Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA - Stone Brewing Co.

pmsawyer

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

As an English IPA it misses the style; it is an Imperial IPA . The ingredients were English, except the treated water, but the style is Imperial as implied in the spelling Emperial which implies something different has been done.

Aroma - Hops with no detectable malt

Appearance - gold with orange tint. Little to no head.

Flavor - aroma did not mis-lead all hops. Very little malt tasted. Long aftertaste of hops a little harsh and bitter.

Texture - light body but astringent.

Overall a strong hop tonic. Never sure what "drinkability" means (Bud Light?) but one was enough.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2010 14:36:35 | More by pmsawyer

Deuane

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at Al's of Hampden. The very fact that Stone is making an 8+% English IPA is quite funny to me....I am sure this one will piss some folks off!

A-Bright, golden orange-copper with a thick bright white head. Head reduces slowly to a thin cap that leaves nice lace.

S-Melon rind, herbal notes, grapefruit, hint of white pepper and a touch of cat box.

T-Assertive bitterness up front with strong notes of grapefruit rind, pine melon and subtle berry sweetness. Malt body is quite light and does not do much to in an attempt to balance the hop bill.

M-Medium bodied, quite sticky and resinous. Long lasting hop bitterness.

D-Good, but this one didn't do anything to wow me. I liked the flavours and the hop aggressiveness but nothing really impressed me. A solid, yet unremarkable beer from a brewery that knows how to make quality hop bombs. This one falls a bit short IMHO.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2010 10:31:13 | More by Deuane

vertigelt1

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Looks like I'm first to review it on tap! Served up at The Daily Pint in Santa Monica.

A: poured much oranger than I'd expected. A light, bright orange with a finger of white creamy head that disipated quickly and left little lacing.

S: I smell a little bit of the pine others mention, but not much grass. Some tangerine and grapefruit. Light malt.

T: strong grapefruit bitterness, very little of the pine I smelled. Not a lot of complexity, just strong bitter hops. Malts? We don't need no stinking malts! Slightly medicinal finish. Not entirely unpleasant but very strong; finish lingers and lingers.

M: medium body, slightly thin for the boldness of the taste. Carbonation balances that thinness to a pleasant, well Dundee mouthfeel anyways.

D: I'll be honest. I don't need another one. I'm fine with assertive beers, but this one felt a little one-dimensional, and infind that overpowering. My palet is amped up but is ready for... Something else.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2010 03:25:42 | More by vertigelt1