Stone 13th Anniversary Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

Dijeriduster

California

2.1/5  rDev -48.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Not sure what the deal is here - I've had this on tap and loved it enough to cellar one, but it was terrible on Stone Winter Storm. I even had Bill pour it for christ sake!

A - Weridly thin look almost like someone had spilt coffee into the glass. Slightly hazy with a good head - but not the thick opaque drink I was expecting.

S - Not very hoppy with some of the specialty coming thru but not very much. Odd as its very heavily hopped.

T - Underwhelming. Hops are bitter in a bad way, like dull and stingy not bright and citrusy. Specialty is there but not very robust. Even after warming

M - Bad bad bad. Very thin despite the creamy head. Syrupy imperial type taste but in a bad way.

D - I thought this would be great, but quickly moved on. First time I've thought about returning a beer. Could be a bunk keg - but again it was at Stone ya know?

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2010 03:18:52 | More by Dijeriduster

WhiteOak

Connecticut

1.88/5  rDev -53.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A- Copper with a very dark beige head. Colossal, eruptive head. Big set of lace draperies hang from inside of the glass.

S- Fresh-squeezed, bright grapefruit juice and zest aromas race up from the glass. The problem? The hop aromas so dominate the aromatic profile of the beer that one has little chance of savoring the malt aroma or any other complexities.

T- Fresh-squeezed, bright grapefruit juice and zest flavors blitzkrieg the palate. The problem? The hop flavors so dominate the flavor profile of the beer that one has little chance of savoring the malt flavor or any other complexities.

M, D- A big beer from a great house, but I am bound to opine that the shrill hops are oppressively overbearing! I must respectfully beg the pardon of drinkers who love this overly astringent style, but it doen't appeal to me at all.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 23:48:28 | More by WhiteOak

Phocion

Minnesota

1.85/5  rDev -54.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Do not cellar. Enjoy in 2009.

Oops.

22 oz. bomber (mostly) poured into a 16 oz. shaker pint. Dark, dark amber with a tiny off-white frothy head and excellent lacing.

Aroma reminds me of a barleywine. Sweet caramel/brown sugar and roasted malts. Slight hint of citric/piney hoppiness despite the age. Also a strong whiff of the 10% ABV this thing is packing.

Flavor is...well, bad. It has an immense bitterness that overpowers everything else. It's not a hoppy bitterness, but more like a charred and downright unpleasant almost dark-chocolate flavor that utterly destroys the palette.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and decently carbonated, even after two years. But with the flavor of this thing, I just can't finish it.

I realize this is past its prime, but adding more hops to this thing would only make it worse. I'm also a huge and unapologetic Stone fanboy and have been for years (having had my first legal beer 20 minutes away from the brewery), but this one is downright bad. Good thing they're not brewing any more. First beer from these guys I've ever dumped... ugh.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 22:02:40 | More by Phocion

racer2k

Massachusetts

1.8/5  rDev -55.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

22oz. bomber poured this into a 16oz tulip glass

A - Beer pours a dark brownish hazelnut color with a finger of off white head which retains some nice lacing around the glass. Very little carbonation is visible

S - Aroma of heavy sweet malt, bitter chocolate, muted hops and strong alcohol are all in play in this beer.

T - Overpowering malt flavor combined with what I will call an "off flavor" of bitterness to the beer. There is a strong alcohol presence with a slight hint of hops in the finish. This was a difficult beer to drink and I could not finish the bomber.

M - Light to medium carbonation with a hot flash of alcohol on board. The balance of the profile is strong malt and alcohol.

D - There were elements of the finish that were tasteful but I could not get through the overwhelming "off flavor" in the beer. It is possible that this could have been a bad bottle but I am not certain. I really enjoy the Stone offerings but this was an exception to the rule.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2010 22:08:14 | More by racer2k

waltonc

Colorado

1.55/5  rDev -61.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1

Had this on tap tonight at the Falling Rock Stone event.

Dark copper color with white head. Smell and taste are hops hops and more hops. Wow, I can't remember the last time I had such a hoppy beer. It was probably the last time I had a Stone beer. Just demolishes the drinkability and flavor profile. After about four sips I had to order something different. Mouthfeel was medium bodied and medium carbonated.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2009 05:20:01 | More by waltonc