbatical, Wil and Drew were invited back to Stone to put a new spin on this threesome-borne beauty. All they needed was a third conspirator, and for that, they called on friend and fellow geek, Aisha Tyler. An actress, talk show host, comedian and author with a ﬂair for individuality, she brought an entire new dimension to the brew day, just as the stone-ground chocolate the trio added to the original w00tstout recipe added delicious depth to the beer.

A personalized stamp was put on this year’s edition of w00tstout by comic artist Dave Gibbons. The co-creator of the Watchmen series worked up the fine art for this bottle in exchange for a donation to The Hero Initiative (www.heroinitiative.org), a charity organization providing retirement funds for golden-age comic book artists.

He thought his super power to point out the obvious was the most useless “power” ever, until he realized many people don;t see that which is plain as day.
Drew Curtis is…Captain Obvious!

Limbs unwieldy and lank are her lithe tools of destruction. Years of Bradbury (and corrective lenses) gave her laser vision. Where once she stumbled into peril, now she springs toward it, headlong.
Aisha Tyler is…Lady Temerarious!

Flashes of his destiny occurred in his youth, but it wasn’t until he uploaded his consciousness to the digital realm, that his powers were revealed. Now, he brings hops and hope to a thirsty world.
Wil Wheaton is…The Mercene-ary!
___

Aromas:
Rich Bananas, dark fruit raisins, figs plums, dates, toasted coconut, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, Kahlua, pecan pie, mocha coffee, molasses, licorice, toffee, dulce de leche caramel, port wine hints, rye bread, vanilla, oak, bourbon, butterscotch, hazelnut nectar, clove spice, earthy hop notes, mint, wheat toast, raisin bread pudding, banana split sundae, flan and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Rich bananas, pecan pie, coconut, dark, bakers, milk, Abuelita and Belgian Chocolates, dark fruits like prunes, raisins, figs, almond joy chocolate, raisin bread pudding, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal, hot fudge sundae, mocha coffee, licorice, toffee, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, licorice, port wine hints, rye pie crust, bourbon, oak, hazelnut nectar, butterscotch, clove spice, vanilla, hazelnut nectar, whipped cream, crème brulee, flan, brown sugar, wheat toast with nutella, mint and molasses.

Aftertaste:
Bananas, dark cherries, milk and dark chocolates, pecan pie, whipped cream, bourbon, oak, dark fruits, caramel, earthy hops and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer, syrupy mouthfeel and pitch black appearance with hardly any head retention.

Overall:
WOW! The addition of the chocolate somehow took the beer to the next level. Even at its freshest point here, its taste extremely amazing. It is almost like a Banana split beer. Somehow, the fusion of Imperial Stout and Quad seems very close to the Stickie Monkee from Firestone Walker. The balance of this beer is also pretty ridiculous. Less boozy tasting than the first w00t and not as dark fruit forward as the 1 year aged one I also reviewed today. Simply ridiculous and delicious making this one extremely exceptional. This beer is world class already. I Highly Highly Recommended!! Get several bottles and I will see you next year after I age one of these for a year. W00t!

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion were used in this years pairing of W00tstout. Just like last year, I wanted to represent the 3 collaborators Wil Wheaton, Drew Curtis and and this time the addition of Aisha Tyler. This time wanted to have Aisha take Greg’s place. As you can see from last year’s pairing, the colors are different but also, you can tell some of them have traded places with the anime characters. Along with scifi, Evangelion brings giant robot humanoids. This addition is synonymous with bringing the flavor balance that may have not been in the last beer. As you can see in one of the art pairings, one robot per character so everything is equal and just as bad ass as the last beer but still taking it to another level. Great Job and Cheers to all Sci-Fi, Anime and Beer fans out there!

Sources:
https://yande.re/sample/e87d0f51b9862ca10b223f546054ab9d/yande.re%20232423%20sample.jpg
http://33.media.tumblr.com/68b377c323245b4bfb0657c24de29291/tumblr_mydkomFyV81soko9to1_1280.jpg
Rating: 5.95/5 (Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout)
Rating: 6/5 (W00tstout 2.0)

Stochasticity Project Varna Necropolis by Stone Brewing

July 19, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged aged in Bourbon Barrels, bcnyart, belgian golden ale, Belgian Golden Strong Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Stochasticity Project, Stone Brewing, Varna Necropolis | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Stochasticity Project Varna Necropolis by Stone Brewing is am 8.6% Belgian Golden/Strong Pale Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
STOCHASTICITY
STO-KAESTI-CITY
There is no happenstance or coincidence. Dumb luck is a fallacy and randomness a commonly accepted mistruth. Much of what seemingly falls into place and seems so natural is a result of Stochasticity, a concept embraced and exalted by this special and unpredictable series of beers, where exotic notions, ingredients and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint.

For many, the verbiage “Belgian Golden Strong Ale” conjures the mental visage of a chalice of straw-hued liquid nearly overflowing with tight, fluffy, white bubbles. Though that effervescent European classic was a solid base for this, the sophomore release from our center for beer experimentation, but to test its unexplored possibilities, we added a sufficient lode of hops to up the ale’s bitter character and dry finish. Next came a lengthy aging period in bourbon whiskey barrels, quite the rarity for this style. Named for the Bulgarian site from which the largest golden treasure in history was excavated, this beer presents a wealth of next-level nuances including vanilla, wood and spice.

Beer Facts
OG 16°P
TG 0.21°P
IBUs 48
ABV 8.6% v/v
Color: 6.4 °L/ SRM (Standard Reference Method)
pH 4.22

Malt Varieties
Pale Malt and Flaked Oats

Hop Varieties
Simcoe and Amarillo

Aged in
Bourbon Barrels
___

The second beer on my journey during the World cup quarter finals and Anime Expo was this beer. I had initially traveled to Long Beach then the heart of downtown and Pasadena California all in a days worth to be able to get my hands on this piece of gold. This beer can only be obtained if you visit one of the Stone Company Stores only as it was not give a wide distribution. Not sure why, but anyways, I wanted to bring this forth as I have been wanting to try this since April of this year. Cheers!

Aromas:
Peppercorns, Piney, grassy, floral and grapefruit hops, oak, vanilla, biscuit bread, butter scotch, bourbon hints, citrus, oranges, coriander spice, cardamom,waffle cone, brown sugar, mango, pineapple, honey, musty grapes, farmhouse hay, flowers, honey and herbs.

Flavors:
Rich vanilla, oak, bourbon notes, flowers, peppercorns, banana clove spice, flan hints, caramel, piney, grassy and grapefruit hop notes, old oranges, wine grapes, farmhouse yeast, mushrooms, lemon peel, apricots, mango, coconut hints, coriander spice, wine and cheese party, honey, herbs and waffle cone.

Aftertaste:
Finishes Tart citrus, grapefruit, peppercorns, oak, bourbon, vanilla, honey grapefruit hops and old mango. No alcohol in the taste, light body, medium drinkability and medium mouth feel.

Overall:
While this is a very good beer, it starts to get to that perfect level once it starts to warm up. I have had other beers that really come close to this one but the bourbon really adds that extra level of complexity that I have not seen in such a beer. A Belgian Pale/Gold Ale in bourbon? It happened, and it seems to definitely work here. However, the bourbon barrel only gives it a slight sweetness as it leads more towards a sweet and tart taste as the hops still come on a little strong. A beer that probably comes close is the White Oak from the Bruery (Wheatwine Aged in Bourbon). Definitely give this one a try and see if this one works magic for you!

Anime Corner:
Original artwork by bcnyart at deviantart.com was used in this pairing because I wanted to pay tribute to the history that is represented in this beer. Liquid Gold and the name Varna Necropolis which is the tomb that holds the oldest treasures in the world. As you can see, the character is wearing all sorts of golden goodies dating even back into the Egyptian times as an example. I wish I could have found something relating to Bulgaria, lots of treasure and anime but Egypt serves as a great example in terms of age and some of the Egyptian tombs are just as old or maybe younger but still a good representative of treasures.

Sources:
http://bcnyart.deviantart.com/art/Dragons-with-Egyptian-Treasure-454386743

Unapologetic IPA collaboration by Beachwood, Heretic and Stone Brewing

July 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Beachwood Brewing, Black Lagoon, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Heretic brewing, india pale ale, Revy, Stone Brewing, Unapologetic IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Unapologetic IPA collaboration by Beachwood, Heretic and Stone Brewing is an 8.8% ABV Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
WHO SAYS THE WORLD NEEDS ANOTHER IPA? WE DO.

When you get three hopheads together to collaborate on a beer, it’s only natural to expect some hopped up liquid incarnation of their lupulin lust to spring forth from such a session. Maybe it seems passé to some—three masters of hoppy beer once again exploring the familiar territory of the India pale ale. After all, who needs yet another IPA, double or otherwise, right? It’s all been done. To those who feel this way, this trio’s reply is: “so what?”

In birthing a double IPA made bitter and fruity care of a mélange of new and experimental hops (Azacca, Belma as well as HBC 342 and Steiner 06300, yet-to-be-named varieties from Washington’s Yakima Valley), they aren’t staying in a comfort zone—they’re hitting a sweet spot in the name of all that is good, delicious, hoppy and forward-thinking to create an IPA that’s both like and unlike anything they, or you, have ever tasted. Rife with essence of pine, resin, and fruits both citrus and tropical, there’s no need for apologies with this beer. All that’s necessary is a yearning for hops, a sturdy constitution and an empty glass.

“With this beer we collectively celebrate the marvelous hop flower.”
Julian Shrago // Brewmaster & Co-owner, Beachwood Brewing

“To me, there’s nothing better than getting to brew something special with good friends
Jamil Zainasheff // Chief Heretic & Brewmaster. Heretic Brewing Company

“This was a great chance for three hopheads to brew a really cool IPA using many new, exciting hop varieties.”
Mitch Steele // Brewmaster, Stone brewing Co.
___

Another IPA? Yes!! However, this one is made with new experimental hops so the flavors will most likely be unique or at least different than some of the IPAs I have tried before unless you include the Fillmore Fusion from Lagunitas which had the hop ADHA 483. Unapologetic may either come from the use of extra bitter hops or just the fact that they shouldn’t apologize for making another IPA. Who knows, this one may actually be different. So let us check it out. Also, this one should see national distribution.

Aromas:
Lots of tropical aromas like mango, pineapple, papaya, lychee, passion fruit, dragon fruit, pine, grassy, floral and grapefruit hops, citrus, oranges, caramel, apples, berries and peach hints.

Flavors:
Lots of tropical fruits forward like mango, papaya, pineapple, passion fruit, lychee, prickly pear, blueberry, raspberry, tangerines, piney, floral, grassy and grapefruit hops, caramel biscuit bread hints, peach apples, oranges, honey dew melon, bubble gum, vanilla and some minor herbal hints.

Aftertaste:
Leaving with a fruity and floral yet minor bitterness in the end. No alcohol in the taste, crisp and refreshing with medium drinkability and a light body.

Overall:
If you love more tropics forward IPAs, this is perfect! I think in the sense that I really like the tropical fruit forward IPAs more than the herbal grassy ones or the caramel malty ones, this makes for a very awesome beer. I am still trying to find the apologetic side of this beer but I cannot as it is not overwhelmingly bitter. Unless like I mentioned before, they are only doing this to basically telling everyone to shove it, here is another awesome IPA offering and this one is very good.

Anime Corner:
Revy from Black Lagoon was used in this pairing to to show the aspect of unapologetic but also the aspects of the 3 brewers. We start with Revy’s look which displays a “I don’t give a Fuck!” attitude. She really is like this in the anime as her character is described as a merciless and sadistic killer. The red in her eyes display the fire of the Heretic, followed by the arrogance shown in the way she holds that cigarette as shown by Stone and finally the youth and rebellious newcomer of Beachwood shown in that tattoo of hers. The shades of green are the shades of hops brought forth from the collaboration of them all. Truly a work of art!

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/1740503

2014 Quingenti series Batch no. 5 Bastard in the Rye by Stone brewing

July 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Strong Ale, arrogant bastard, Arrogant Bastard Ale, Baiken, Bastard in The Rye, Guilty Gear, Quingenti Millilitre Series, Rye Whiskey, Stone Brewing, Templeton Rye Whiskey, Templeton Rye Whiskey Barrels | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.55/5

2014 Quingenti Millilitre series Batch no. 5 Bastard in the Rye by Stone brewing is a 10% ABV is an American Strong Ale aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels. Essentially, 2013 Arrogant Bastard aged in Templeton Rye Whiskey Barrels.

Label:
Brewed December 10th, 2013
The progenitor of the American strong ale style, Arrogant Bastard Ale is loaded with malt, hops and bold flavors. This audaciously complex, aggressive beer never wavers in its unprecedented celebration of intensity.

In the Mash: Classified
In The Boil: Classified
In the Whirlpool: Classified

Unfiltered and Aged
5 months in Charred American Oak Templeton Rye Whiskey-Barrels
IBUs: Classified
10% Alc/Vol
Bottled May 2014

Cellar Notes
This is our third experiment using barrels from Templeton Rye Whiskey, an artisanal spirit conjurer dating back to the Prohibition Era. Arrogant Bastard Ale’s aggressive base flavors lead the charge, followed by well-integrated whiskey flavors, lifting already intense caramel notes while adding nuances of vanilla and spice. Smooth and lingering toasted oak and coconut, developed during aging, come on strong in the finish. Deep and complex, this beer will continue to evolve with the passage of time, just as our country’s views on firewater have since the “noble experiment’s” abrogation.
___

The true king of beers has returned with an unleashing fury of honor this time equipped with extra strength and no holding back to complexity, bitterness and flavor. Why do I talk so highly of this beer? Because the original arrogant bastard has held up a lot of praise in my mind since the beginning when I first started doing reviews and getting into craft beer in general. Tasking like one bitter but potent and delicious son a of a bitch, it was no wonder I really liked it. Just like that one, I am sure this one will show no mercy either.

Aromas:
Strong banana and dulce de leche caramel aromas on rye bread, coconut, macaroons, chocolate, tropical fruits, old mango, oak, vanilla, bourbon whiskey, toffee, flan, crème brulee,honey, earthy hops, campfire wood, coriander, maple, berry, white chocolate, wheat, raw citrus oranges, brown sugar and butterscotch.

Flavors:
Dulce de Caramel glazed grapefruits, rye bread, bananas, dark cherry, flan, burnt oak, coconut, macaroons, chocolate, tropical fruits, old mango, oranges, oak, vanilla, bourbon whiskey, toffee, crème brulee, campfire wood, coriander, maple syrup, molasses, white chocolate, berries and cream hints, butterscotch, honey, earthy hops and the good cheese.

Aftertaste:
Leaves with caramel, rye, grapefruit, flan, piney and earthy bitter hops. No alcohol in the taste, sipping beer with close to a full body.

Overall:
Exceptionally delicious and very Bastard like. I really love how even though the super hop flavors are there, they are settled down to bring forth lots of complexity that is extremely complimentary of the Bastard showing a very special side of the bastard not seen before when done with other versions of the Bastard. I highly recommend trying this one out for sure and you may want to get another one just to savor. I just hope Stone releases these in 750ml instead.

Anime Corner:
Baiken from Guilty Gear was paired with this awesome beer as she has been used since the original Arrogant Bastard. She represents the original Bastard in the sense that she follows the arts of Bushido and honor, like the honor of Arrogant Bastard which fights the good fight against Macro tasteless beers as in the original philosophy of the Arrogant Bastard. This time, she is surrounded by the sugar canes and smoking her pipe to represent the oak and rye. The mission to not only surpass the pre-prohibition era as synonymous to bring more of the craft movement forward is ongoing and forever, she will bring the Arrogance forward as a weapon of delight!… Or so I am told, either way, don’t mess with her, she will make you pay.

Sources:
http://zytier23.deviantart.com/art/Baiken-59631303
http://de29v101l.deviantart.com/art/Baiken-Wallpaper-159984989

Stochasticity Project QUADROTRITICALE by Stone Brewing

June 5, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Abbey Quadrupel, Belgian Chocolate, Belgian Quadrupel, grains, QUADROTRITICALE, rye bread, Star Trek, star trek the next generation, Stochasticity Project, Stone Brewing, Stone Stochasticity, Triticale, triticale grain | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.2/5

Stochasticity Project QUADROTRITICALE by Stone Brewing is a 9.3% ABV Belgian Quadrupel brewed with triticale grain.

Label:
STOCHASTICITY
STO-KAESTI-CITY
There is no happenstance or coincidence. Dumb luck is a fallacy and randomness a commonly accepted mistruth. Much of what seemingly falls into place and seems so natural is a result of Stochasticity, a concept embraced and exalted by this special and unpredictable series of beers, where exotic notions, ingredients and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint.

Stone Stochasticity Project QUADROTRITICALE
Trappist ales as we know them have a proud lineage dating back nearly a century. Rather than follow the footsteps of the monks who forged the quadrupel—the warmest and darkest of monastery offerings—we aimed to test its inherent makeup. In doing so, we added triticale, a hybrid grain combining the pleasant flavor of wheat with the elemental durability and spice of rye, to breathe new life into the malt bill. Because of this, this reimagined brew comes across differently than its classic Belgian predecessors, and beautifully so. Lower in sweetness, but rich with flavors mirroring dried fruit, it’s a modern interpretation of one of the most historically sacred styles on Earth.

Malt Varieties – Pilsner Malt & Flaked Triticale
Belgian Yeast – Ardennes Strain
Special Ingredients – Dark Candi Sugar
___

A Stone Quadruple?! YES PLEASE!! I never say no to my quads, on of my favorite styles of Belgian beers. This guy I picked up at Ramirez Liquors on Olympic Blvd near Downtown in East LA. Something tells me I really will enjoy this. I am not sure If I have had a Quad with Triticale, but let’s see how this one goes. Now I have never had this grain, at least to my knowledge but it was something that was used in Stone Vertical Epic 10.10.10. A fun note for the Star Trek fans was that quadrotriticale was the name of a 4 leaf clover hybrid grain composing of wheat and rye which was used in the episode “The Trouble with Tribbles” and also had a blueish color. This one you can definitely get as it will see national distribution. So yeah, come get this one and cheers!

Aromas:
Bananas, Clove spice, bubble gum, dark fruit raisins, currants, plums, figs, dates, rye bread, herbal notes, peppercorns, molasses, papaya, dark cherries, Belgian chocolate, candi sugars, brown sugar, coriander, anise, nutmeg and kiwis.

Flavors:
Rich Bananas and dulce de leche caramel, rye bread, notes of Belgian yeast phenolics, Dark fruits like raisins, figs, plums, raisin bread pudding, grapes, dark cherries, Belgian chocolate, brown sugar, candi sugars, peppercorns, tropical fruits like papaya, kiwis, persimmon and dragon fruit notes, molasses, anise notes, coriander spice, blackberry preserves on rye and hints of port wine.

Aftertaste:
Belgian phenolic bananas, cherries, peppercorns, dragon fruit, rye bread, raisins and dulce de leche caramel linger for a little bit but then ends kind of dry. No alcohol in the taste. A moderate drinkability beer with full mouthfeel even if the beer is dark but clear. There is also a smooth component to it which makes it drinkable too.

Overall:
A damn great beer that I enjoyed more than expected. It is a quad with a variety of flavors and more fruitier than caramel based really which is pretty awesome. It ain’t no Forgotten Island but it is definitely a delicious little quad and dangerous too. I can definitely drink several of these but it would be bad as I would get wasted. I think the beer may age despite the clearness and really the ABV will make it so. This beer also reminds me of the Dogfish Head Sah Tea too, interesting. Highly recommended especially since it will be distributed to all Stone chains, you have no excuse not to try this one!

Anime Corner:
Original Artwork by NKMR8 or Nakamura Eight was used in this pairing for several reasons. I wanted to capture the bad assness of a quad beer as well as the fact that some of the Stone beers I have paired, especially Arrogant Bastard, have been bad ass Samurai, Ninjas or Demons of sort. A quad by Stone is something I have never tried before so I really wanted to pair with something that would pair with the fruit flavors, the colors of Star Trek’s Quadrotriticale and the overall badassness this beer brings. The aspect of the Abbeys and Trappist may not be very visible at first but just like when I did Stickee Monkee, honor and commitment is part of what monks do. The Samurai follows the code of Bushido and are very honorable members of society. While their ideas of the spiritual beliefs may differ from other monks, the Samurai meditates as well and prays to serve society.

Source:
http://static.zerochan.net/NkmR8.full.1420609.jpg

Collective Distortion IPA collaboration by Kyle Hollingsworth, Keri Kelli & Stone Brewing

June 5, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Collaboration Beer, Collective Ditstortion, Coriander, Double India Pale Ale, Elderberries, Hatsune Miku, india pale ale, IPA, Kagamine Rin \ Len, Keri Kelli, Kyle Hollingsworth, Luka Megurine, Stone Brewing, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Collective Distortion IPA collaboration by Kyle Hollingsworth, Keri Kelli & Stone Brewing is a 9.3% ABV Double India Pale Ale brewed with Elderberries and Coriander.

Label:
In bringing together artisans from disparate aural planes, one might expect an offbeat, feedback-warped cacophony, shrill to the point of unlistenable. Yet, by inviting Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist for eclectic, jam-prone sextet, The String Cheese Incident, and Keri Kelli, wailing rock guitarist of Alice Cooper fame, we were able to make truly beautiful music. Turns out, these musicians have a great deal in common, both with each other and with Stone. We all enjoy turning things up to 11, and that is represented in this collaborative offering, an imperial India pale ale ably backed by Nugget, Comet and Calypso hops, and amplified care of a healthy dry-hopping with Vic’s Secret, a new Australian hop, adding citrus and tropical fruit oomph. To give this modern masterpiece some soulful, classic character, we traced the roots of brewing to the days when Old World herbs were used to spice beers, adding in coriander and, a first for us, elderberries. To stand up to that sumptuous spice and blaring bitterness, we added golden naked oats, which are lightly roasted and add body and enhanced mouthfeel to the brew like a steady, unbreakable backbeat to an incendiary jam solo. Sit back, crank the volume and get lost in this operatic incarnation of genres combined in the name of invention.

“Both in music and in brewing one has to take risks to reap great rewards, and with this beer w brought both worlds together to create a tour de force”
Kyle Hollingsworth // Keyboardist & Homebrewer

“When people try this beer, I want them to really get that hop hit and have it be something powerful for them.”
Keri Kelli // Lead Guitarist & Publican

“This beer rocks, just like Kyle and Keri. Great music and great beer-it doesn’t get any better than this!”
Mitch Steele // Rhythm Guitarist & Stone Brewmaster
___

Got this one at Total Wine in Redondo Beach. Following Suede, this is the next up in the list of many collaboration beers. I really did not plan to pick this one up but while I was at the store, I said to myself, oh well. Let us see what this brings forth. So I said fuck it, let’s get a review going. Let’s see how this one fairs. There is a lot of rock inspiration that went into this one for sure.

Aromas:
Grassy, Piney, grapefruit hops, along with grapes, citrus, elderberries, mango, pineapple, kiwi, lychee, apricot, dragon fruit, toffee, caramel, lemon zest, coriander spice, tangerine and biscuit bread.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, grassy, floral, herbal and citrus hops, dank garlic, onion notes, grape, elderberries, cranberries, caramel, biscuit bread, toffee, tangerine, coriander spice, cherries, flowers, pineapple, mango, kiwi, lychee, dragon fruit, honey, apricot, toasted rye bread, flowers and oatmeal notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with a berry, herbal and dank bitter aftertaste. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer with a medium mouth feel. Refreshing and crisp.

Overall:
This beer is very delicious. The IPA herbal hops shine at the colder temperatures while sweet berry nectar and tropical punch flavors come out as it warms up. Definitely a beer with great transition of flavors as it goes along. I like berry beers and IPAs. This balance of flavors works together well. If it was up to me, I would add more berries but that is just me and my sweet tooth beer talk lol!

Anime Corner:
Using the Hatsune Miku crew(vocaloids Rin Kagamine, Hatsune Miku, Len Kagamine and Megurine Luka) was definitely good to show case a musical collaborative between rock stars and home brewers and basically something that pairs well with the whole rock aspect. This beer is also fruity so I wanted to show some of the colors of the fruit flavors from the beer. This is what I got and plainly, it was awesome! What do you guys think of this one?

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2013-10-04-610123.jpeg

Smoked Porter with Chipotle Peppers by Stone brewing

May 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Porter, Chile beer, chipotle chile, Chipotle Peppers, Naruto, Pakura, Smoked Porter, Stone Brewing, Stone Smoked Porter, Team Stone | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Smoked Porter with Chipotle Peppers by Stone brewing is a 5.9% ABV American Porter with Chipotle Peppers.

Label:
Sometimes, developing a prodigious new beer is as simple as looking at an existing, already reliably delicious brew from a different angle. After all, as they say, variety is the spice of life. In 2006, Chris Carroll, a long time member of Team Stone, took an adage literally, proposing that we produce a one-off version of our venerable Stone Smoked Porter made spicy from the addition of chipotle peppers. We gave it a shot and found that those smoked jalapeños melded quite naturally with the smoldery peat-smoked malt that gives the beer its flavor and moniker, creating a deep, roasty quaff with a carefully restrained tingle of tasteful capsaicin heat in the finish, They marriage of ingredients was so nice that it has become an annual summertime staple, released each May in honor of Carroll’s initial idea that Stone Smoked Porter w/ Chipotle Peppers server as an artisanal alternative to the industrialized adjunct-laden cerveza billed as the perfect fluid accompaniment to the sunny season. Fizzy, yellow, watery lager abomination of smokey, robust craft beer–we think the choice is obvious . Cheers to variety and a quality alternative to mediocrity.
___

This the latest release from Stone brewing for the 2014 Summer season. This is the second time I try this beer as well as the second time I got at it for a review. The previous edition of this installment was a 12 ounce bottle. I hope that this version of the beer is just as awesome as the previous as I love chile beers. While the last one was not really hot but the chipotle is present as the pepper is smoked itself. This ones out now so you can get this one in many places they sell Stone. Cheers!

Aromas:
Roasted coffee, dark chocolate, smoked peat, campfire smoke, chile spices, brown sugar, mole sauce, molasses, smoked meat, chipotle, charred oak and caramel.

Flavors:
Camp fire smoke peat, dark chocolate, roasted coffee, a good amount of chipotle chile pepper spice, molasses, hints of mole sauce, earthy hop character, toffee, BBQ, vanilla, roasted coffee, brown sugar and chipotle chile spices.

Aftertaste:
Lingering heat in the finish but not drastic, just pleasing, earthy notes, smokey notes, chipotle spices and some vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, moderately sipping beer with full mouth feel.

Overall:
Very good beer. In comparison the the one I had before, the chile is a bit spicier lingering in the finish but still not super hot. It may not repel those that do not like chile beers but then again I do enjoy very hot food at times. If it has more heat maybe it is because it is fresher. Time may help clearing up the heat. I think this is worth a try if you want to try a very good chile beer. Especially if you like smoked chiles.

Anime Corner:
What a perfect way to pair this beer than to use Pakura from Naruto, the scorch ninja. She is the best beer pairing for this beer as well as for when I first reviewed this beer long ago. Like a ninja attacks when you don’t even know it, this beer is quite a scorcher in the finish. You will first feel all the smoke first and then the chile will linger. That is how Pakura attacks, drying and scorching the palate making you want water but it won’t help at all! Anyways, while this beer isn’t the ultimate scorcher, Pakura has a sweet side as well, but you will have to try this beer to know what I am talking about (ahem vanilla ahem).

Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA by Stone Brewing

March 3, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka Langley Shikinami, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, grapefruit juice, grapefruit peel, Stochasticity, Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA, Stone Brewing, Stone Ruination | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA by Stone Brewing is an 8.2% ABV Double India Pale Ale brewed with grapefruit peels.

Label:
Stochasticity

There is no happenstance or coincidence. Dumb fuck is a fallacy and randomness a commonly accepted mistruth. Much of what seemingly falls into place and seems so natural is a result of Stochasticity, a concept embraced and exalted by this special and unpredictable series of beers, where exotic notions, ingredients and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint.

India pale ales harness the inherent flavor characteristics of hops to bring forward familiar flavors of pine, resin, spice, and citrus. In some cases, those botanicals are so potent, they exactly mirror specific edibles. Such is the case with Centennial hops, which hail from the Great Northwest and come across on the palate like a mouthful of citrus fruit. That sensation is amplified with this, the first beer introduced via the Stochasticity Project–a double IPA brewed with Centennial, Chinook and Magnum hops as well as an immense dosing of fresh grapefruit peel. The result is over-the-top bittersweet grapefruit intensity that is at once refreshing and bracing in its citrusy bitterness.
___

Picked this up at the local store. I know this beer came out pretty recently and it is the first of Stone’s Stochasticity project. This is basically Stone Ruination with grapefruit peels. I already enjoy Stone Ruination for what it is, so to have this, let’s see what it does to the Golden Standard of IPAs.

Aromas:
Grapefruit, piney, herbal, floral and grassy hops, caramel, honey, pepper, spices, garlic, onion, biscuit bread, citrus, hop oil, mild mango flavor and slight tropical fruits.

Flavors:
Herbal hop notes, orange, lemon and grapefruit peel, citrus, grapefruit juice, citrus, lemon zest, squirt soda notes, mild mango, caramel, biscuit bread, garlic, onion, spices and passion fruits.

Aftertaste:
Grapefruit, herbal and piney hop resin lingering for a bit along with lemon zest and biscuit notes. No alcohol in the taste. Easy to moderate drinkability with some crisp and refreshing aspects.

Overall:
A damn good DIPA with more of a herbal,citrus and spicy flavors more than the tropical fruits rising. I recommend worth trying especially since it is Ruination. Although, this is more grapefruit forward and what they were going for did actually come forth. So in that aspect, recommended and worth a try. In terms of Ruination though, it is only a slight step up from Ruination but not rating wise. I think it this taste a lot like Ruination but with a great grapefruit increase. Some may or may not notice.

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Shikinami Soryu was used in this pairing mainly to show case the flavors and the label. The label reminds me of Tron with their cyber space suits. Asuka is wearing a NERV plug suits with lights reminiscent of the colors or the label. Her colors represent that of grapefruit flavors, lots of citrus and the ruination bitterness is represented by her moody attitude. Yes, she is moody at times and bitter. But she is also sweet as hell.

2013 Quingenti series Batch no. 9 Punishment by Stone brewing

January 28, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American Oak Kentucky Bourbon Barrels, bastard ale, bourbon, Bourbon Barrel Aged, jalapeño, Lilith Aensland, Morrigan Aensland, punishment, Stone Brewing, Stone Crime, Stone Punishment | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.2/5

2013 Quingenti series Batch no. 9 Punishment by Stone brewing is a 12.0% ABV Chile beer which consist of Double Bastard ale brewed with chile peppers and aged in American Oak Kentucky Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
Punishment was born as Double Bastard Ale – a heavy, bitter, beast of a beer. It was already not for the timid, but with the addition of jaw-dropping quantities of freshly harvested local peppers, including mid-level-heat red and green jalapenos and ultra-hot black nagas, Caribbean red hots, Moruga scrorpions and fatalis, it morphed into a truly punishing brew.

Leads with ultra-hot and fruity chile flavors along with subtler green jalapeño notes. Intense caramel, butterscotch and bourbon flavors make a strong appearance mid-palate, and the beer finishes with a long-lasting, fiery after burn.

___

For a lover of spicy foods, this is even more fucking scary than crime. I saved this bottle for several months, always looking at me, always taunting me, awaiting until the day I picked it up and reviewed. I looked at it always flipping the finger very time I closed the fridge. Today I decide to bring this one forth for a review and this may or may not be a mistake. Either way, I will try my damnest to give it a good review and pursue the fires of this hell to see what I find. Wish me luck :S.

Aromas:
Lots or fruit spices and intense hot chile aromas like habanero, piquin, jalapeño, flower notes, caramel, toffee, mild brown sugar, mild vanilla, oak, bourbon, mild marshmallow hint, cucumber, citrus, tropical fruit, but overall just lots of scary spices of different peppers.

Flavors:
Lots and lots of habanero and jalapeño pepper heat, but as I dug deeper, I could taste the hidden bastard of citrus, caramel, bourbon, oak, pizza, fancy cheese, grapefruit, herbal tea, flowers, marshmallow, very mild dark bitter chocolate cocoa plant, cucumber, toffee, old mango, minor tropics and brown sugar near the finish

Aftertaste:
Lots of oak and pepper heat. The bourbon and caramel fade quick. You are too busy trying to play down the heat to even look into finding any alcohol in this which is not detectable or my taste buds are numb. It is a very major sipping beer.

Overall:
Fuck!! It’s hot, but even for chile heads, its drinkable. Even for me who loves chiles and thought this would be a very bad idea, I think there was definitely enough sweetness to counter the heat or atleast keep some of it at bay because I could still taste some complexity. Although, the Chili comes quick with no remorse. If you do not like super hot, you will not like this beer. Ir’s tough to crack the code but if you play with this liquid fire, you will find somethings that are good about it. Do not try to finish this in one sitting, it is not worth finishing it all at once if your taste buds go numb after a couple of sips. Savor the pain, but enjoy!

Anime Corner:
Lilith and Morrigan Aensland as well as the original Artwork by Sang-heun Nam were used to pair this unholy liquid hell to show off many aspects of punishment in different context. In the first part you see a girl being punished forever having to write and write and write, lol reminds me of me trying to come up with good review pairings and explanations. As you can see, she is being punished while the stone gargoyle is kicking back sipping on expensive drink, lol I hope its beer. Then you see Lilith and Morrigan in the background tending to his every need. The second pairing shows Morrigan and Lilith in what looks to be like fire and brimstone, either resembling eternal punishment or just the suffering of the heat of how damn hot this beer is. So yea, this what I came up. Can you find any other ways Punishment pairs with these artworks?

Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean by Stone Brewing

December 29, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged American Porter, Hera, Puzzles and Dragons, Smoked Porter, Stone Brewing, Stone Smoked Porter, Vanilla Bean, vanilla beans | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.9/5

Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean by Stone Brewing is a 5.9% ABV American Porter brewed with Vanilla Beans

Label:
In 2006, almost exactly 10 years after we first released Stone Smoked Porter, Stone Small Batch Brewer Laura Ulrich had a brilliant idea: What if she added whole Madagascar vanilla beans to a small batch of the finished beer? And voilá, Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean was born! It was an instant hit, as the resulting flavor combinations – rich vanilla melding with the malty, chocolatey, coffee-like characteristics of the beer-were practically made for each other. Originally available only as an occasional growler fill or on tap all-too-briefly at special events or in our restaurant, this exquisite creation was released in a single bottle run for the first time in 2012, much to the delight of its many fans… who instantly began clamoring for more. Your voices have been heard.
___

This is the latest release from Stone Brewing for the 2013 winter season. This is the second time I try and review this beer as the last time I tried it was was in a 12 ounce bottle. Back then, this one was very good. So I hope this one is just as awesome. This will see national distribution wherever stone beer is located.

Aromas:
Roasted coffee notes, rich vanilla cream, mocha, dark chocolate, notes of campfire smoke, dulce de leche caramel, oak, molasses, brown sugar and earthy hops.

Flavors:
Roasted coffee, campfire smoke, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, subtle vanilla, caramel, molasses, hints of anise, brown sugar, earthy hops, licorice and hints of marshmallow

Aftertaste:
Smoke, earthy hops, roasted coffee grains, vanilla and dark chocolate. No alcohol in the taste with easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
This is a very good beer. While it hit a lot of good notes, for some reason, the vanilla wasn’t as strong as the one I got last year. It does not take away from the deliciousness of the beer. Expect a great porter but don’t expect overwhelming vanilla bean. Some people may like the fact that it is close to a milk stout with that extra vanilla goodness but others will definitely like the smokey aspect.

Anime Corner:
Hera from Puzzle and Dragons is a demon character in that series. My reason for pairing her with the Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans is due to the fact that the artwork compliments the label colors of the beer but also represents the Stone Gargoyle protecting the good flavors and eliminating impurities. Hera’s hair is crimson red representing the fire that is used to roast the malts which gives it the smokey flavors but she also a bit of yellow on some of her hair bangs not to mention that she is alluring which brings the vanilla sweet flavors into play. Alluring drinkers who expect full vanilla but then see the smokey aspect first if not brought to the proper temperature.

2013 Quingenti series Batch no. 8 Crime by Stone brewing

December 16, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged arrogant bastard, Arrogant Bastard Ale, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Chile beer, chile peppers, Darkstalkers, Double Bastard, Lilith Aensland, Morrigan Aensland, Quingenti Millilitre, Stone Brewing, Stone Crime, Stone Lukcy Bastard, Vampire Savior, World's hottest beer | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.5/5

2013 Quingenti series Batch no. 8 Crime by Stone brewing is a 9.6% ABV Chile beer which consist of Lukcy Bastard ale brewed with chile peppers and aged in bourbon barrels

Label:
On Arrogant Bastard Ales 13th birthday we threw all our bastards together—Arrogant Bastard Ale, OAKED Arrogant Bastard Ale and Double Bastard Ale—to create Lukcy Bastard Ale. Later, a crime was committed against this gorgeous beer by adding an absurd amount of freshly harvested local
peppers, including mid-level-heat red and green jalapeños and ultra hot black nagas. Caribbean red hots, Moruga scorpions and fatalis, and thus Crime was born.
___

I love spicy food more than the next guy. I would even try some of the hottest stuff, but damn, I wasn’t sure if I was up to the Arrogant Lukcy Bastard challenge. Especially one that is made with chile peppers. Considered the second hottest beer in the world, or so I have heard, don’t quote me on it. I am not sure how to approach this but I will do my best

Aromas:
Rich chiles like my dad makes, fresh red and green japalapeño and piquin peppers, flowery notes, hints of caramel, hints of bourbon but hidden, oak, caramel, spices, grapefruit, vanilla and earthy hop notes

Flavors:
Caramel, bourbon, Pizza crust, flowers, very rich and hot pepper spice but the peppers are still distinct. Earthy hops, grapefruit, vanilla, oak, flowers and spices.

Aftertaste:
It keeps burning a but the flowery, peppery and fruit chiles are still distinct as well as some earthy hops, caramel spice, and oak lingers a bit. A strong Sipping beer, no alcohol, but still burns. Very careful with this one PLEASE

Overall:
It is a good beer, but damn it is pretty hot. This would be perfect with a nice steak or chicken. The arrogant bastard taken to heights of new arrogance. Truly doth deserveth thy saying: “You’re not worthy!!” Many people will not like this unless you love beer and really hot chiles. This one is a little more tame and sweeter. I am sure the punishment will be my doom. By the way, this numbs the tongue and you will eventually lose the flavor. This is more of a novelty item. I would highly suggest not getting this beer unless you really love beer and chile, otherwise, you will not like it. This would probably be good for cooking too . But that is it.

Anime Corner:
Lilith and Morrigan Aensland were used in this pairing because I have used them in some Arrogant bastard beers. Lilith steals the spotlight here because I used her in the lukcy bastard pairing before. The addition of Morrigan in the picture as well as Lilith having her mouth open can represent the “hot and heat” of the beer. Them sitting there almost looks like the home of a crime syndicate hence the name of the beer. The one where Lilith is sitting down represents the beer aging and the last one where it seems there are flowers below Lilith are the chiles that were added to this beer. Awesome stuff.

Double Bastard (2013 Release) by Stone Brewing

November 25, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Double Bastard, Double Bastard Ale, Jedah, Jedah Dohma, Lilith Aensland, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Double Bastard, World Class American Strong Ale | 3 Comments

Rating: 5/5

Double Bastard (2013 Release) by Stone Brewing is an 11.2% ABV World Class American Strong Ale

Label:
“Ye Shall Know the Bastard, and the Bastard shall Set you Free”

Double Bastard Ale
Warning: Double Bastard Ale is not to be wasted on the tentative or weak. Only the Worthy are invited, and then only at your own risk. If you have even a modicum of hesitation, DO NOT buy this bottle. Instead, leave it for a Worthy soul who has already matriculated to the sublime ecstasy of what those in the know refer to as “Liquid Arrogance.”

This is one lacerative muther of an ale. It is unequivocally certain that your feeble palate is grossly inadequate and thus undeserving of this liquid glory…and those around you would have little desire to listen to your resultant whimpering. Instead, you slackjawed gaping gobemouche, slink away to that pedestrian product that lures agog the great unwashed with the shiny happy imagery of its silly broadcast propaganda. You know, the one that offers no challenge, yet works very, very hard to imbue the foolhardy with the absurd notion that they are exercising ‘independent’ thought, or attempts to convey the perception it is in some way ‘authentic’ or ‘original.’ It’s that one that makes you feel safe and delectates you into basking in the warm, fuzzy, and befuddled glow of your own nescience. Why so many allow themselves to be led by the nose lacks plausible explanation. Perhaps you have been so lulled by the siren song of ignorance that you don’t even notice your white-knuckle grip on it. You feel bold and unique, but alas are nothing but sheep, willingly being herded to and fro. If you think you are being piqued in this text, it is nothing when compared to the insults we are all asked to swallow streaming forth from our televisions and computers. Truth be told, you are being coddled into believing you are special or unique by ethically challenged “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” marketers who layer (upon layer) imagined attributes specifically engineered to lead you by the nose. Should you decide to abdicate your ability to make decisions for yourself, then you are perhaps deserving of the pabulum they serve. Double Bastard Ale calls out the garrulous caitiffs who perpetrate the aforementioned atrocities and demands retribution for their outrageously conniving, intentionally misleading, blatantly masturbatory and fallacious ad campaigns. We demand the unmitigated, transparent truth. We demand forthright honesty. We want justice! Call ‘em out and line ‘em up against the wall… NOW.

___

Countless times have I specified the greatness that is the true king of beers, the arrogant bastard. It was only but a dream back in 2011 when I first tried the Double Bastard for the first time. I detail the story in my previous review. Back in my beginnings of craft beer drinking days when my buddy Rich told me about The Arrogant bastard, when I first heard of this of the original I was amazed. When I found out there was a double, nothing could stop me from trying it and thanks to my friend chino, it came to be. From then on, the successor of kings was this one. I have tried this beer countless times and I always find myself every year trying it again. In fact, I am cellaring one since 2012. That is how much I liked it.

Aromas:
Barleywine-esque, lemons, citrus, dark fruits like raisins figs, caramel, toffee, buttery butterscotch, vanilla, biscuit bread, oak, grassy, floral, herbal and earthy hops, grapefruit, mango, brown sugar and rye bread

Flavors:
Lots of toffee, lots of caramel, Rich Orange juice, lemon hints, citrus, tangerine marmalade on toasted rye bread, grapefruit, dark fruits like raisins, dates and figs, dark cherry hints, caramel, Barleywine like flavors, hidden mango, vanilla, oak, earthy, floral, grassy, grapefruit hops mango, and butterscotch on sourdough bread

Aftertaste:
The aftertaste continues with orange, grapefruit, earthy hop bitterness with continued caramel, toffee and raisins. A sipper with no alcohol in the taste. The alcohol will hit you later don’t worry *Evil Grin*. It maintains the aggressiveness while still having a unique smoothness too it as well.

Overall:
Bar none, Exceptionally great beer and one of my top favorites. Even if available only seasonally, it is still readily available so it is possible a lot of places in the United states now carry this magnificent piece of craftsmanship. The successor of the crown of the king of beers. No doubt you will always get a recommend from me on this one. The beers I can almost compare this too is also Surly Seviin, except not as hoppy. Stone Old Guardian is close but not as orange and grapefruit forward.

Anime Corner:
Lilith Aensland and Jedah Dohma. Lilith, the one with wings and Jedah the blond one. Long ago I used this picture for the first review because I wanted to explain double bastard as 2 separate entities. Sweet and Bitter. Sweet Lilith with the bat wings is a representative of the gargoyle of the label while emphasizing the sweetness trying to take over and soften up the arrogance which is Jedah. The bitter and dark Jedah which, while evil and super arrogant inside, has now transformed (due to Demitri’s Midnight Bliss) into a much sweeter, yet a bit bitter, delicate flower. Keep in mind, it seems, the tables have turned as Lilith with her sweet cunningness has now engulfed the frail Jedah into her own version of the dream that is now this beer, The Double Bastard. Even if she has to tear the layers of flavor, she will find the balance needed in this great beer.

Suede collaboration between 10 Barrel, Stone and Blue Jacket Breweries

October 18, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 10 Barrel Brewery, Blue jacket Brewery, calendula Flowers, Collaboration Beer, Fate Night Stay, Fate Zero, Fate Zero Assasin, honey, Imperial Porter, Jasmine, ninja, Rider, Servant Rider, Stone Brewing, Suede | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Suede collaboration between 10 Barrel, Stone and Blue Jacket Breweries is a 9.6% ABV Imperial Porter brewed with Calendula Flowers, Jasmine and Honey

Label:
Due to our participation in at least a half a dozen collaborations each year, one might perceive Stone as the craft beer equivalent of a bee flitting indiscriminately from one brewery to the next, all the while drawing precious nectar-the expertise and creativity of those institution’ brewmasters. Another buzzy operation that gets the same rap is Bluejacket, a new, Washington, D.C.-based operation headed by industry veteran and constant collaborator Megan O’Leary Parisi. But make no mistake, Stone and Bluejacket are intensely selective about the contemporaries we invite into our brewhouses. We look for the same high level of passion and daringness to flip a beer style on its head that we employ on a baily basis. So, when Parisi and Stone brewmaster Mitch Steele decided to collaborate, it was essential that they tap a special individual to complete their triad of fermentation domination, and they found just that in Tonya Cornett, the brewmaster at Bend, Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing Company. Together, they decided on a sturdy yet velvety base of imperial porter and developed a plan to celebrate the bounty of the environs in which it was produced by harvesting avocado honey, jasmine and calendula flowers (some from our very own Stone Farms)and infusing them into the beer to create something complex and uniquely Southern Californian. Consider it craft cross-pollination at its finest.

“Suede evokes thoughts of richness, color and, most of all, a soft, seductive texture-everything we wanted for this beer.”
Tonya Cornett//Brewmaster, 10 Barrel Brewing Company

“There’s always something to learn from someone and vice versa. You can talk about brewing all the time, but it’s not until brewers put their heads together that they really learn how the other thinks.”
Megan O’Leary Parisi//Brewmaster, Bluejacket

“I normally don’t think of brewing imperial porters outside of the winter season, but the addition of local honey and jasmine will make this beer an all-season wonder.”
Mitch Steele//Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co.
___

Recently released and soon to hit all Stone Brewery markets, this is the latest collaboration beer release from Stone brewing. This years releases have beer some of the best. Coffee IPA and Wheaton Woot Stout being some of best ever. Let us check this one out and see how it goes. Looking at the ingredients, this one will probably be another porter, or something completely different.

Aromas are of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, mocha, black and blue berries, honey, vanilla, caramel, flowery notes, molasses, jasmine, perfume and anise

Flavors are of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, blueberries, blackberries, grape preserves, honey, flowers, raisins, plum notes, vanilla, molasses, earthy hops, espresso, marshmallows, mocha, caramel, chocolate cake with raisins and pecans

The aftertaste is of bitter espresso, dark chocolate, berries and and some earthy flowery notes. The mouthfeel is silky. Little alcohol presence but definitely a sipper

Overall it a very good beer. Lots of sweetness but also decent bitterness. Although the bitterness started to leave as the beer got warmer. This made the beer super pleasant. It was very enjoyable after I let it warm up. Definitely recommend this one and definitely take your time with it.

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung (Ragnarok / Twilight of Gods) IPA

August 28, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged anniversary ale, Asmodeus, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Experimental hops, Götterdämmerung, German IPA, German Pilsner, Imperial IPA, india pale ale, IPA, Ragnarok, Shinra Banshou, Stone, Stone 17th Anniversary, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Twilight of Gods | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.7/5

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung (Ragnarok / Twilight of Gods) IPA is 9.5% ABV German Double India Pale Ale brewed mainly with German Hops and Pilsner malt

Label:
Life is never dull at Stone, but the last year has been one of the most eventful yet. We threw open the doors to Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, our second decidedly eclectic brewery restaurant, installed in historic former Naval Training Center buildings (including their original mess hall). We outfitted it with a 10-barrel brewhouse, 40 taps serving Stone and guest beers, a huge outdoor garden area, and 650-plus seats. Hey, “small” is for other people. Well, come to think of it, we do have our own version of “small” in our brand-new-as-of-August craft beer-centric Stone bar and eatery in Terminal 2 of San Diego International Airport. At any rate, plan your trip accordingly. And we doubled the size and production capacity of our brewery, built the new Stone Packaging Hall and, oh yeah, found out we’re now the 10th largest craft brewing company in the country. We can hardly believe we fit that all into one paragraph, much less 12 months. Through all that growth, like hop bines rooted in fertile soil (see what we did there?), we kept our feet securely planted on terra firma, remembering that it’s all about the beer—we’d be nothing without it. And so, as we prepare to celebrate 17 years of straining the seams of the ale envelope, we again focus squarely on beer via our annual anniversary offering, while at the same time laying to waste long-held concepts of what German hops can and cannot do, as well as what the world has come to know about San Diego IPAs—thanks much in part to our family of beers.

Inspired by new experimental German hops, our brewing team is celebrating our 17ten Jahrestag by taking palates on an unconventional tour of Deutschland by way of Southern California. In doing so, we used a grain bill comprised exclusively of pilsner malts and German hops with crazy awesome names: Herkules, Hersbrucker, Magnum, Merkur, Opal, Smaragd & Strisselspalt. Dry-hopping with Sterling, a U.S. hop with Saaz parentage, lends a bit of familiarity, but be forewarned, this is a unique beer that takes the IPA—a style we’ve already pushed far beyond its previous limits over the years—to interesting new territory. Schumpeter chose economics; we chose beer. Our creative destruction has been aimed squarely at the previously-held-dear conventions of what beer can and should be. Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA is the latest in a long line of innovations, but nowhere near the last. Not by a long shot.

—Greg Koch & Steve Wagner, Co-Founders, Stone Brewing Co.
___

Cheers to another year of the Arrogant Bastards of Stone Brewing Co. This year they bring forth a German inspired IPA using mainly German ingredients such German hops and German Pilsner malts. As soon as I opened the beer I was not sure what to expect as when I think German I think sweet sweet banana Bavarian notes or deep caramel toffee from the doppel bocks. I don’t think I have ever had a bad beer from Germany really. Just like the Belgian beers, simply World Class

Aromas are of lemon grass, piney hops, citrus, grapefruit ,interesting tropical notes of banana, strawberry, peach notes, kiwis, mango, pineapple, light caramel, biscuit bread, slight peppery notes, light butterscotch, a bit of floral notes and mint.

The flavors are very hop forward with taste of Grapefruit, grassy, herbal and piney hops, caramel, biscuit bread, pineapple, apricot, peach, banana notes, hints strawberry, kiwi notes, mango, orange preserves or marmalade, piney, garlic, onion, Italian herbs, peppery spices, honey, toffee notes with a slight minty finish.

The aftertaste leaves hints of caramel and tropics but mainly bitter and herbal. A lot going on here to hide the alcohol. Making it refreshing and moderately drinkable

Overall better than last year but under the 15th.. What can I say, I love me that “Black IPA” complexity that hinted chocolate. I did not get the Bavarian Banana Caramel forward IPA I was thinking but that is actually fine. This is still a very good beer and is quite different from what I was expecting. In terms of IPAs, this covers almost every aspect I could think of in IPA flavors. The extent of hop varieties bring this beer to a deep complexity that would be like saying the opposite spectrum of let’s say a “super complex barrel aged quad” but mainly in terms of the hop spectrum. Meaning, of all the different types of complex flavors you can get from different amount of hops, you actually get that complexity here and way more. You got the whole range from piney, to tropical to herbal, to bready to malty, to fruity, to even the spicy and garlic side. An IPA Jack of all trades and more. Maybe something about the Pilsner malts helping it out 😛. Get this while you still can as I do not think they will release this again. It is a very awesome beer. Prost!

Robert & Ryan / Rip Current / Stone R&R Coconut IPA

August 6, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged american homebrewers association, beer collaboration, beer enthusiasts, coconut, coconut IPA, coconut notes, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Collaboration beers, fellow craft, india pale ale, IPA, pleasure cruise, Rip Current, Rip Current Brewing Co, Robert & Ryan, robert masterson, Ryan Reschan, Stone, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Coconut IPA, Stone R&R Coconut IPA, Toasted Coconut, tropical flavor, tropical fruit flavors, tropical fruits, tropical IPA | 2 Comments

Rating: 3.8/5

Robert & Ryan / Rip Current / Stone R&R Coconut IPA Collaboration is a 7.7% ABV India Pale Ale brewed and flavored with coconut

Label:
This collaboration beer is a celebration of the homebrewing spirit and an example of counter-intuitive thoughts coalescing beautifully into something exceptional. Case in point is the seamless marrying of toasted coconut and a hop bill brimming with tropical fruit notes. Longtime homebrewers Robert Masterson and Ryan Reschan teamed up to enter this beer in our annual American Homebrewers Association-sanctioned brewing competition and, though it was the first beer they’d ever brewed together, they sailed past the competition like a tropical ocean breeze on a pleasure cruise bound for India. After winning, the duo reached out to their friend, highly decorated homebrewer and 2011 AHA Ninkasi Award winner Paul Sangster of the newly opened Rip Current Brewing Company, to assist in dialing in the recipe. Together with Sangster’s skilled partner Guy Shobe and Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele, Masterson and Reschan present fellow craft beer enthusiasts with a most delicious and original style of IPA. Open, enjoy, rest, relax and repeat as needed.

“On the nose, you get lots of tropical fruit—mango, passion fruit, pineapple—with some sweet orange and stone fruit from the hops along with toasty coconut sweetness.” Ryan Reschan /I Winning Homebrewer 1 love the tropical spin that Robert and Ryan added to an already great IPA recipe.” Mitch Steele II Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co. “The true lest of a beer like this is the balance between the fruity hop and the coconut flavors and, with this one, you feel like you’re drinking a tropical drink on the beach.”

Paul Sangster // Co-Founder/Brewer, Rip Current Brewing Co.
___

Aromas of this beer are a very nice mix tropical and hoppy. Mango, grapefruit, kiwi, dragonfruit, apricot, pineapple, grassy, floral and piney hops and some coconut notes

The flavors are very tropical and hoppy as well. The break down is more tropical than hoppy though. Leading in with some prickly pear, mango, citrus, pineapple, grapefruit, hints of toasted coconut, piney and floral hops.

The after taste leaves hoppy and tropical as well but instead of more tropical in the end, it fades out with citrus and grass hop goodness with minor coconut hints.

This beer is pretty good but it is somewhat fair in terms of finding the coconut. While it is hinted, I think I got more coconut as I drank more but the coconut is consumed by the hops. Not a bad thing at all as I really like tropical and hoppy IPAs but in terms of coconut it is only hinted slightly more than other IPAs. I remember watching the video about the collaboration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqPDASoFJDA) and they specified that this was like a piña colada in a bottle. The truth is that it is true, but only to a minor to moderate extent. This beer does not boast lots of coconut and piña colada flavors but the notes are definitely there. Do not get your hopes up and expect a head on piña colada tasting beer but do expect an IPA that does have hints here and there of the flavors and aromas.

Overall, the beer does a pretty good job and bringing some very nice tropics to the scene and some nice hints that would not be found in some other IPAs. Either way, it is a pretty good beer and should still be tried. Maybe you can find more flavors than I can’t 🙂

Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout collaboration

July 21, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged arrogant bastard, Asuka, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, beer collaboration, beer geeks, Beer Hybrid, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Bourbon Barrel Stout, bourbon barrels, caramel pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Collaboration beers, Drew Curtis, Evangelion, Fark.com, Geek Beer, Greg Koch, Hop Heads, Imperial Stout, Mari, Mari Illustrious Makinami, Neon Genesis Evangelion, pecan pie, quadruple, Rei, Rei Ayanami, rye bread, rye toast, sci fi, star trek the next generation, Stone, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout, Toasted Coconut, toasted pecans, toasted rye bread, wheat, Wil Wheaton | 1 Comment

Rating: 5.6/5

Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout collaboration is a 13% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with rye, pecans, wheat, hops, awesome (beer + sci-fi)*geek ideologies with a 1/4 of it aged in bourbon barrels.

Greg Koch @stonegreg CEO & Co-founder, Stone Brewing Co. & Beer Seek

Wil Wheaton | @wilw Actor, Homebrewer & Professional Seek

“Beer tastes like my website…all over the map, but I’ve never met a beer I didn’t like.”

Drew Curtis | @drewcurtis Founder, Fark.com & News Geek
___

Phew!! (@_@;)

That was a lot of writing for a label of a beer that mixes a couple of geek hobbies and ideologies into one. Kinda like my blog

Aromas are of vanilla, mild Black Tuesday-ish aromas of milk and dark chocolate, pecan pie, caramel, bourbon, oak, hazelnuts, coconut, raisins, plums, rye bread, mild banana wheat, licorice, molasses and brown sugar

The Flavors are of milk and dark chocolate, mocha, dulce de leche caramel on pecan pie with rye pie crust, toffee, coffee notes, bourbon notes, vanilla, coconut, raisin bread pudding with pecans, almonds and hazelnuts, plums, dark cherries, bananas, slight wine grapes, earthy hops, mint, licorice, molasses, coriander, citrus, and butterscotch spread on wheat toast.

The beer is mildly boozy but the nice chocolate, vanilla rye and wheat make up for it. It is also sweet but not to overly sweet. Thanks to the hops to keep everything together.

Lot’s off dessert elements going on here. This beer reminds me of like a Quadruple and Imperial Stout fusion aged in bourbon barrels but just enough to give it some added character and not detract flavors which ofcourse this beers already has a good amount of . Damn, they got it fucking right. Really fucking right. It seems to work. Stuff is balanced out and the beer is great. Beer geeks will love this one and well hopefully non-beer geeks too. Now I see why they made it so people go out and get all 3. It’s not just the labels, but the beer is that good as well.

Here are the links to the pics I took with the third label:
https://animebeers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/1000730_10101293641828370_142432273_n.jpg?w=960

https://animebeers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/1070039_10101293641813400_1414027021_n.jpg?w=960

Or check out the Gallery

This is the third label original art:
http://socialpint.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Stone-w00stout_ComicLabel-WEB1.jpg

RuinTen a.k.a Ruination Tenth Anniversary (re-release) by Stone Brewing

June 20, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged DIPA, Double Imperial Pale Ale, Double India Pale Ale, food, hop, hop aroma, hop bitterness, hop flavors, Hop Heads, Hop Monster, Hopmaterasu, Hoppy, Hoppy beer, Hops, IIPA, india pale ale, IPA, Ruination tenth, RuinTen, Stone, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Ruination, Stone Ruination IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5 *A triumphant fresh return to the golden standard.

RuinTen a.k.a Ruination Tenth Anniversary (re-release) by Stone Brewing is 10.8% ABV 110 IBU World Class Double India Pale Ale

Label:
Back in 2002, we first released out notoriously mega-hopped Double IPA, Stone Ruination PA, and in 2012 we celebrated its 10th anniversary with the release of a very special version that was even bigger and incredibly, even hoppier than the original. If Stone Ruination IPA is “A Liquid Poem to the Glory of the Hop,” then Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA was a “Stage dive into a mosh pit of hops.” Luckily for us, our fans love loud and aggressive brews, specifically when copious amounts of humulus lupulus are involved. The original release of this beer was so instantly beloved by those who dared try it [particularly us] that there was no way we could relegate in one-hit-wonder status. You are holding in your hands a veritable hop monster. We dropped the word “Tenth” but the decidedly indelicate recipe is the same as the one first unleashed in 2012. This belligerently delicious ale has the substantial malt backbone needed to stand up to the whopping five pounds of hops packed into each barrel. If all the hyperbole hasn’t frightened you away by now, we know you’ll love this audacious gem of hoppy splendor just as much as we do. Crank it up!
___

The IPA Gold standard is back with a vengeance. One release was not awesome enough. The second is enough to cause havoc with irreparable damage to the palette and I am sure you will love it. AS I remember correctly from last years beer, this not only was so bitter that it lingered, it actually started burning. Maybe not like a chile heat, but like a real hop plant bitter trip to Hell.

Aromas are just like I remember, a lot of hoppy aromas ranging from grassy, pine needles, grapefruit, herbal, dank, hop oil, tropics to the brim like mango, pineapple, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, citrus, lemon peel, oranges, tangerines and peaches. The flavor are in your face bitter with straight burning hop character, pine needles, dank hop oils, grapefruit, lemon grass, herbs and slight floral notes, some nice biscuit and caramel along with the in between tropics of the citrus, tangerine, peach, mango, pineapple, passion fruit, dragon fruit, kiwis, papaya, lychees and some nice peppery notes. The After taste just lingers in Hopmaterasu ([Unquenshable Black Flames]Naruto reference) burning to the untrained palette. However, if you are willing to continue drinking, on top of those green hellish flames will lie some nice tropical residue to keep you from fading into the oblivion (Leave that part to the alcohol ). Very nice thing those hops do , ain’t that sweet of them. This beer is awesome. It is so awesome that I think it makes it the prime reason why they may only be able to release it one more time. Maybe even release it every year if not. I think that if they were to release it as a yearly, it may or may not detract from the original Ruination. However, it if they did do that, it would be nice to have a variety or Ruination to choose from. You know, Hard mode versus Expert mode sort of thing. Get this beer while you still can. Stop Reading this and go buy this beer before it is gone. As for the Brewery–exclusive-Camp-out-all-night-Black-Friday-style-for-only-enjoy-3-pints-Pliny-the-Younger…. eat it!!!!!!

Still need more convincing about the greatness of this beer? Read my past review

2012 Original Review:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/stone-ruination-tenth-anniversary-ipa/

Stone Espresso Imperial Russian Stout (2013 Odd year Edition)

April 29, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 2013 Odd Year Edition, caramel brownies, dessert, espresso coffee beans, Imperial Russian Stout, Imperial Stout, odd year edition, Panty and Stocking, PSG, rich dark chocolate, Russian Imperial Stout, Ryan Bros. Coffee, Scanty, Scanty and Kneesocks, Stone, Stone Brewing, Stone Espresso Imperial Russian Stout | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Stone Espresso Imperial Russian Stout is an 11% ABV World Class Russian Imperial Stout brewed with espresso coffee beans

Label:
Stone Imperial Russian Stout is so thick, rich and well, sinful, you might worry that you’ll be doomed to the fiery pits just for thinking about a sip. It almost seems evil. Rest assured, however, that even though this seemingly pernicious brew is indeed as black as sin, we guarantee that no actual sin was committed in it’s production…you’ll have to add that on your own. This Odd Year addition was brewed in the authentic, historical style of an imperial Russian stout, but with the addition of several hundred pounds of espresso beans from our friends at Ryan Bros. Coffee. Actually, this could be considered historically accurate, since the Russian nobility were as fond of earthy breakfast beverages as they were of hearty dark beers. Catherine the Great herself bolstered her finesse for ruling an empire by drinking five cups of black coffee every morning during her lengthy reign. While we couldn’t fit five cups coffee in every bottle of this darkly delicious libation, we assure you that the deep, rich espresso flavors are unmistakable and meld beautifully with the roasty bitterness of the dark malts. Catherine would have whole-heartedly approved.
___

Stone’s Imperial Russian stout has been considered by many to be one of the best Russian Imperial stouts in the world. This year they added some espresso. I have many awesome coffee beers before but I wanted to see what this one is about so I could bring forth to you why this one is so good. Immediately off the nose you get rich dark chocolate, espresso coffee aromas with notes of vanilla, caramel, brownies and some earthy hops . The flavors are of rich espresso coffee, caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, camp fire smores, marshmallows, Irish cream, molasses, rye chocolate brownies, milk chocolate, earthy hops and roasty notes. This beer reminds me of Black Xantus but expresses itself closer to a more earthy and roasty coffee bitterness side. Despite the roasty bitterness, it still manages to be very smooth and very drinkable going down. For some the roasty bitterness and the great balance it has with the sweetness is also what makes this world class. You can sense the booziness slightly but that take nothing from the beer itself which is very awesome. The Espresso adds some extra complexity and sweetness that brings out the RIS into a the “Stronger Coffee” zone which really awesome. I am sure this beer will age very nicely. A must try for sure 😛

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Ruination IPA (Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels) 2013 Series Batch #6

April 2, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 2013 Series, Batch # 6, best beers in the world, bourbon barrels, bourbon whiskey, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, hop flavors, Imperial IPA, india pale ale, kentucky whiskey, Liquid poem to the glory of the hop, Quingenti Millilitre, Quingenti Millilitre Series, Stone Brewing, Stone Company Store, Stone Ruination, Stone Ruination IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.5/5

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Ruination IPA (Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels) 2013 Series Batch #6 is a 7.8%ABV Imperial India Pale Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label:
Brewed September 17th, 2011
Our “Liquid poem to the glory of the hop,” Stone Ruination IPA has been assaulting palates for 11 years with over 100 IBUs of deliciously intense bitterness and vibrant hop flavors

In the mash
Pale & Crystal malt

In the boil
Columbus Hops

In the whirlpool
Columbus hops

Unfiltered and aged
16 months in American Oak Kentucky Bourbon Barrels

IBUs 59 ABV: 7.8%
Bottled February 2013

Cellar Notes: Intense hop flavors still shine brightly despite the lengthy aging time. The barrels lend a pleasantly astringent aftertaste with plentiful walnut and almond tones. Despite an expected loss of IBUs from aging, a robust hop bitterness lingers to meld effortlessly with the oak tannins.
___

I first had the honer to try this with my friend Rich at the Stone Company Store in Pasadena California. We were able to pour a bottle at the cafe area to taste it. It was then that I realize this was something very special. Even if it was 500ml, which I wish they sold if for less than what I got this for or atleast had it on tap, regardless it was good, unique and quite the different Gold Ruination. I have tried the Gold IPA standard, Ruination IPA and the 10th Ruination IPA before and I realize that these beers are very good so I wanted to see how epic this beer was true to the original. Upon opening the beer, there was an aggressive yet tamed rush of grassy, piney, grapefruit hops which I am used to but then they were immediately followed by bourbon whiskey, vanilla, citrus, caramel, flan, herbs, wine grapes, flowers, honey, almost like an expensive wine cheese, apples, raspberries, peach, mango, oak, almost like a champagne and tamarind. The flavors are of rich oak, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, non-over-powering whiskey, expensive wine cheese, rich grassy and piney bitterness, grapefruit, coconuts, citrus, mango, tangerines, kumquats, Italian herbs, spices, Sweetened condensed milk, maple, crème brulee, flan, burnt sugar, hazelnut nectar, walnuts, pecan pie, mint, flowers, peppercorns, tamarind, raspberries, champagne, bready banana and vanilla cake. As the beer gets warmer that is where you start to get more like a berry taste. While yes it is not the the usual IPA that is best drunk fresh, this is is like taking that same Epic Gold standard and equipping it with golden armor ready to take on years of aging. Almost like sending a man to the moon, this beer explores for the first time (at least to my knowledge) the idea that India Pale Ales CAN be aged… give the right preparation… Go on golden hop warrior and evolve into a heavenly knight of justice ready to strike all the evil beers with less flavors… YES!!!! Just remember, I came into this beer with a very open mind considering the IPA loss vs the Bourbon gain. So if you go into this believing in pure IPA, it may not fit you really. Many IPA lovers might find this one a bit not right but those that love both IPAs and Bourbon beers will ascend into a new realm of nirvana. Enjoy this one if you find it…

Dayman Coffee IPA collaboration by Aleman, Two Brothers and Stone

April 2, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Aleman, beer collaboration, C.C., C2, Chicago brewpub, chocolate coffee, Code Geass, Coffee Beans, Collaboration Beer, Dayman Coffee IPA, hop bitterness, india pale ale, IPA, rich flavors, Stone Brewing, tropical fruits, Two Brothers | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.9/5

Dayman Coffee IPA collaboration by Aleman, Two Brothers and Stone is a 8.7%ABV India Pale Ale brewed with roasted coffee beans

Label:
Jim Moorehouse, Nate Albrecht and Brad Zeller, three pals planning #to open a Chicago brewpub under the moniker of Aleman, won first place at last year’s Iron Brew homebrewing competition in the Windy City (judged by none other than Greg Koch, Jason Ebel of Two Brothers Brewing, and celebrated Chicago brewer, designer and author Randy Mosher). Their style-bending IPA artfully married the assertive tropical bite of Citra hops with amazing coffee flavor and aromatics #to create something truly unique and exceptional. Serendipitously, Two Brothers recently kicked off a new adventure roasting their own coffee beans, and provided just-in-time freshly roasted java for the brew. The result is an innovative IPA that’s well balanced and intensely flavored thanks to the felicitous blend of hops and fresh roasted coffee.
___

This is an interesting combination. I never thought such a combination would be possible inviting the citrus and coffee to combine in such a way. The aromas are such that you get citrus, mango, grassy hops, but the coffee and java roast brings out some nice caramel and sugar notes. Strange, it is like smelling a porter but brought the level of citrus and hoppy IPA. Very unique indeed. The flavors are something else. They really got the balance correctly on this one. It invites rich flavors of piney grassy, orange citrus, grapefruit but also balances the extra bitterness with caramel, coffee, chocolate, mocha, pecans, walnuts, hazelnut nectar and vanilla. You can also get some mango, tangerines and papaya out this. I think this beer would be close to like a tropical latte almost. Of course you have to remember the hop bitterness adds some rich notes that will please IPA lovers. I honestly think this beer would probably be a gateway into the world of IPAs because it starts of with the sweetness of the coffee and slowly takes you in the hoppy and tropical realms of the IPA world. Yet another unique master piece. For something that probably would mix, like sweet and bitter, they really got a way with this one. Loving this one for sure.

Stone Cali-Belgique India Pale

March 27, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged belgian beers, belgian culture, Belgian IPA, Belgian Style, BIPA, Cali-Belgique, Calie-Belgique, Capcom, Darkstalkers, india pale ale, Jedah, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Vampire Hunter, yeast strain | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Stone Cali-Belgique India Pale is 6.9%ABV Belgian India Pale Ale.

Label:
The name “Stone Cali-Belgique IPA” both begs a question, and answers it at the same time. It begs the “what exactly is that?” question, and then answers it: “Stone” designates this ale as one brewed by the Stone Brewing Co., “Cali” hints that it is a California-style IPA (which all of our IPAs are, as Stone is certainly one of the best known progenitors of the West Coast IPA style), and finally, it has an undeniable Belgian influence, indicated by the word “Belgique” (which is how Belgium’s French-speaking population say the word “Belgian”…the Dutch-speaking Belgians say “België”*). “IPA” of course stands for “India Pale Ale”—but this label is not the time nor place to delve into that storied history. Of course, there is the implicitly posed and as yet unanswered question of what exactly the Belgian/Belgique/België influence is. And “yeast” is the answer. We carefully selected a Belgian yeast strain that illuminates a fascinating new aspect of the ale that is otherwise ostensibly and simply Stone IPA. This is a yeast that showcases Stone IPA from a completely different angle. The result is both completely new and different, while still being altogether recognizable as a Stone brew, an IPA, and Stone IPA in particular. Think of it as an otherwise identical twin to Stone IPA that was raised in a Belgian culture. Literally.

Now, all grown up and standing next to each other, they look the same…yet different. We’d say the Belgian one sounds a bit funny when it talks, but yeast and ale being decidedly non-verbal (except through you), that’s not literally the case. Their aromas have some similarities, but the Stone Cali-Belgique IPA is decidedly a bit more, shall we say, aromatically funky. (No, we are not saying that Belgians smell funny…we didn’t say or imply that at all in any way…no angry cards or letters please…really, some of you people simply have too much time on your hands!) All in all, we find it all quite fascinating. But we’re brewers, and that’s the way we think. You might find it merely delicious. We, as brewers, most certainly do too, actually. And so…C’est avec le grand plaisir que nous le présentons vous! / Het is met geweldig genoegen dat wij het naar u voorstellen!

* Even though yeast cells are non-verbal, and arguably have no firm affiliation that shows preference for either the Flemish or the Walloons, we don’t want to accidentally misrepresent the little buggers. As such, approximately 50% of the Stone Cali-Belgian IPA bottles are labeled “Cali-Belgique” and the other half “Cali-België.” We at the Stone Brewing Co. respect both cultures highly and equally.
___

The last time I tried this beer was at a Bev and more tasting special in 2011. I thought it was awesome but I really haven’t had a chance to grab it and sit down with it. When I went to the Stone Company Store in Pasadena California I decided to grab a glass. I was very surprised because this reminded me so much of the As Follows Eschatological Ale by Stillwater Artisanal. The aromas of this beer are simple amazing. Strong Belgian sweet and honey bread fragrance with a lot of herbs, spices, peppercorns, minor grassy, piney and grapefruit hops some tropical fruit like pineapple and mango as well as oranges, cloves, and lemon. The flavors are of nice herbs, honey, pepercorns, cloves, coriander, Italian basil spice, bubblegum, orange, lemon, mango, pineapple, apricots, honey, french bread, some slight grape sourness, grapefruit, slight grassy and piney hops but mainly herbal and floral notes.This one is almost like the Saison du Buff too. The flavors are better on tap. Hence the reason I got a growler of this to go. Better as fresh as possible, but even if not, the Belgian side takes over to address even more complexity. So choose wisely 😛

Old Guardian Oak-Smoked Odd Year Series by Stone Brewing

March 4, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Agrias, Agrias Oaks, barley malt, barley wine, Barleywine, Barleywine-style, Final Fantasy Tactics, oak-smoked, odd year edition, old guardian, Stone Brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Old Guardian Oak-Smoked Odd Year Series by Stone Brewing is an 11.4%ABV Barley Wine

Label: *Note this one has a very long label description
PART TWO:
It’s the Friday after Turkey Day. In the US anyhow. Not here in Belize, but I had turkey yesterday all the same. Raised in the Belize countryside by German Mennonites no less. It was delicious. Gotta respect those who are focused on doing things the right way, which more and more in this world often means with less technology rather than more. The bananas are better here, too. Mostly because they’re picked ripe and ready for local consumption, rather than pre-ripe and green to ship off to the US and other far-flung countries only to be ethylene-gassed once they arrive to finish off the ripening process. Sudden flashback of when we visited our friends James & Martin @Brewdog in Scotland for our collaboration beer a few years ago called bashah (don’t think I ever spilled the beans formally before that the name is an acronym for black as sin, hoppy as hell). We had dinner at a great little restaurant in Aberdeen that historically was a banana-hanging warehouse. Later, they ended up buying the place. We actually shot a really cool video: [link) Back to the moment and Belize. Just finished a Crime. Great way to start the last night here. Now, as tradition dictates for the OG label, I’m having some 2012 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine. Sitting at a beach bar & sharing w/John & Barbara Cheek from Oakhurst (Decatur, GA). They regularly enjoy Stone IPA at their local haunts, Steinbeck’s and The Marlay. Got to know them a little today as we were on the same little boat going out to snorkel with the sea turtles. Yes, a bit ‘touristy’ for me, as I typically head a little more off the beaten path, but hell, it was kinda cool swimming with them all the same. Swimming in the ocean made my hair quite scraggly lit’s still rather mucked up from the whole red-hair fundraiser we did back in August), and with the headband I picked up two days ago at a local shop, I’ve gotta admit that I’m looking a bit laughably trustafarian. It’s like I became an overnight pseudo-beach bum. Heh, if only. Not really my thing though, honestly. I’m a bit higher strung than that. The driven/agenda type. Gotta change the world, rather than watch it float by. But then you knew that. Save now. It’s been a ‘float’ week. Nice to visit the float lifestyle every once in a while, but I wouldn’t want to live there. Cracked a Stone Enjoy By 12.21.12 IPA just now. That’s a beer to encourage the ‘watch the world float by” if there ever was one. The aroma is certainly suggestive of that lifestyle, now isn’t it? I’ll leave it at that. Loving it. Brought two cases of assorted 22oz & 500m1 bottles on the trip. The 12.21.12 is the next-to-last, w/Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale bringing up the rear. So to speak. It’s actually not legal to bring in beer to this country as their beer laws are rather protectionist. That serves no one, except a few. Nonetheless, I swallowed my bubbling outrage as I learned this at Customs on my way in and politely asked to speak with a supervisor. I said “Hi, I’m Greg and I own a small brewery in the US, and) like to travel w/beer to share w/people I meet. I certainly don’t mind paying a duty.” He surveyed me, then the beer, then me again and decided that my two cases “didn’t represent a commercial threat” and calc’ed out a modest duty for me to pay. I did so gladly. Now I’m at the end of the visit, and reflecting on the fact that all went quite nicely thank-you- C. very-much. Thankful for the brief respite. Time to get back to it next week. Lots to do. Lots to do.

Cheers!
Greg

Ingredients: Tons and tons of barley, bountiful hops, water & yeast …and an odd dose of German oak-smoked wheat malt.
___

This one is kind of odd. Taking 2 different sides. One side bitter, the other smokey. Clearly this one was genius. The fragrance of this beer lies some where in the realm of Bashah. Smokey and hoppy. Smells like earthy grass and campfire oak, citrus, caramel, toffee, barley, dark fruits, almost like BBQ pork and peppercorns. The flavors are very well balanced. Just tremendous. Sweet Caramel, roasted campfire oak wood, BBQ pork with basil, orange and spices, citrus, bread, barley, dark cherries, raisins, maple, honey, biscuit, toast bread, grapefruit, pine needles, earthy grass, slight peppercorns, molasses and some bacon :P. The aftertaste is consistent of a nice balance. The oak and bitter hops play well. Not too bitter, not too smokey. Just the right amount of ingredients to create an odd taste that is very delicious that it works so well. I can see a lot of people that enjoy smoke and hoppy beers or those that enjoy one more than the other, may come together and agree that this one works very well.

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11 (Aged in Red Wine version)

January 17, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 11-11-11, ale yeast, anaheim chiles, belgian bread, Bleach, chile spices, Mexican Candy, Quingenti Millilitre, Red Wine, Red Wine Barrels, Stone Brewing, Stone Vertical Epic, Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11, Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11 Aged in Red Wine Barrels, Tamarind, Tamarindo, Yoruichi, Yoruichi Shihouin | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.11/5

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11 (Aged in Red Wine version) is a 10.6% ABV Chile Beer brewed with Anaheim Chilies and cinnamon aged in Red Wine Barrels. BRILLIANT 😛

Label:
Our Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale proved to be an eccentric diversion from our previous lineup of innovative Belgian-inspired brews. And considering we’re Stone, that’s really saying something. This unprecedented beer was brewed with cinnamon stick and Anaheim green chiles, giving it an amazing flavor profile unlike anything that came before it. It certainly didn’t need any enhancement, but we just don’t know when to leave well enough alone (and we’ve demonstrated before that you can, indeed, improve upon perfection). So we decided to tinker with it a bit and laid a small portion to rest in wine barrels. Not wanting to limit our experiment to only red or white wine barrels, we chose both. Treat yourself to a bottle of each and compare. All in the name of science, of course…
___

An already awesome Chile beer that came out in 2011. One which I had already reviewed in 2012 (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/stone-vertical-epic-11-11-11/) but now aged in Red Wine. Very Interesting. Fragrance of Red Wine grapes, apples, possibly some pepper plan, tamarind, smells like that tamarind Mexican candy as well with the chili powder, some caramel, a slight aroma of Belgian yeast and banana bread and cloves. The flavors are of Mexican Tamarind candy, tamarind juice, chile peppers, cinnamon, chile powder, pears, bananas, red wine, a bit of sour grapes, cranberries, raspberries, plums, raisins, sour apple, dulce de leche caramel, banana bread, cloves, oak wood, and vanilla. The aftertaste leaves those awesome Belgian banana esters with the chile peppers (with out the heat ) wine and tamarind. This one is pretty freaking awesome. The original, the beer I aged and the Red Wine version are remarkable beers. Especially for being chile beers. Now this is another level of awesome. If you can find it, try it. It goes down so nicely and the alcohol….hmmm what alcohol :P.

Stone Vertical Epic 12.12.12

December 13, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged 12-12-12, chocolate caramel, chocolate coffee, cloves, Stone Brewing, Stone Vertical Epic, Stone Vertical Epic 12.12.12, Yoruichi | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Stone Vertical Epic 12.12.12 is a 9% ABV Belgian Strong Ale brewed with Spices. It is the Final release of Stone’s Epic Series. I have only had a chance to try 10, 11 and 12 but that is still cool to be part of something. Today is 12.12.12 so I figured this would be the right time.

Label:

The Final Chapter in an “Epic” Series

As with any good epic, herein lies the promise of larger-than-life experiences, heroics, and twists and turns as the adventure unfolds. This bottle-conditioned ale is chapter eleven. Now is the time to enjoy it in a “vertical” tasting side by side with its ten Stone Vertival Epic Ale brethren! Each one unique to its year of release. Each with its own “twist & turn” in the plot line. Each one released one year, one month and one day from the previous year’s edition.

This year’s Stone Vertical Epic Ale is the very last one. Yep, this is it. The final chapter. Or as they say on the last slide in some old films: “Fin.” No worries though: this edition is particularly well-suited for prolonging the experience, as it’s as cellarable as any in the series, or more. In this, the final edition, you can expect a perfectly balance *womp* of spices: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, sweet orange peel, clove (only a little!) and rosehips, all in the context of a dark Belgian style abbey-ish beer…but not as sweet. Dry even. Stone style. Thanks for coming on this Epic Stone-style journey with us! You can rest assured there will be new adventures to come…
—

The fragrances of this beer are pretty phenomenal. Starting with some banana, raisin and plum notes, mint, coffee, licorice, almost like a Black Saison smoke, sugar and cinnamon cookies, flowers, chocolate, caramel biscuit and toffee. The taste of this goes into different places. Flavors of chocolate, coffee, banana, caramel, cinnamon, dark fruit, smokey flavors almost like a BBQ ribs so its smokey but sugary, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, flowers like roses, biscuit bread and ginger bread, herbs and other spices. The after taste is of chocolate, banana, mint and some earthy and citrus bitterness with some more graham cracker, sugar or ginger cookies. Not sure if they tried to combine all the beers together or something but they try to hit on many flavor aspects here. Belgian and somewhat Porter or Stout like blend with a lot of what seem to be some holiday spices. It is quite good and I think specifically brewed for the holidays and the last week before the so called end of the world. Anyways, for being the last beer it surely fits and I am sure a year from now, this will probably taste very wonderful so I will leave it room for some improvement and save one for 13 13 13…lol well 12.12.2013 🙂

Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11

December 13, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged 11-11-11, ale yeast, anaheim chiles, belgian bread, Bleach, Byakuya, chile spices, Stone Brewing, Stone Vertical Epic, Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11, Yoruichi | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5 (Aged since 2011 to be drank 12.12.12)Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11 is a 9.4% ABV Belgian Strong Ale Brewed with Anaheim Chiles & Cinnamon. This is the second to last series of the Stone’s long run Vertical Epic Series started in 2002. I aged this in the dark for exactly one year to be drunk on 12-12-12. I also included my last year’s review for comparison so we can see how it has mat

ured 😛Label:
“As with any good epic, herein lies the promise of larger-than-life experiences, heroics and twists & turns as the adventure unfolds. This bottle-conditioned ale is chapter ten, and is specifically designed to be aged until sometime after December 12th, 2012. Provided you can wait that long. At that time, enjoy it in a “vertical” tasting along with its ten Stone Vertical Epic Ale brethren. Each one unique to its year of release. Each with its own “twist & turn” in the plot line. Each one release one year, one month, and one day from the previous year’s edition.

This year’s Stone Vertical Epic Ale might justifiably be considered the non-sequitor edition. We somehow came to the conclusion that adding Anaheim chilies from New Mexico’s Hatch Valley, plus whole cinnamon sticks, to an amber-hued brew fermented with Belgian Flanders Golden Ale yeast (which provides fairly invest character, with lots of clove & banana overtones) would create a very tasty result. And we believe it does! The Anaheim chili is known for its rich flavor more than endorphin-inducing heat, and the cinnamon adds a nice twist… part of the promise behind the Vertical Epic Ale series itself. As with any epic, remember that it is not just the destination, but the journey!”
—-

When I first had this beer back then I enjoyed it a lot since it was a blend of a Belgian bread and carmel beer with Chile spices. After opening the bottle, you can definitely tell it has fermented well. There are dark plum and raisin notes in the aroma which are stronger than before with more sweet caramel and bread. I can kinda smell the chiles in there but it probably is not as heat spicy as last year. This is nice because you can get a sense of how well beers age that it feels like maybe the ABV shot up but the fermentation is way more complex. Upon tasting this beer, I can feel that the chiles somehow gave way to like a caramelized pumpkin and tamarind taste. You definitely do not get anymore heat but the pepper is there in small notes. This is very good. It is so complex with its rich sweet bread and caramel flavor like that of like St. Bernardus as well. There are some sweet matured citrus like a orange candy . There are some notes of bananas, cloves and cinnamon. Some herbs and spices are in the after taste along with tamarind. Even after warming up into room temperature, there is a lot of sweet Belgian beer goodness and some tamarind.

A couple of sips and the beer starts to kick in. This thing had to have increase from a 9.4 to like maybe a 11 or 12. In it’s prime, this beer tasted a lot like I explained it below. If you were more into the pepper spice you won’t find it here unfortunately. But if you were looking for the Belgian beer experience here than this is the beer for sure.

2011 Review:
Banana and Chile Bitterness beer. Damn it Stone…Y you gotta be so good every year and surprising :P. Last years was manzanilla sweetness (10.10.10) lol . This is this years release of the Stone Vertical Epic (11.11.11). Yeah crazy number and crazy time to release such a beer. What if…JUST….what if they ever released a Belgian type of beer that could be made with chiles…Mexico meets Belgium kinda thing. Well here you have it. Breath taking and delicious. HELL even when I first took the first whiff off the bottle I’m like this is gonna be DAMN GOOD!!!. Damn….haven’t been stoked since the last time I found the best beer in the world. LOL well.. yeah… I know good beer when I smell it, taste and see it. Although there is not a lot of intriguing art to this beer, seeing is not always believing when it comes to stone beers and other beers with less appealing labels. Yes, even the best beers in the world don’t have a label at all (Ahem…Westy12)… Anyways…how to I begin to commemorate this beer. I have tried some chile beers but not one that told me hey…dude….capsaicin…chile flavor…here!!…It is not that its super spicy but for those that enjoy good chile not for the heat and know the flavors of chiles they know it anywhere they taste it. Hell even me and my dad who are super big fans of heat and chiles know how the flavors tastes. No doubt it is definitely in here. But also banana. Ahh yes that sweet banana flavor from the Belgian yeast, but this is specifically Belgian Golden Flanders yeast. Also the other thing that adds to the beer is the cinnamon…great compliment to tone the chile flavor. AHHH its so damn goods this beer,.. recommended…for sure..maybe its just the weird number 11.11.11 but they hit it dead on. LOL also the thing with chiles when you lick your lips you usually get a great heat. I never had a beer that reactivates the chile when you lick your lips…Surely they knew what they were doing with this masterpiece. Thanks again stone for an awesome brew and hope to have more …until 12.12.12 my friends 😛

Stone Fifteenth Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black India Pale Aged in Highland Scotch Barrels

November 5, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged black ipa, Stone Brewing, vanilla flavors, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

BEHOLD!!… Stone Fifteenth Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black India Pale Aged in Highland Scotch Barrels…..phew!! took a while to say. The 15th anniversary was a beer I had last year which I would highly recommend if you can find it in some pubs. This one however, is a special treasure. Coming in at 11.5%ABV is white the epic little find. Stone now had a store in Pasadena so you may be able to find this there. If not, find a local contact at San Diego to hook you up.

Label:
The Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA was something quite special. Special enough that we squirreled some away for later when supplies ran low (or as provisions during a zombie apocalypse). And what better place for the squirreling of world-class beers than barrels originally used to age world-class Scotch whisky? This stellar jet-black highly-hopped ale is plenty amazing on its own with its healthy dose of darkly roasted malts and an even healthier dose of four hop varieties. But left to rest for 40 weeks in the cozy, dark confines of whisky-infused oak barrels, this beer metamorphosed into a brew of nearly indescribable complexity—a perfect harmony of deep roastiness, bright and bitter hop notes, and the smooth caramel flavors of Scotland’s most celebrated export. Come to think of it, you may not want to wait for that zombie apocalypse…
—-

LMAO!!..whether you wait for the end of the world or the zombie apocalypse on 12-21-2012 or whenever, there are only certain beers to take with you. If you happen to find this little treasure buy 2. One for now, and one for then. I unfortunately only got one 😦 …..well….life is meant to be enjoyed. We do not know what tomorrow can bring so I choose now :P.

The fragrance is very delightful. Like a sweet bourbon, chocolate, oak, coffee, honey whiskey, caramel and vanilla. Flavors are just like the hoppy, Italian herbs, minor citrusy, roasted chocolate, coffee, mocha, caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, raisins, molasses, . It is only semi-bitter as the other notes from the rich malts and the sweet scotch give it only a mild bitter yet super herbal hoppy flavor . The scotch is present but doesn’t overwhelm and adds to the flavor combination that makes the after taste seem like a good herbal and spiced cheese. In fact, this ale goes down real smooth :P. I stated in my previous review that the 15th is spicy and herbal like an Italian bread. This just compliments it to a newer level of sweet and delicious. I am sure this would pair nicely with some really good food like a steak or lobster dinner. Do I recommend this? Your damn right I do :P… Stone makes some of the finest beers out there :P.

Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA

October 26, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, india pale ale, Ruination tenth, RuinTen, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Ruination, Stone Ruination IPA, Tenth Anniversary | 1 Comment

Rating: 5/5*

*NOTE: Not recommended for those who cannot tolerate a supremely bitter beer, if that is the case, then IGNORE THIS RATING all together. Hop heads and Beer enthusiast will enjoy this better.

The Golden standard of Supreme Ruinations of all IPA has raised the levels of true palete ruination for all to enjoy. The liquid poem to the glory of the hop raised to the level of gods!!. Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA has come!! A 10.8 % ABV Double IPA brewed with the abnormal amount of 5 pounds of hops per barrel. A rating of 110 International Bitterness Units in this from the original 105. For those that do not know what this means, it basically means that anything above 90-100 IBUs is extremely bitter. So much it will linger in the tongue and stay there for a while. Hence the name, so bitter it ruins the palette. Yet, there is so much that comes with those who are trained with the arts of IPAs such that we can see past the strongest of bitterness to find something incredible!! The year was 2002 and at the time the first Ruination came out, they believed a beer so friggin’ bitter no one would want, became an international favorite. Tribute is payed to the original “Blind Pig” IPA which invented the DIPA style in the bottle which is awesome. Meaning, California is where DIPA style was born…..California LOVE B-\ F– Yeah!!!

While many may not agree as to what is listed here, be forewarned as this is is only a guide. I have tried many IPAs on my travels into these realms and have found so many good beers. Ruination is a golden standard of all IPAs. So since this was the case, the guys at Stone took it over board. The usual batch of super bitter beer starts at 2.5 per barrel. This special edition 10th anniversary IPA is brewed with 5 pounds of hops per barrel basically double. It is true that not only do they say that the previous beer’s bitterness lasted for about 30 minutes or so, this one is lasting even more. THIS BEER IS VERY BITTER..so much that the bitterness actually is burning all the way down even into the stomach. WOW!!!! The most you will find upfront is an extreme rush of grass, pine and citrus but at an extra strength. LOL maybe those with heart burnt might want to be careful >:). Past the bitterness is some mango, pineapple, caramel, kiwi. However, this is immediately gone and you are back into a hop heave. So much is the change in flavor that you start to experience something well….awesome. Could just the alcohol though…LOL but sure even that is helpful to forget that your insides and taste buds still burn with bitterness and well, that hoppy goodness…maybe to the point that….it will intrigue your hoppy head soul…A true HOPiphany in brewing because after your done you will see…..the truth @.@If you don’t? Then at least you had one of the best DIPAs in the world… yeah Pliny come get some

Arrogant Bastard Ale by Stone

October 19, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged arrogant bastard, Stone Brewing | Leave a comment

Salutes to you Arrogant Bastard, for your beer is friggin great. Nice initial taste and kicks you in the nuts bitter XP

REVISIT: A tribute and a revisit review to the real “King of Beers”. Not talking about that macro brew stuff that gives a bad name to the true meaning of beer in the world, but the true root of evil. Yeah, that yellow fizzy beverage that claims it is the truest of beer, Budweiser!!. The true arrogant bastard with hardly any flavor and a multi-million dollar campaign claiming it rules everything. Now, I am not saying that the beer is completely bad, I am saying that companies like them seem to feel like they are better than everyone. They will pay top dollar to make sure it stays that way. Anyways, this ale here is quite one of the best ales out there and a true warrior amongst the craft world. This is the Arrogant Bastard. I will admit, many will not like its extremely bitter flavor. Some have to be at a certain level of appreciation to truly take on this beer. In fact, the philosophy of the bastard is almost like that of the Bushido: “Forget about self and awaken to the truth. Drop off Illusion, Look at things the way they really are and realize no-self. Kill Selfish Desires, Bravely Face all Enemies”. It is made with the natural ingredients. Several malts, hops and yeast. The beer is a 7.2% Alc/Vol American Strong Ale. It is much like an IPA with a lot of bitterness but it also has rich malt flavor. Not much like chocolate or coffee. More of a caramel, toffee and bitter vanilla. The hoppy strong flavors of pine, citrus and grass.The bitterness stays in your tongue for a while but this is the awesome part as this beer goes well with meat like steak, roast or even Angus burger. One of my favorite ales and simply one of the best world class beers out there…that is if your worthy enough to take on this samurai of beers…good luck….>:)

Brewerianimelogs (Anime and Beer Lore)

Tag Archives: Stone Brewing

(Double Review) Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout (1 year aged) & Stone W00stout 2.0 collaboration by Drew Curtis, Aisha Tyler and Wil Wheaton

Stochasticity Project Varna Necropolis by Stone Brewing

Unapologetic IPA collaboration by Beachwood, Heretic and Stone Brewing

2014 Quingenti series Batch no. 5 Bastard in the Rye by Stone brewing

Stochasticity Project QUADROTRITICALE by Stone Brewing

Collective Distortion IPA collaboration by Kyle Hollingsworth, Keri Kelli & Stone Brewing

Smoked Porter with Chipotle Peppers by Stone brewing

Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA by Stone Brewing

2013 Quingenti series Batch no. 9 Punishment by Stone brewing

Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean by Stone Brewing

2013 Quingenti series Batch no. 8 Crime by Stone brewing

Double Bastard (2013 Release) by Stone Brewing

Suede collaboration between 10 Barrel, Stone and Blue Jacket Breweries

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung (Ragnarok / Twilight of Gods) IPA

Robert & Ryan / Rip Current / Stone R&R Coconut IPA

Stone Farking Wheaton W00tstout collaboration

RuinTen a.k.a Ruination Tenth Anniversary (re-release) by Stone Brewing

Stone Espresso Imperial Russian Stout (2013 Odd year Edition)

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Ruination IPA (Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels) 2013 Series Batch #6

Dayman Coffee IPA collaboration by Aleman, Two Brothers and Stone

Stone Cali-Belgique India Pale

Old Guardian Oak-Smoked Odd Year Series by Stone Brewing

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11 (Aged in Red Wine version)

Stone Vertical Epic 12.12.12

Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11

Stone Fifteenth Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black India Pale Aged in Highland Scotch Barrels

Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA

Arrogant Bastard Ale by Stone