Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA - Stone Brewing Co.

uturn

Florida

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz capped bomber poured into a Stone IPA glass.

A: This beer poured as a hazy straw color with a fluffy 2 finger off white head.

S: The nose was more citrusy, with grapefruit rinds, then piney.

T: The taste started off sweeter than expected with caramel malts and then I got the citrus flavors of the hops.

M: The mouthfeel was a medium to heavy body with a "thickness' not found in most IPA's and a nice level of carbonation.

D: The drinkability was fairly good for a 8.9% abv brew.

This is not the best beer I've had from Stone, but is one which I would like to have again.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 15:29:39 | More by uturn

RockyTopHeel

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy, bright golden in color with a short white head. Aroma of herbal hops, lemon, and some grassy notes.

Taste is crisp and bitter, with a strong grassy, herbal -- almost medicinal -- character, more lemon. Quite astringent, with an ever so faint touch of pine sap. Brutalizes the palate without overpowering flavor.

I can't decide if I like this or not, but I appreciate it for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 23:33:17 | More by RockyTopHeel

ahking

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It's a little hazy on the pour which indicates a good ale to me. Golden in color with white head and lacing.

Aroma is strong of citrus hops and that distinct Stone hop/yeast combo. It's also got a bright, almost summery aroma - hard to be in a bad mood after a sniff.

I've read the info on this beer being almost all British ingredients including water treated to match Burton mineral qualities. To my palate, that means very bitter and astringent up front while smoothing out and mellowing in the finish. Also, wow is there a lot of hops in here. If you've ever had an English IPA you know hops aren't as aggressive as they are here.

Mouthfeel-wise, I'd say it's a little to intense upfront to be a regular drinker, but as a one-timer it's a nice change.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 21:44:37 | More by ahking

rarbring

Sweden

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer has a hazy brass yellow color, a white head that is huge, recedes slowly, and leaves tons of lacing.

The smell has a honey and nectar sweetness, grape-fruit peel, pine, raisin, old cheese, fresh hay, glue.

The taste also has loads of nuances, sweet caramel, dark rye bread, pine resin, dew sprinkled herbs and fresh grass, resin and wood. Marzipan.

Medium low carbonation, small soft bubbles, a smooth texture and full body, slightly oily and alcoholic. A long dry finsih.

I can't help liking this kind of beer, if searching for anything there could be a notch more sour freshness.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 16:27:09 | More by rarbring

CHILLINDYLAN

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear golden straw. Huge near white head, thick and frosty. Sticky waves of lace.

Spicy peppery, herbal lemon hop aromas. Some pale toasted malt aroma.

Zesty lemon, pepper, spicy herbal, and grassy. Big peppery herbal bitterness. Touch of saltiness. Crisp bready yeast and a touch of vanilla.

Medium light body for style. Bigger body than color indicates. Drying, slightly sticky, and crisp. nice assertive slow carbonation.

Tasty and drinkable. Quite a departure from american IIPAs and English IPAs. I can get down with something like this from time to time. But I prefer the american hops.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 00:45:37 | More by CHILLINDYLAN

htomsirveaux

Texas

2.85/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

22 oz. bottle tried 15 Aug 2010. Served in the 0.5 L Adambrau becker.

Large foamy slightly yellow head. Moderate carbonation. Hazy toasted yellow corn color. Aroma is reminiscent of apples, floral, roses, slightly medicinal. Flavor starts somewhat soapy. Bitter. Some apple cideriness to it. Strong hop profile, quite medicinally-aspirin bitter throughout. Grapefruit pith bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. Medium body. Warming alcohol.

Not sure what hop variety gives the aspirin bitterness but it is unappealing.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 17:37:45 | More by htomsirveaux

pilotgod

Oklahoma

2.53/5  rDev -34.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Poured from 22oz into a tulip.

I had two bottles brought to me in August straight from the brewery. Drank one that night, cellered the other one, but did it wrong and it started to skunk, so drank it while it was still saveable. The below is from notes on the first beer, which was in bottle for less than 72 hours.

A: When poured correctly into the tulip a pronounced head is left that will support the bottle cap. The head isn't going anywhere either leaves lacing all the way down that clings fast and doesn't slowly migrate down the glass. The beer is a hazy yellow, but a little darker than other IPA's, such as Stone's Ruination.

S: It's an IPA, so first off you smell hops, followed by more hops, then a little pine smell, followed by hops again. Once your olfactory senses have been sufficiently stunned into submission, other nuances of the beer become apparent such as citrus notes and some flower essences that I can't peg exactly. The effect is to definitely let you know this is an IPA, but nothing really stands out above the rest.

T: Citrusy and hoppy are the two best adjectives here. They both combine in equal amounts to give you a unique IPA taste. This is however, a lot lighter on the hops presence then one would expect from an Emperial IPA and especially from Stone. It comes across a bit reserved as if Stone pulled back at the last minute from making a more substantial IPA.

M: The feel is OK, but a bit over carbonated for an IPA, this combined by an overly dry feeling, leave me less than impressed.

D: The brew didn't live up to what I've come to expect from DIPA styles and from Stone. While I wouldn't turn a glass of this down, I wouldn't spend my own money on another bottle or glass. Instead, for a good IPA and Stone product, I would turn back to Ruination.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 22:58:02 | More by pilotgod

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Notes from 08/09/2010:

22 oz bottle at 42 degrees into a Stone IRS tulip.

A: It pours a cloudy yellow-orange color with a finger of fluffy marshmallow-white head that doesn't last and doesn't lace very well.

S: Grass, pineapple, some floral notes, lemon zest, and earthiness.

T: Citrus heavy early with floral hop bitterness, honey, grass, and caramel malts taking over.

M: It has a medium-thick body with a lasting bitterness on the palate and some stickiness afterwards.

D: This beer is loaded with weirdness and contradictions.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 20:17:42 | More by bucklemyshoe

JRed

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thick orange juice with white head that disappears shortly after pour. Aroma of deep orange, orange peels, fruit punch and booze. Tastes of oranges, peels, booze, punch (similar to jungle juice), bitter towards the finish with a stale fruit aftertaste. Thick in body with light carbonation. A juicy imperial IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 17:55:22 | More by JRed

Lauthaha

Michigan

2.8/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Poured from a deuce-deuce (22 oz. bottle) into a beer taster.

Appearance: Cloudy pale golden color with moderate carbonation visible through the murky liquid. Head settles to a thin layer of foam on the surface of the beer and leaves moderate lacing on the way down.

Smell: There's a great deal of pungent citrus (lemon/lime/grapefruit) in the initial scent. Certainly a floral hop element, and even some light breadiness towards the end. From the scent, I could see it pairing with Indian/Pakistani cuisine or fishy seafood quite nicely. No unpleasantness.

Taste: Slightly repugnant. The scent is superbly misleading. First sip yields bitter nastiness. Burned popcorn and heavy fusel-type alcohol flavors battle voraciously, while a nearly cloying sweetness (of caramel malt, perhaps) creates a layer of strangeness underneath it all. Aftertaste is bitter and pungent. Not my favorite take on an IPA of any kind.

Mouthfeel: Lightly hop-oiled, ample carbonation, slightly chewy. Leaves a light coating upon imbibation.

Drinkability: I fear I may have to offer this as a libation to the beer-gods.

My only regret is that I drank the Lagunitas Hop Stoopid first tonight. *Sigh* if I could turn back time.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 02:35:15 | More by Lauthaha

Pahn

New York

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle into Duvel tulip. While the bottle is 6 months old, I'll note that it's spent those 6 months in my fridge, not on a hot bottleshop's shelf. Also, the fact that I waited 6 months to drink it isn't a mini-review in and of itself; I'm just not often in the mood for big, dry IPAs (I've had a few bottles of this beer already, and remember it fondly).

Appearance: Free pour yields a long lasting, one inch, frothy white head. Pours a hazy yellow, and leaves large swatches of lacing.

Smell: Right from the bottle there's a strong, potent, citrus hop aroma. In the glass it smells like orange, tropical fruit, and grass, with a mild bready malt backbone. Pungent, fruity hops are the dominant aroma. The smell is insistently hoppy, and enriches the taste. It would be mildly criminal to drink this out of a vessel that doesn't capitalize on how aromatic the beer is.

Taste: Lemony, orange-y hops giving way to a biscuity finish. High bitterness. Hop flavor lasts into the aftertaste.

The conceit of this beer is very simple: make a trademark west coast USA hop assault DIPA with hops reminiscent of milder English IPAs. The beer is well done on both fronts, and honestly tastes more balanced now than ever (when it was fresh, the powerhouse orange note from the smell was equally dominant in the taste, but now there's more of a balance between abundant hops and biscuit undertones).

My only complaints are that the flavor gets a bit solvent-like near the finish, and that lemony IPAs often put me a bit too in mind of washing dishes. All in all the flavor combinations are quite good though.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and juicy. Moderate to high carbonation. Finishes dry. West coast DIPA all the way in this category.

Drinkability: The alcohol gets in the way of really wanting to take down an entire 22oz bottle of this. It's a decent DIPA, and if it were made regularly I'd definitely hit it on tap once in awhile, or buy a bottle for a change. Wouldn't really even consider putting it into regular rotation though.

Emperial IPA is an experiment beer, and a relatively successful one. It works well as a brewery anniversary beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 03:47:07 | More by Pahn

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle into snifter.

Pours a cloudy, pale gold, lighter than expected, almost the color of ripe apricot flesh. Fluffy white head on top leaves wicked lacing clinging tenaciously to the glass as it recedes.

Nose is really different. Intense, vivid aromas of lemon and orange are marked by a big pungency that is surprisingly sharp - like taking a shot of those citric aromas right up the nose. I like it.

Taste doesn't let the nose down. Intensely citrusy, though like the nose more in the orange and lemon sense than the more grapefruity, tropical notes most often present in American versions. Very pungently bitter, peppery, just a bit of underlying cat pee bite, a sweet side to the citric fruitiness that comes from the underlying, almost anonymous malt sweetness - more candy than anything, but buried beneath the shouldered load of hop hysteria. Alcohol is quite subtle, lurking way in the back without ever causing a real stir. Finish is long, lingering pungent bitterness.

This is a pretty good beer now, and I bet this would age fairly well for a DIPA. In my opinion, this would be a better candidate for producing a Belgian version than Stone's standard IPA is. Really intriguing beer, and one I was rather surprised to enjoy as much as I did.

Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, with that characteristic mellow fullness of unfiltered beers, with a softish carbonation and lingering bitterness. A bit on the juicy side.

Drinkability is ok - the alcohol is there but subtle, the flavors mesh well and are unique. The pungency and big bitterness are somewhat distracting, and the pungency especially wears after a bit.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 20:27:12 | More by JohnQVegas

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I've had a bottle of Stone 14 sitting in my fridge for a while. Looking at it I could tell that it was totally hoppy because I could see the haze through the brown glass. I decided to open it tonight to find that it's not actually hop resins that are making it hazy (it's actually cloudy), it's just yeast! It looks like a Bavarian style hefeweizen in the glass (except for the quick rising bubbles of a higher carbonation). In fact I can see fairly large chunks of yeast suspended an inch or so above the base of the glass. There's also a lot of sediment, but I'm surprised that there's so much floating about. And this is the first pour!!!

It holds a good head though, continually maintaining a 1/4" thick lid of creamy white foam. Rings and sheets of lace are also left behind with each sip.

Surprisingly, it's not that hoppy in the nose. Ahh, I see. After a quick look at the label I understand that it's an English style IPA (although a bit strong), hence the title "Emperial". It's gently citrusy, leafy, mildly floral, a touch piney; and fruity from the yeast (apple, some pear). But does being an English style allow for a cloudy appearance? Hmmm?

In the mouth it's medium with a gently dextrinous edge, and a moderate carbonation that gently bristles the palate (I guess that's English-style as well).

The flavor is fairly basic, except that it is a bigger beer with more alcohol and a lot of bitterness. I find pale ale malt with perhaps a touch of light crystal; but this could simply be "Golden Promise" or some other UK malt. It's not Maris Otter. The hops are as the nose suggests, although a bit more grassy and spicy, and less leafy. They remain floral. The fruitiness of the yeast is present throughout, and it's reminiscent of other Stone beers, however, I think it's a different strain than they normally use. Is it just White Labs WLP023? I initially thought WLP002 but that's a little sharper than the "Bass"... ... could be, but who knows? I find it amazing how the same strains of yeast can taste different coming out of different breweries based on how their fermentation program.

As to drinkability, I enjoyed it. It's not an English IPA by any means, but it sits well as a west coast interpretation of an English IPA. Could it be described as anything else? No. That said, it's a bit bitter and the alcohol shows. Is it too bitter...? Nah, not really. As far as micros go it's still well within reason, especially for Stone. But should the alcohol be so apparent? Probably not. Is there enough complexity to keep it interesting? Ahh, not really. But that goes back to the style. On the other hand, the alcohol and bitterness throw off the balance a bit.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 23:00:52 | More by NeroFiddled

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy, grapefruit yellow. Frothy white head that vanishes surprisingly quickly leaving one giant lace ring - the alpha ring. Some other retention slips and slides down the glass but doesn't stick.

Smells exactly like Yikes Strips grapefruit bubblegum. Some herbal tones there as well, so maybe not exactly. Bready focaccia malt. Taste is more grapefruit, more herbal, and maybe some white pepper. Baguette malt with some sourdough character in back.

I think the herbal character of this beer would get to me after awhile but for 22oz it rocks my socks.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 22:12:48 | More by donkeyrunner

Jaynuze

District of Columbia

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This must have been a monster when it was fresh. I've decided to open mine up after 8 months of storage at about 40 degrees. The hop nose and pungent snap of hops have mellowed a bit, but a tasty, surprisingly well balanced (esp. for a DIPA) taste resides with an absolutely beautiful appearance. A cloudy, orange hue with hints of golden yellow and a nice thin lacy head.

I'm very surprised as most of Stone's beers are right up in your face, the aging, though brief, really has brought out the subtleties of this beer, very pleasing and shockingly smooth and easy sipping for an 8.9% beer.

Would have loved to try this right off the shelf as I'm sure there would have been a hop explosion ... that being said, only after 8 months, this beer is still incredible. Well done Stone!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 22:16:09 | More by Jaynuze

cdbooth219

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into pilsner glass

A: Pours a hazy golden orange with 2 fingers of fluffy head that dissipates slowly leaving nice lacing

S: Tons of floral, piney, earthy, grassy and citrusy hops up front. Hints of tropical fruit. A bit of caramel and toffee from the malts, and a bit of booziness at the end.

T: More of the hops, starting floral, piney and grassy, then finishing with grapefruit and lime. A bit of pineapple and mango show up in there too. Then comes the caramel, toffee and breadiness, with the booze as well. Finishes dry and bitter.

M: Very smooth and creamy, very different from the typical DIPA

D: I could definitely drink this again and again. This is one of the best DIPA's I've had.

Overall, this is an amazing beer. I hope Stone will produce more of this.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 18:59:14 | More by cdbooth219

alleykatking

Indiana

3.6/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22oz bottle.

A- Pours a hazy golden yellow color. One finger white head shows medium retention. Left some spotty lacing on the sides of the glass.

S- Piney hops right off the get go with this nose. A little citrus thrown in there too to offset the bitter earthy hops. Toffee forward malt base. There is a hint of alcohol toward the ending of this beer. Hmmm...seems to have held up a little bit.

T- Bitter piney hop bite right off the get go. Citrusy hops also in the front end of the beer off set once again the bitterness. There is also some light spicey hops in there as well to add the extra element. Middle of this beer shows off the toffee malt backbone along with some sweet raisins. Backend of this beershows more of a bready malt with stronger alcohol notes and citrus hops blowing through the backend.

M- Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. Hops and more hops left on the palate. Aftertaste is mostly citrus hops, bready malt, and alcohol. Medium drying on the palate from the alcohol. Flavors were hop forward and secondly malts which off set the hops a little but not much. Clean flavors except the medicinal alcohol flavor was a bit much at itmes when it warmed.

D- This beer was above average but not great with this year on it. The hops held up really well but there was something I didn't like about it. ABV was a little higher which might have helped to taste it a little more. Overall a drinkable beer but as far as buying it...a one and done for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 17:19:49 | More by alleykatking

MNJR

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I taste mainly citrus/berry/peach flavors up front: raspberry and lemon dominate. Next the minty hops and some light candy apple or rock candy notes. Amazingly, this is all accomplished without being "too sweet," which is great. There is sweetness, but not overdone. The color is OK, like a cloudy lager. The smell is apple, peach and citrus. Mouthfeel is very smooth with the real burst of flavor coming out of the fine carbonation releasing in the back of the mouth. The hops are underplayed for the style. The fruit washes away very cleanly in minty spice. No residuals or aftertastes come forward. It's good up front and going down. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 00:47:49 | More by MNJR

afrokaze

California

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first review for my first beer of 2011! 22oz bomber shared with a fellow hop-head. Bottle dated June 2010*. Poured into a tulip. Writing this as I drink it to give impressions as it warms.

A: Pours a hazy golden-orange with a bit more body than a normal DIPA, and a finger of off-white creamy head that quickly dissapears, leaving some nice oily lacing. Haze settles some as the beer warms, but still looks like a gorgeous dirty-blonde under light.

S: Tons of floral notes, citrus, grassy/leafy, but with a nice malt backbone that grows as it warms, along with the alcohol. Pretty unique in this style, for some reason that's hard to name.

T: Plenty of hops and citrus, plus spice up front, despite the age. Nice crisp leaf/floral notes are balanced by malt presence that grows in the aftertaste. Grapefruit and lime/tangerine really shine through, followed by raisin honey, bready malt, and alcohol that grows as it warms. Good balance, not quite the hop assault you might expect from Stone.

M: Maybe my favorite part of the beer - it had a nice creaminess from the English yeast that I've never gotten in a DIPA. Really nice.

D: Really pretty good considering the ABV, but you'll feel it in the end.

Overall, I liked the effort. I think the unique ingredients really brought something new to the table, and it's nice to see even Stone moving towards more balance in their hoppy beers. Unfortunately, the dank bitterness comes out a little too much at the end when it warms. This will be a style to watch when it matures!

*As far as the age goes, I was holding onto this beer for a little over 2 months inadvertently before I uncapped it. However it's about 6 months or more by the bottle date, meaning it was a bit old by the time I got it (should have checked.) Despite what some might say, I thought the age added a nice dimension to this beer - the mellowing suited the malt & creaminess that I liked. That said, I wouldn't let it sit any longer really, and I wish I could have had it fresh.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 02:29:32 | More by afrokaze

bosox941827

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomb bottle in Great Dane Pub & Brewing imperial pint glass; poured cold, tasted as it warmed
A - A surprisingly light color; on the yellow side of orange, pours a bit cloudy with bits of yeast floating about. Cloudiness dissipates as beer warms.
S - Earthy hops, with a bit of sweetness in the background.
T - First, it's simply amazing that this is 8.9% ABV; get just the *slightest* hint of it at the end. Now then, candy-like sweetness dominates up front, giving way to a pleasant, more earthy-peppery hop flavor than one usually gets from Stone. Actually almost feel a bit of soil-grittiness toward the end of the palate as well as the tongue is drying out. It really takes a while for the sweetness to wash out, but it does leave a lingering, hoppy dryness, as one would expect from the style (and Stone).
M - Very smooth; carbonation is almost non-existent.
D - Surprisingly high given the ABV; could kick your ass if you tried sessioning this, I suspect.
Another success from a brewery that seems to do no wrong...

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 23:16:30 | More by bosox941827

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

2.95/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22 ounce bomber into a pint glass. The beer is a cloudy golden color, with no head. The beer has aromas of hops and flora. Initial hop forward bitter flavor, with sharp citrus undertone. There are bits of spice hidden underneath the heavy initial flavors, but very subtle. The beer is light and crisp in mouth, with a sour citrus finish. Aftertaste is mostly sour, with slight bitter hops blend. The beer is a bit unbalanced, and the strong flavors make this a "one and done."

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 01:02:44 | More by GarthDanielson

jsanford

Georgia

3.03/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Pours a hazy orange-gold with a thin creamy ivory head. Nice retention, leaves spotty lacing.
S - Pungent hops of pine resin and grapefruit with a sweet toffee malt backbone. Slightly subdued.
T - Begins with pungent herbal and citrus hops followed by the sweet cracker malt. Very intense bitter finish that's not entirely pleasant to me. Not my favorite hop profile.
M - Sticky with a medium body and moderate carbonation. Alcohol really makes it's presence known as this one warms.
D - Not my favorite Stone offering, but it's a cool concept that I respect. Glad I tried it, had to struggle through the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 17:15:27 | More by jsanford

spartanfan

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bomber into a nondescript goblet.

A: Pours a very hazy golden straw color. Nice fluffy white head that slowly fades to a thin layer leaving spotty lacing behind.

S: Aromas are overpoweringly of hops, but it's almost a sweet hoppy smell. Odors of pineapple, tangerines are prevelant. I've never smelled an IPA like this one, and I'm really digging it.

T: I would have loved to have tried this fresh, but as it is it tastes past its prime. Hops are present, but badly faded.

M: Mouthfeel is medium with good carbonation. Just about perfect.

D: Quite drinkable considering the ABV.

As I said, I feel this beer is past its prime, but I don't know how it was kept so I can't say if it might age well under better conditions.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 19:47:34 | More by spartanfan

BeanBone

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: A nicely hazy golden-orange body capped by a finger and a half of creamy white head that burns off quickly and leaves patchy lacing.

Aroma: Lots of juicy, floral, and herbal hops over a pale malt body; this is a unique blend. A little bit of booze as it warms.

Flavor: Up front, a blast of herbal, citrusy, peppery, and nicely bitter hops take center stage. Underneath, the malt is pale and a little sweet, but pretty much stays out of the way. It's not terribly unbalanced, but certainly leans heavily on the malt side (which is appropriate for the style). Nice spice from the alcohol throughout. Herbals hops and crackery malt in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied and a little oily with medium carbonation and a dry finish. Burn from the booze throughout.

Drinkability: Drinks just a little quicker than the alcohol content would suggest and much faster than the average Double IPA.

Verdict: As I had hoped, Stone 14 is a thoroughly unique and totally enjoyable brew. It has a lot of the impact and punch of an American IPA, but a totally different set of flavors. Mission accomplished, Greg.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 23:54:42 | More by BeanBone

far333

Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Slightly hazed but fairly clear apricot colored with an inch high head of dimpled moguls of foam.

Low aroma of citrus and pine and some honey malt. Flavors of citrus, though somewhat muted, ripe fruits, grainy light brown sugar, butterscotch, notes of pine, some toffe. Alcohol strength does not detract.

Full and rich mouthfeel, very creamy, finishes slightly tingly and sends warmth up the cheeks. Tasty and drinkable, but would be better if the hops tasted fresh and bright.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 23:38:25 | More by far333