Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

hoplover82

Texas

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I am so glad it finally made it to south texas! This is a wonderful beer!

Pours pitch black with a creamy tan head that has outstanding retention and lacing. The head never dissapears, that's always impressive.

The aroma is huge on the chinook and simcoe hops I believe. Big grapefruit citrus and piney hop aromas and pleasantly mild roasted barley and chocolate notes along with the typical sweet bread dough from their house yeast that I love so.

The flavor is much like the aroma but with a huge bitterness that kind of hide the roasty and chocolate notes a little, but they're still there. Lots of grapefruit and pine hop flavor with very hidden but there, chocolate malt flavors.

This beer has a big and juicy feel with a slightly dry finish and full carbonation.

This beer is extremely drinkable!

I think this beer deserves a perfect score for sure. I can't find anything wrong with this beer. I am very pleased with my experience indeed.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 04:49:51 | More by hoplover82

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Stone's 11th Anniversary Ale was one of my favorite beers of all time, I was literally about to roll on the floor and have a tantrum when I found out that it wasn't going to be available anymore. Thank God Stone decided to keep the recipe and call it Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale. This is a truly outstanding brew.

22oz. bottle poured into a Duvel Tulip style glass. These beer pours completely black when in the glass. It comes out a very dark brown when the liquid gets a little thin, but overall it's pretty black and opaque. The beer produces a tan head with some decent lacing to it, the way beer should look. A very good looking brew. The smell is truly exquisite. It's complex, but gets to the point. Overall it's completely dominated by the hops, but the malts make themselves noticeable as well. Roasted malts with a slight smokey smell that is covered by a delicious hop aroma. A little more pine than citrus in my opinion. The taste is truly outstanding, but I wish I had the opportunity to grade it a 4.9 I think that's what I go with in that situation. Like most beers of this style it's very hoppy, the good thing here is it's not to overwhelming. Along with the great hoppy taste is the good malted flavor. It has a great malted taste much like the smell, with a slight smokey taste. Wonderfully balanced overall. Mouthfeel is good, not quite full bodied in my opinion, but pretty close. Has a slight dry bitter finish from the hop, very good. Extremely drinkable beer, could drink this rain or shine on any occasion. A wonderful beer to have on standby, and you should!

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 03:20:59 | More by AndyAvalanche

begforme4484

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I know going into this review my words can never pay this beer homage.

That said, I was lucky enough to find this beer on tap for my first tasting of it. I've since bought it by the case in bottle form. It's not quite as good in bottle as on tap, but that can be expected with any beer.

SSRA pours a very dark brown. By eye it is almost black. Trying to peer through the liquid into a light or even the sun is useless, as you cannot see through it. It has almost 2 fingers worth of a tan-white head that recedes somewhat quickly, but laces with every sip I take.

It smells sweet and roasted initially. The malts smells of chocolate and caramel. Further looking into it, you can get a scent of the faint hops smell behind the malts. The hops smell somewhat grassy.

The taste is superfluous. It's very dark and smokey upfront with a very tasty bitter finish. It's like Stone combined 5 different styles of beer into one and made it work somehow. It's smokey like a porter, thick like a stout, clean as a lager, and as bitter and refreshing as an IPA. (Due in part to the 80ish IBU's I'm sure).

The beer is well carbonated. It does linger a lot.. and suffice it to say I think any beer you taste after having this will be ruined.

The overall drinkability for me is excellent. I can drink SSRA after SSRA and never tire of it. The only problem being is now that I know what SSRA is and how it tastes.. I have to plan ahead of time to make sure to drink it last if I'm drinking other beers. Even it's after taste overpowers a lot of brews.

This beer may not fit everyone's palate, but I see it as a must try. Definitely my #1 favorite beer of all time. Right in front of Pliny the Elder at #2.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2010 04:13:51 | More by begforme4484

imagese

California

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This should be the benchmark for all black IPA's/CDA's

A- dark dark ruby with a two finger tan head that sustained a thin head that laced the whole glass

S- this is the best part of this phenomenal beer. Bold piney hops just assault your sinuses followed by a sweet hint of chocolately malt

T- awesome hop slam to the front of the tongue, followed by a great stout-esque sweep across the back.

M- perfect carbonation accents the high IBU of this beer. The bitterness lingers in your whole mouth and makes you crave that next sip

D- very drinkable for a rather high ABV and IBU. I've downed several bombers in a session.

If you're lucky enough to find the double dry hopped version of this on tap, drink as many as you can. Rare you find something that makes a perfect beer "perfecter"!!!

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 03:37:33 | More by imagese

yardguy

California

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this from a cask at The Yard in Santa Monica.

Poured with a thick head. Very dark and murky.

Nose was very hoppy. citrus and malt

Taste was hoppy and bitter. Very smooth mouthfeel, but definitely a hoppy finish that lingers.

Very drinkable. Great in a small glass. Too much would definitely wear your mouth down. Great beer, though.

Serving type: cask

01-12-2011 08:06:58 | More by yardguy

diegoangeles

Mexico

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I got this one on a day-to-day scenario, with my family at the burger restaurant.

A- At first I got fully pleased by it's almost pitch black color, barely noticed a hint of light coming through, it pured gracefully on the glass and had an awesome tan head that lasted perfectly before dissipating.

S- It had a bold citric, piney and roasted smell, with some chocolate and toast on it.
Quite a punch in the good way!

T- It's the citrus and pine the ones to take the first punch, but it nicely merges with notes of dried fruits, roasted malt and chocolate.. I even recall some peach on it! (?!)

M- It wasn't viscous as I expected, the carbonation is perfectly balanced with the mix of flavors coming out of it, and it comes down dangerously easy!

O- On a very personal level, this is just a spit away from what would be my perfect black ale, the looks and taste are great, and it doesn't get stuck on your mouth forever, letting you enjoy it while having any steak or burger or any other thing you like! (and trust me, well it goes!)

A MUST!

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 19:49:26 | More by diegoangeles

ralree

Maryland

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Deep brown, almost black, brown head, great lacing and beautiful retention. Bi-Winning!

S: Extremely hoppy and pleasantly sweet. This smells delicious!

T: To die for - perfect super-hopped flavor meets really toasty and brown-sugary malt! Nice and alcoholic, which is just barely noticeable. This is one amazing brew!

M: A bit on the oily side - really keeps the hop flavor alive. Carbonation is perfect. A tiny bit astringent - just enough.

D: This is one of the best ales I've had in a long time. Drink it! It goes down wonderfully.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 00:33:44 | More by ralree

acevenom

Louisiana

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a brandy snifter. Pours black with a tan head that dissipates slowly, leaving some lacing on the side of the glass. The beer is opaque, but bubbles can be seen collecting on the underside of the head. The hop aroma of this beer is strong, but I can also pick up dark roasted malts, bitter chocolate, and some mild sweetness in the smell. The taste follows the nose. The citrus hop flavor is intense, but I can also pick up the malty flavors as well as bitter chocolate and anise. The alcohol is well-hidden in the flavor. The body of the beer is medium to full with plentiful carbonation. The drinkability is very high for such a big beer. Overall, this is a most excellent beer that everyone should try once.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 22:32:09 | More by acevenom

Homerb3

5/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Awesome! By far the best imperial IPA I have ever tasted.

Pitch black in color.

The smell of floral wafts as its poured.

Nice thick rich head. Extreme lacing.

Very hoppy blend that compliments the hints of chocolate.

Nice and smooth mouthfeel, with a little touch alcohol on the end.

All around solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 12:54:30 | More by Homerb3