Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 1 L swingtop growler filled at Al's of Hampden this afternoon. A shout-out to ARH.

A: The strong ale is dark, a veritable stout or porter. I'd say it's darker than a porter, offering up no colors or hues other than blackness. An off-white, slightly tanned, head, 2.5 fingers on pour, laces lightly.

S: The nose defies all logic (I remember being floored when I first got hold of 11th Anniversary). Dark roasted malts and ample citrus hops shsre the stage. Malts are first, bready and rich, but quickly yield to the resiny citrus hops. Pow!

T: Dark roasted malts, rye bread and chocolate showcase the malt side. They are immediately followed by hops, lots and lots of oily hops. Those hops are citrusy and strong. A touch of pine adds to the thicker hop presence. The floral finish is lively, several mouthfuls of citrus pulp. My first Black IPA (as Stone 11), and you never forget your first.

M: Roasted malts. Lotsa hops. Any questions? The fullness of the malts and their ability to influence the ale is impressive. Looking at the ale, you'd expect it to be much chewier but it isn't.

D: I'll finish off the growler but I'm starting to feel it after too glasses.

Serving type: growler

04-11-2010 19:32:56 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had samples of the 11th when it came out but I never got around to writing a review on it, at the time I wasn't feeling the dark IPA for some reason. This bottle changed all of those feelings I had, this beer nailed the dark roasts and the bold American hops. Stone is perfect I just had the Stone 13th and that was pretty lackluster and definitely carried no finesse. This on poured a pitch black body with no ruby highlights when held to the light, it did have a big tan foaming head that rose well above the rim of my glass. Lacing was even and retention was excellent great looking brew from Escondido. Aromatics hit a solid blast of pine and herbal hops with citrus following close behind, sweet baked goods with cocoa dry powder, definitely roasted malt characterstics wtihout much coffee action. Flavor was layered between dark chocolate roasted malt and aggressive hop bitterness that did manage to work. Some citrus, pine resin, and herbal dirty hop flavors came about between layers of dark chocolate cake it was a good mix with moderate alcohol burn coming through. Mouthfeel was big but not chewy carbonation was tight bubbled it carried the brew very well, not overdone pretty natural smoothness going on with a soothing dry finish between roasted malt and bittering hops. Drinkability overall was excellent another great reintroduction to Stone's black IPA, I had Iniquity last night from Southern Tier and I'm diggin' the dark hoppy beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 06:10:39 | More by WVbeergeek

barleywinefiend

Washington

4/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from tap and had a nice brown head over the clear dark brown brew. Frothy head lasts and lasts, with ample sticky lace. Aroma is pungeant piney green hops. Taste is bit lacking in the chewy malts one might expect for such a dark color, but hops character and bitterness is excellent. It did have nice chocolate taste to it with that hoppy kick. Mouthfeel is extra smooth, and drinkability is great as well. Yet another anniversary brew from Stone that is worthy of the milestone.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2008 04:17:02 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nearly black in color--no light shines through. Nice, tight beige head. Spotty lace.

Very strong grapefruit hop aroma. Reminds me of Double IPA. Given the darkness of the brew, I'm surprised not to smell any burnt or roasted malts.

Tastes like super-hopped IPA. Relatively thin body. There's a mild level of roasted malt in the aftertaste, otherwise it is all bitter, bitter hop.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2009 22:30:52 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

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

Thanks to Bitterbill for this brew.

Poured into a Stone pint glass a nice clean/clear dark brown color, nice carbonation, very nice one-finger plus creamy tan head, which then leaves some nice small islands and thick sticky lacing. The nose is mostly malty, very slight hop tones, and lots of caramel. The taste is very malty, some hops, and caramel. The finish is dry and slight bitterness to it. The alcohol is hidden pretty well. Full body. Very drinkable, another awesome brew from Stone, very much a joy to drink, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2007 22:01:51 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.93/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a four finger light tan head that fades slowly to a thin layer leaving a very good lace. Black color, no highlights. Light-medium carbonation and heavy bodied. Slight piney hop nose. Flavor is slightly more pine hops than caramel malt and with lingering piney aftertaste. $5.99 for a 22oz bottle from Liquorama Upland, CA.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 22:23:25 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a tulip glass)
A- This beer pours a jet black body with a deep beige thick head that sticks to the glass in rings after each sip.
S- This beer has a pungent musty Northwest hops that comes through even during the pour. Wow. The roasted note of malt is a little hint in the big hop aroma and there is a green watermelon rind quality in the finish of the hops.
T- The green pungent pine flavor to the hops has a roasted note that blends nicely. There is a pine pungent finish with a minty quality and a pungent herbal hop flavor that lingers.
M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with no alcohol heat and a slight slippery texture in the finish.
D- Although the bottle reeks of arrogance the beer inside is good. The big hop flavor has lots of nice depth with a little black malt for support. This is my first beer purchased in Chicago, would it taste better if I had to drive 2hr to buy it? Luckily I don't have to find out.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 22:41:36 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

4.35/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

"A new creation from Stone", happy happy...this one goes into a short wine glass, and pours near black, or at least very dark, under a long lasting dark tan head, tiny bubbles and creamy, each sips reveals gobs of sheeting and then rings of striated lacing, nice looking stuff. Distinctive, herbal, citric hoppy nose, yum. Fresh and pungent brew, plenty o'hoppy goodness, crunching along up front. Full bodied and full mouthfeel, hops continue to carry the weight. Also Some dark maltyness picked up, cafe au lait and mild chocolate, meandering around in the background. Complex, tasty and full throttle, yet more fine brew from the folks at Stone. Washed down a slice of olive bread in fine fashion...go get some and consume.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2007 16:36:21 | More by Billolick

mdfb79

New York

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass.

a - Very dark brown color with hints of red. This had moderate carbonation and about 1 finger of head that looked great.

s - I definitely smelled some roasted malts, and also smelt some coffee, toffee, and chocolate. Smells great.

t - Wow, really liked this taste. Tastes of roasted malts, some chocolate, but also some bitter hops. A nice contrast of sweet and bitter tastes.

m - Full bodied with small carbonation, this beer feels very creamy and smooth.

d- I really liked this strong ale. I thought the taste was very complex and interesting, and I really liked the roasted malt and chocolate flavors. I would definitely buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2010 16:47:51 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Made a hoppy stout of my own, and I think its comparative to this beer, so I'm going to try them side by side and see what I think. I didn't create a clone on purpose, I just wanted a nice hoppy stout and found out so did Stone.

A: Pours into my Corsendonk tulip glass with a huge thick frothy dark bubbly head that reminds me of blowing bubbles in my chocolate milk as a kid. Its almost pitch black with the slightest light coming through the bottom of the glass where it thins.

N: Floral juicy hops really kick in the nose first. A light creamy malty aroma also gives a nice feel to it. Some sweet caramel malts and light roasted malts. The nose is a lot less spicy bite of hops than mine, and this is a lot more creamy and malty, closer to a nice thick stout. A slight coffee aroma from the roasted malts.

T: Again starts with a nice floral spicy hop taste with some juicy hops. A slight malty creamy chocolate malt flavor, and some roasted malts as well. The juicy hop flavors never go away either, and they seem to dissipate throughout the entire mouth from start to finish. I almost get a frosting taste towards the end as well with some sweet creamy tastes and juicy hops blended. I used a bunch of cascade hops, esp dry hop so this is blended much better, and they don't contrast as much as mine. I will have to really redo my stout and I want to model it after this.

M: Creamy and pretty thick, a little spicy with hops, good carbonation.

F: Finishes very bitter and pretty dry. More spicy floral hop flavors dangle around the mouth for a bit, and the dryness helps to accentuate the hops. A slight rich creamy stout feel stay around for a bit too. A slight chocolate taste also lingers and seems to blend really well with the juicy hop taste. I would love to have a chocolate covered hop candy bar.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 04:06:00 | More by jlindros

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle purchased as a single from Julio's, Marlboro, MA.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1 1/2" brown head over the clear dark brown brew. Frothy head lasts and lasts, with ample sticky lace. Aroma is pungeant piney green hops. Taste is bit lacking in the chewy malts one might expect for such a dark color, but hops character and bitterness is excellent. Mouthfeel is extra smooth, and drinkability is great as well. Yet another anniversary brew from Stone that is worthy of the milestone.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2007 16:41:47 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appears a dark, near black with a fluffy beige head that slowly fades into a mild cap of suds. Scattered streaks of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of cocoa, caramel, espresso, and a huuuge amount of pine and grapefruit.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, caramel malt up front followed by a gigantic bitter dryness during the swallow.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2009 20:33:41 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

4.15/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Black IPA...OK I will give it a try.

Super high carbonation level; pour this one CAREFULLY!

Clear super dark brown colored ale with a tall tan colored head.

Smell is a clone of Arrogant Bastard ale. Hyper strong hop aroma with lots of molasses and caramel.

Taste starts out mellow with a strong melon flavor and a quite bitter after taste. Melon remains the dominate flavor here with a subtle citrus hop flavor of grapefruit and just super fresh hop flavor, so fresh it is like chewing up a hop bud in my mouth. Some hop flavors simply taste like nothing else on earth, this tastes like that. Lots of flavors under the hops, chocolate and coffee mostly. This still has a rather strong melon flavor, I am curious about how this might age.

Mouthfeel is quite full.

Good and drinkable but I REALLY don't think this has reached its best quite yet. This is a lot like a mix of Barley Wine and IPA and I think this will be better in two years after the melon flavor mellows out some.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2007 00:44:57 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap @ the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens on 11/9/09. There were a lot of great beers to choose from on tap here but I wanted to try one of my Stone favorites right there at the source.

Pours black, with the just the tiniest bit of ruby coming out along the bottom, and a 1/4 finger of creamy mocha colored froth. Retains with a soft and creamy look, just completely coating the sides of the glass with thick rings of lacing. The aroma is fresh and floral in the nose, with a nice hard edge of spice and pine to it. A blast of citric hops rolls in next, backed by a nice crunchy mix of coffee and roast, as well as some softer cocoa and toffee character. This sits with a bit of heft in the nose as well. Smells like a dark Porter oozing with American hop attitude.

The taste is pretty spot on with the aroma, as heavy rich notes of chocolate roast and coffee flavor are right at the forefront of this. Luckily, they are more than an equal match for the aggressive resinous bite of the hops, which is just dripping with juicy & bright citric character. This is overall very roasty, bitter, and intense, with burnt notes that really hang around for a while. The mouthfeel is medium to maybe a bit fuller, with a sharp prickly nature that matches up well with those bold hops. There is some heft here to the body but the alcohol is kept to a minium in the taste, allowing it's presence to just add even more to the overall bigness of this beer.

Hands down on of my favs from these guys and probably my favorite example of the "Dark IPA" style. I've really enjoyed this out of the bottle several times but it seemed just so much more intense here on draft. Great stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2009 13:22:51 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to DrJay for bringing some of these up!

Pours a hazy dark orange/brown, thick off white head forms, settles slowly dropping a nice lace ring, good retention. Smell is nice, chocolate and toffee, solid roast, lots of pine and floral hops, roast, grapefruit, nice balance with the malts and hops. Taste is similar, caramel and chocolate, roast coffee, light alcohol, nuts, oranges, grapefruit and floral, solid bitterness, excellent. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low to medium carbonation, bit of warmth. Very good beer! Thanks Jay.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2008 03:51:58 | More by Viggo

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.78/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Dark ruby. Almost black. Thin cola colored head that leaves nice amounts of lace.

Aroma: Bready malts, cocoa nibs and juicy hops.

Appearance: Nice bitter hop presence noticed first and then some alcohol, which is quite noticeable and actually, a little overbearing and scathing in this beer. Covers up a lot of what I was expecting in the hop department. There's some hop juiciness noted, but not a lot. Chocolate is distant. Decent flavor, but not great.

MF/DK: Medium bodied and light=medium to medium bodied. A bit of spiciness from the alcohol and a long lingering astringency from the alcohol. Fair, but not one I'll be tapping again soon.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 04:16:01 | More by Bighuge

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.13/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this beer at the Bistro Double IPA fest. Even though it is the same recipe as 11th anniversary, I thought this one was lacking compared to the 11th I had recalled. By lacking, I mean, just really really good instead of fantastic.

Black IPA, hopped very well, obvious dry hopping, hides the high alcohol quite well. I can't wait to try the bottled version. Some say don't age, some say age. . . I dunno, I'm still holding bottles of both version, we'll see this Christmas. You don't really taste the alcohol, but it hits you by the end of the bottle.

Anyways, if you see it, check it out. Right up there with Laughing Dog's black IPA's when uber fresh if you ask me.

EDIT: Well this was definitely a drink fresh beer. You can't really taste any of the darker malts used, but if you age it, the hops fade and some of the astringency comes out of it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2009 17:23:42 | More by Beerandraiderfan

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Concordia Alehouse the other night.

The beer pours an unexpected darkish color with very good head retention and lacing. The nose is pretty interesting, sort of a dry citrusy bitter aroma. On the palate this beer comes across as a dry dunkel, but with a significant hop wallop in the mid palate and finish. The beer is not heavy and is medium bodied, with a hoppy dry finish. The abv. is well disguised, and this beer is really prettry drinkable for a beer with 8.7% alcohol.

Very nice effort from Stone. I preferred last year's edition of this beer, but this is not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2007 18:14:03 | More by johnmichaelsen

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Miller's Pub, Chicago, IL

Poured into a pint glass a coffee brown with a nice, foamy, beige head that retained and laced decently. I really love this style of beer. Dark malts and dark fruits in the aroma, but a definite citrus hop presence like you'd get from your typical IPA. Smooth dark malts in the taste, molasses, brown sugar, quickly overcome by lots of citrusy hops, though the maltiness lingers on in the background. Flavorful and medium-bodied. Another highly drinkable beer from the consistently excellent Stone Brewing Co.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2011 14:57:24 | More by Rifugium

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased in the US and brought back to Australia to share with @LaitueGonflable and @tobeerornottobe.

Pours a dark, but tempered deep brown colour, with a frothy and voluminous head of light cocoa-coloured foam. Some sudsy speckled lacing. Body looks surprisingly light, but overall, it looks pretty decent.

Nose is fresh and sharp with big American hop characters. Forget the appearance, this is all about the IPA aroma dry-hopped West Coast goodness, giving lots of Cascade-like citrus and fruit characters. Once it warms, it does start to give off slight hints of chocolate and dark malt as well, which provide an interesting, but dichotomous counter to the hoppiness. But there's no doubting what is king: it's hops all the way.

Taste is also, surprisingly hoppy, with only light caramel chocolate characters coming in at the very end once the hops eventually grant them a fleeting audience with your tastebuds. Rather, there's big hp bitterness throughout, leaving hop oil residue and crisp biting bitterness throughout most of the length of the palate. The chocolate and darker characters only deserve a mention as the palate as a whole dies out.

Feel is rather light, but this just underlines its true nature as an IPA, not a dark ale.

A very strange and one might say extreme example of the IBA style. It's a wolf in sheep's clothing--an IPA masquerading in the guise of a dark beer. The hops almost perfectly mute everything but the colour.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 04:03:49 | More by lacqueredmouse

glid02

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had a glass of this courtesy of daryk77 - thanks!

Pours a color that's one shade away from black with dark brown highlights - I knew what this was going into it and was still surprised by how dark it was. Head is one-finger of light tan foam that recedes into a thin pancake on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of citrus and pine hops - more emphasis on the citrus than pine - and pale malts. I tried but could find no hints of roasted or even toasted malts.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Pale malt flavors up front quickly give way to citrus and pine hop flavors. The ending is solidly bitter - the only hint of darker malts.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with moderate carbonation and goes down smoothly.

Drinkability is very good. I had half a bomber and could easily polish off a full one.

Overall this beer is quite the conundrum - a dark IPA that's definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2009 02:31:23 | More by glid02

DoubleJ

California

4.4/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

They had quite a bit of this at the BevMo in Brea and hearing the good reviews of this beer on this site, I grabbed one. Purchased at $4.49, on to the beer:

This is a totally different kind of IPA. It's dark, nearly black in appearance. The piney and esters of an IPA are there in the flavor, but you can't really taste any raw hops, and for good measure is kissed by some cocoa. The checker at the store said he didn't like IPA's, but he really enjoyed this offering. This isn't an aggressive beer like some of the other Stone products, but a rather mellow beer that won't tax your palate too much.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2007 17:19:21 | More by DoubleJ

Gusler

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer emerges from the 22-ounce bottle a sparkling deep brown, the head a crown of light chocolate, creamy and long lasting, after its final demise the lace forms a thick blanket to cover the glass. Nose has a profound hop floral spiciness at the front, backed by the sweet malt, caramel, and maybe a hint of chocolate, mouth watering. Start has a nice malt sweetness; hop bitter bite to the back, top is moderately full in feel. Finish has a determined acidity, the hops potent and spicy; the alcohol warms the tummy while the aftertaste continues the hop spiciness.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2007 23:40:38 | More by Gusler

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark opaque color with a tan head.

S: Theres some citrus nose with some dry pine and a touch of smokiness. The nose is sweet overall.

T: The flavor is a huge dry roasted malt bill, some dry chocolate with some citrusy hopping and sticky pine. Theres a definity pine sticky resin character to the palate with a great roasted malt presence that is deep and very rich. Definitly tastes like they combined their arrogant bastard and smoked porter recipe. Typical Stone hopping with Chinook with some new Amarillo lemon hops used to give it a distinct citrus/lemon hop flavor. A good combination of malt and hopping and very well balanced. There was a nice lingering bitterness from the hops that hung around for a little bit as well.

M: the mouthful was full with a nice dry roastedness.

D: very good drinkability for its abv. could easily drink in multiples, very smooth palate going down, and nicely hidden alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2008 00:12:31 | More by beerthulhu

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very dark brown, clear, with ruby/mahogany highlights. Fine, tan bubbles clung in sheets to the sides of the glass and formed a tight cap. Good head retention with spotty lacing throughout. Intense pine resin and grapefruit rind aroma up front, fruity citrus and a hint of sweet cocoa fill in the background. Very floral and fragrant. Solid bitterness, not overpowering, that tends to linger. Sweetness is just enough to provide some balance and has more of a chocolate/cocoa character than stright-up caramel, but the hops are still front and center - mostly grapefruit flesh fruitiness and a bit of pine. Light alcohol flavour in the finish, along with mild warmth. Medium bodied, a bit chewy with creamy carbonation. Very nice texture. This is great stuff, worthy of an anniversary celebration. The darker malts, even though they're fairly subtle, really pull things together and create a nice counterpoint for the hops.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2007 23:44:56 | More by DrJay