Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

beyah

Maine

4.83/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Picture Arrogant Bastard, with a bit roasted barley, and a tad more alcohol. Hops are a bit less forward in this beer. You now have Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale. Tan head Black as night, great lacing, mouth feel just right, delicious. Definitely buy this one next time I see it.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 23:12:59 | More by beyah

rlee1390

Indiana

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A-Black in the glass, two finger off white head with some lacing.

S-Good deal of roasted malt, some pine and a nice hop presence.

T-Nice balance of roasted malt and hops. Nice bitterness some pine and citrus with a tad bit of coffee.

M-Medium bodied, nicely carbonated and creamy.

O-One of the best Black IPAs I've tasted, can't believe it took me so long to try this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 01:51:01 | More by rlee1390

Mittsies

California

4.56/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a typical beer glass.
Opinion slightly biased due to tasting several Double IPAs prior.

Minimal head, lacing was decent. Black as motor oil with a light head.

Aroma was very hop-forward, very citrus, somewhat pine, hints of roasted coffee.
Very musky, skunky, dank, pungent smell overall.

Taste was incredibly bitter, very hoppy at first and then lots of coffeebean and dark chocolate.
After slowly enjoying the beverage I found more flavors coming through; strong tea and pine flavors, a wonderland of hoppy bitterness.
Very impressed with the flavor.

Heavy, creamy mouthfeel, but not as thick as you'd expect such a dark beer to be.
Very viscous, found myself drinking it very slowly even after thoroughly tasting it.

Overall this has become one of my favorite beers with just one tasting session. I've bought another bottle and will enjoy it again soon. I highly recommend trying a piece of dark chocolate (>85%) with the drink after thoroughly tasting it.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 10:37:35 | More by Mittsies

hopsputin

California

4.51/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

out of the bottle, into a tulip

a: pitch black 2/2.5 finger off white head - this looks real nice in the glass. almost like motor oil

s: mmm roasted malts fused with a sweet citrus bitter smell. some vanilla, pine, milk chocolate, orange, something cream..almost like lactose. something almost grassy. smells real nice

t: such a nice mix of milk chocolate and mild citrus bitterness, then fades out to a roasted malt/coffee bean/bittersweet chocolate on the back end. the more you sip, the more the hop bitterness starts to come out to play - piney syrup, tea leaf. the back end is is about the roasted malts and cocoa/bittersweet chocolate. maybe a hint of alcohol

m: medium, pushing to full

o: I know some people are on the fence about black ales - i love them. this is really good, and the flavors harmonize well. not as good as the espresso sublimely self-righteous or hop in the dark, but a close third. plus its year round - that a plus

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 04:32:22 | More by hopsputin

BaronVonBeauregard

Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

The color is a very dark with a large, thick head, and the aroma is hoppy with citrus and resin notes showing out the loudest. The taste is bitter, slightly sweet, and reminds me of some imperial stouts out there; the aftertaste combines a long bitter finish, soft carbonation, medium body, and a slightly sticky texture.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 01:22:47 | More by BaronVonBeauregard

JamesQuaff

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint.

Pours a deep, rich almost-black red/burnt sienna with an ashy grey/brown 2 finger head that faded quickly and left scant lacing. Just a little bit of light comes through showing off some rising bubbles around the margins. Good looking glass of beer.

Smell is bready, caramel-y malts, roasty tones, generous piney hops and great big blocks of chocolate. So much chocolate in the nose! Smells almost like someone made a black and tan with a chocolate stout with an IPA.

It tastes pretty much exactly like someone made a black and tan with a chocolate stout and an IPA. With an awesome version of each style. De-freaking-licious. The hops are pretty intense, but there's enough malty sweetness and nuttiness to balance it out. The 8.7% ABV is very well hidden.

Mouthfeel is about what I want for what I'm drinking here. If it were any easier drinking, it would be too sneaky for the ABV. It has some thickness to the body. Carbonation is medium.

Overall... Boom. Friggin' awesome black IPA. Was thinking about inviting the neighbor over for a taste, but after getting halfway through the first glass decided I'm finishing this bomber myself.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 01:12:29 | More by JamesQuaff

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.69/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale pours a black color, with a small lacing head. There is a nice smokey, but mostly floral aroma. The taste has a sharp hoppy kick, then finished smooth and smokey, with hints of a burnt like malt flavors. Good full flavors. Overall this beer is soo incredibly enjoyable, great full intense flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 03:31:47 | More by vette2006c5r

erialbill

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours black but not too thick. Very nice creamy tan head that left ample lacing on sides of the glass. Nice job of combining a great stout with a great IPA. You get to enjoy all of the complex flavours of both beer types in just the right combination. Another great Stone offering. Would highly suggest giving it a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 22:22:42 | More by erialbill

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours black-maroon. Lacing is good. Head is meager.

Piney earth, roast, leafy hops, anise, grapefruit, and greens.

Rugged hoppiness with a sting. The sting is booze and big latent bitterness. Nearly spicy. Pine and grapefruit, foremost. Roasted grain supplements the malty underdog. Fresh leafy hops with an electric zip. Bready notes. Bitter greens, bitter orange, Angostura Bitters... an exercise in bitterness. Yet, very flavorful.

Gushy soppy feel. Sluggish body tones down the want to guzzle. Heavy in the mouth with all sorts of carb action.

Classy ale with that Stone intensity. Dark and satisfying. Delightful.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 13:50:19 | More by thecheapies

Roman5150

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

bottle purchased from Total Beverage in Murfreesboro, TN

appearance: very dark, mocha colored one finger head

smell: great mix of malt and hops, none is too overwhelming. i smell some apple and cloves as well.

taste: very malty backbone, with a very hoppy finish. smooth and well balanced. hints of coffee, caramel, apple, and piney, earthy hops.

mouthfeel: not over carbonated, this sits well on your tongue

overall: I will be buying this upon seeing it, tastes amazing. I would say this beer tastes very similar to Sweetwater's Happy Ending seasonal, if you've had that (or this), you will love the other. Except this one is a tad bit more malt heavy. Either way, I love dark beer with lots of hops, and if you do too, Stone did a great job with this one. Well crafted beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 23:04:34 | More by Roman5150

kangarooAdam59

Wyoming

4.16/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanx Aaron (I'm glad I'm finally able to mention your name on here and will from now on every time you hook me up):

Into a pint glass:

A: black body with a film of a head; some light sticky lacing clings to the sides

S: up front powerful hops i.e. grapefruit, pine and then adds some subtle chocolate and malty undertones

T: mostly bitter yet somewhat sweet as it warms a bit through the previously mentioned flavors

M: medium, semi-sessionable though the alcohol isn't really felt, somewhat creamy

O: big wow here, I wasn't expecting this American Black Ale to be as good as it was, I will definitely have this one again

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 00:30:09 | More by kangarooAdam59

dbossman

Nebraska

4.28/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Black with a steady two-inch head; lacing is fantastic

S: Intensely hoppy: grapefruit, pineapple, pine cones, weed; so fruity and dank with subtle chocolate, anise, and malty undertones

T: Wow, that's good; not nearly as bitter as expected--all the hop forward flavors but also some semisweet chocolate and coffee to round things out

T: Pretty creamy, sticky viscous

O: This is a damn good black IPA: big but not boozy; hoppy as hell but not overpoweringly bitter; some maltiness and oh, so much mmm

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 02:35:01 | More by dbossman

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.69/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Black at the body, you get dark ruby hues around the edge. Great color and a bubbly yet firm, khaki head creates a very nice appearance.

Sweet candied fruits and dry fruitiness hit the nose. Hints of chocolatey sweetness and breadiness hide inside prune, raisin and must.

Strong hop flavor and dry pineyness assault the tongue. Dried fruit flavors such as prune or raisin are enveloped in strong pine and metallic tastes. No roast, no toast and no malt flavor can be found in a very dry to the palate feel. Strong metal after taste sits in the mouth and a harsh dryness stays for some time.

This resembles an IPA with little Black qualities in the taste. The scent got my hopes up but the taste and feel really let me down.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 20:51:18 | More by KYGunner

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.19/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served in a tulip at Stoddards

Appearance: The beer is black as night. It poured a minimal head, but left some nice lacing on the glass. No visibility or vision of bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: roasted coffee, chocolate, and pine.

Taste: Same as above with nice bitterness in the end.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium bodied, low to medium carbonation, tingly bitterness, and a little dry.

Overall: Where's the 8%? Drinkability and taste are awesome. More please.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2013 00:24:50 | More by Flounder57

Samuel906

California

3.89/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a super dark mahogany with a thick fluffy head that is plastered to the side of your glass. Very mild nose, some faint hops and malt but fairly underwhelming. Taste is great: lots of roasted grains and cereals, carmalized sugar, baking chocolate and a strong hoppy finish. Pretty complex, and a pleasure to drink. Smooth and full bodied with lots of carbonation. None of the 8+% comes through. Absolutely terrific beer, and one of my favorite black IPAs.

Great pizza beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:49:38 | More by Samuel906

BBQSteve

Massachusetts

4.46/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a stem bubbly white head immediately.

Hop smell up front but not in taste.

Great mouthfeel medium heavy.

Early notes of molasses then malt and hops and a bit of sour.

Glad I tried it. It is readily available and it will be on my list again in the future but no hurries.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 00:23:32 | More by BBQSteve

FlemingVSKing

Florida

4.9/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Unless you just don't like dark ales, it's hard to call this one anything much less than perfect.

It has great complexity, ranging from a deep flavorful ale to a bright floral hop. Just simply put it offers a wide range of complementary flavors that really make each sip a different experience. I'm excited by drinking it.

The visual appeal is all there as well. A nice head from an average pour and great retention. The coloring is deep and black with some reddish tints near the edges of the glass.

My first reaction was "wow this is going to make a strong case for being my favorite beer." And that holds true. I had it on tap but can't wait to pick up a case.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2013 05:48:09 | More by FlemingVSKing

dar482

New York

3.38/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

It starts off in a very dark black color. The aroma isn’t very strong, but with a malty nose.

It tasted more like a strong ale than anything. It was a bit flat, with a bit of creaminess to the body. and then hits with a bit of roasted malty and peppery finish. It even has a slight licorice flavor to it and then hits with an alcohol bite. I’m surprised to not care for it. I didn’t hate it, but I had no reason to come back to it.

In the end, I might have had a late bottle, but it was still a few weeks before the “Enjyo By” date.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:40:07 | More by dar482

Oxymoron

Colorado

2.56/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours a midnight black color with brown hues throughout. A soft brown head with limited retention but some lacing.

Hop forward in the aroma. Some pine and citrus notes. Some herbal and bit of cat pee. Some yeasty notes, esters, rose peddles and tropical fruits and a light fig. Some buytic notes, dirty feet.

The taste follows suit per the aroma. The hops come out at first and leave a balance taste. Mostly a pine earthy almost woody note. But a strong bitterness and astringency mute the finish. Again some off yeasty notes are a bit deterrent. Fruity esters and herbal floral. Some tar like tastes that were off setting and noticeable dirty feet finish. So much so I felt this was a drain poor.

The body was moderately light. Some drying finish and ashy. astringent finishes. Carbonation was light. Overall good hop presence but because of the off yeast notes I couldn't finish it.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:10:55 | More by Oxymoron

ajcormier

New Hampshire

3.86/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Serving: Small tulip tasting glasses, 2010 Vintage

A - Dark as ever, good lacing and medium head retention.

S - Still hoppy on the nose with chunks of chocolate and tobacco.

T - Subtle hops, amazed at how much hop flavor there was still even after the 2 1/2 years aging. I was actually pleasantly surprised at the deliciousness. Similar tasting notes to the aroma. Bigger chocolate on the palate and cleanly dry finish

M - As noted, dry finish but good carbonation remained.

O - Still a great beer. When I buy my yearly case I might start aging half of them as they were different yet delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 14:56:00 | More by ajcormier

mdcrouser

Missouri

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I'ts a good day - EMAW pulled out a co-Big 12 championship in basketball. Sublimely Self-Righteous - this one's for KU.

Even with a slow pour, it brings up a nice tan head, resolving to nearly nothing, sitting upon a deep dark blackness.

Fresh, cool, minty, highly arromatic - oddly, on first impression, it reminds me of really, really great toothpaste. As it warms, I get a lot of big citrus - awesome on the nose.

Ridiculous - gigantic in the mouth, with an insurmountable mound of hops. Greenery, pine, licorice, grapefruit It's a darker, deeper version than traditional IPAs though, but without the malty backbone. I can't compare it to anything I've had before. Strange though, in that I like it, but can't quite put my finger on exactly how much I like it.

Carbonation pops, hitting the tongue like pine needles. Wraps the mouth in the depth of hops. Nice.

Really well done beer - amazingly big in the nose and mouth. Not my favorite version of the style, but still really good.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 03:28:36 | More by mdcrouser

sethmeister

New Hampshire

4.65/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours black with a creamy tan head, Shrinks slowly, leaving panels of lace down the sides of the glass.

Scent is toasty and biscuity with a bright citrus note - grapefruit and orange - and a resiny pine scent. Yum.

Taste is citrus (grapefruit, orange, lemon!), piney, earthy, oniony hops. That's a lot of hops. I forgot spicy hops. A satisfying roasty and toasted chocolate malt note peers out from the pile of oily cones.

Mouth is slick, soapy and on the slender side of medium.

Drinkability is excellent. 8.7% abv hidden well.

Fantastic beer. Hop flavors and scents are complex and intense and the malt presence is the perfect counterpart. This is the best beer I have had in quite some time.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 00:56:47 | More by sethmeister

jimmah120

Minnesota

4.01/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle, no date

Does a great job of combining the skunky dank hoppiness of their IPA with some toasty roasted molassesy goodness (the black). Maybe a touch of alcohol spice but otherwise its very drinkable for ~9%.

If more black IPAs were like this, they wouldn't beso much like the red-headed stepchild of beer styles

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 22:51:15 | More by jimmah120

TheCondor

Missouri

4.19/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Went over to my brother in laws house to drink beer while the women folk conversed about whatever. Talked about football, I bought two craft beers, he bought two, we drank all of it. Awesome. This was one of those beers. Side poured with standard vigor into a pint glass.

Appearance - Of course Stone has cool packaging on their beers. That is a given. Pours a jet black color with a small half finger head that recedes quickly but leaves nice lacing throughout the drink. Not sure if it is a stout, a black ale, or what. I didn't read the package, I just bought it.

Smell - Hops hops and hops. Piney, earthy, really potent. Just what you would expect from a Stone beer. You gotta give them credit, they do what they want to do, and it is always unique. A little smoked malts or barley in there as well. Now I am holding a black beer with strong pine hops notes emanating from it, I'm all confused. A black IPA?

Taste - Just what I thought, the hops were the big dogs on this porch. Bitter, piney hops sweep the palate upon the drink, delicious. The malts make a cameo appearance as well, more so as the brew warms, but there is certainly a powerful hops presence.

Mouthfeel - Bitter finish, just a hint of alcohol, warm going down. Medium bodied and carbonated.

Overall - Once again, an excellent offering from Stone. Just like the last beer I reviewed, I was not sure what to classify it as until I got home and reviewed it. I see here BA has it as an American Black, which is fine. These hybrid beers are wicked good! Hats off to the brewers. Try this beer out ASAP, Condor recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 02:35:08 | More by TheCondor

Belgianbeerbunny

Illinois

3.69/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

It's difficult to review a style that I don't enjoy. I tend to like Belgian anything (except Lambics and Geuzes), porters and stouts. Although this bottle didn't say "IPA", I suspected that anything coming out of Stone would be very hoppy.

A - It looks like something I'd want to drink - black as night with a 1/2 inch head leaving nice lacing.

T - Then I get a whiff of the hops and pine. It smells like I'm about to drink a Daisy Cutter. (Not that I mind a Daisy Cutter every once in a while, especially is I'm up at Half-Acre.) I don't taste the malt or yeast at the end. Just pine and hops.

M - Medium body. Someone else said "oily" and I'm going to go with that. Is it the pine oil?

O - If I was entertaining an IPA-lover, I would get them this. Usually I do buy Daisy Cutter or Dog Fish Head 90 Minute IPA, but this would be good in the IPA rotation.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 23:13:49 | More by Belgianbeerbunny