Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA - Stone Brewing Co.

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy orange-ish color with a white head. In the aroma, a small hop, but actually quite mild. In the taste, a nice bitter hop and quite malty. A bitter and medium bodied mouthfeel and a small bite and dry maltiness in the aftertaste. Very English like, kind of lame for Stone, OK nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2010 13:44:26 | More by OWSLEY069

mzrebiec

Pennsylvania

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

Wow! I got 2 bottle of this beer in the cellar and did not want to open them due to the rarity of the beer in my location. A local bar had it on tap so I had to try it. It was simply incredible. The hop character was very earthy and not as citrusy as a normal IPA. I am getting ahead of myself. It poured a nice golden hew with a minimal white head that laced all the way down the glass. The aromas that came out of the beer were fantastic. Earthy, hoppy, and some pale malt came through. Now, back to the flavors. It was a very drinkable beer for the ABV and the smoothness kept me wanting more. Hats off to Stone on their 14th anniversary beer. I cannot wait to see how it tastes in a year or two.

CHEERS!

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2010 02:33:33 | More by mzrebiec

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I had this on tap at Shady McGrady's in Harrisburg - served chilled in a snifter.

A - A peachy colored ale w/ thick bone white cap which has a creamy appearance and holds well. The bead is very fine and the clarity is translucent. The lace sticks to glass in haphazard pattern

S - The smell while pleasant is also a little peculiar with hints of pear and musty pine esters the alcohol is evident and has a mild floral/herbal element

M - The feel is good, but the fruit and tang of yeast and subtle acidic tinged hop texture shifts midway to a warming and intensely bitter sharp aspect. It isn't that I didn't expect that considering Stone Imperial IPA's but it lacks subtlety the carbonation is moderate and sweetness is low with a moderate astringency level

T - The flavor is pleasant and mildly fruit w/ notes of golden apple and pear and mild herbal English hop flavors which seem slightly piney too. The flavor gets more peppery and the alcohol gradually comes forward with a very sharp bitterness which lingers into a very dry finish. The taste is like an English ipa pushed and molded to fit the American Imperial Ipa mold, it loses some of the English character and seems salty it is so bitter toward the end

D - The drinkability is average for me - the flavors start ok, but the intense bitterness doesn't help the overall character of the beer to me. I would say give it a try, but as I mentioned in the taste it is really lacking the English character and is an American Imperial IPA in English Ipa clothes - the bitterness seems to be more the focus than actual English hop flavor

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2010 13:12:58 | More by Slatetank

mdfb79

New York

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 7/2 notes. Had on tap at the Big Hunt in DC.

a - Pours an amber, murky-golden color with 2 inches of white head and light carbonation.

s - Smells very weird. Got some earthy malts and manure. Not enjoyable at all.

t - Tastes of tropical fruits, sweet fruity hops, citrus, and floral hops.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

d - I thought this was a nice beer except for the smell, which was awful. I asked several other people who ordered it as well and they all agreed on the smell. Probably wouldn't seek out again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2010 16:41:59 | More by mdfb79

thain709

Pennsylvania

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

A - Served with a hazy, yet glowing, golden body...a nice, two finger, white head...good retention and nice lacing

S - The hops (citrus and pine) are present as you would expect from a Stone beer but there is also an underlying grain and sweet malt aroma

T - The flavors are rather balanced with both the malts and hops having their time to shine...the malts have a sweet caramel flavor to them and they also give off that roasted grain flavor too...this helps knock down the bitterness from the hops...the hops present themselves as citrus first (grapefruit, orange, lemon) then the finish with a blast of pine

M - Medium bodied...moderate carbonation, dry, I think having it on tap helped

D - Being an anniversary ale I would get this one while it's still around...I was actually expecting this to be a tad more hoppy, but Stone stuck to the Queen's orders and threw in a good dose of malts

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2010 14:10:20 | More by thain709

Hershdawg

California

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

On tap at Eureka! Burger in Redlands on Tap for Steal the Glass. 14th anniversary glass.

A: Golden color. Excellent head retention. Slight head after even after a half hour.

S: Citrus, Grape fruit, malt, spice, and booze.

T: boose, malt, hops. It becomes more impressive as it warms up but if it reaches room temp towards the end it becomes more alcoholic.

M: Any thicker it would be a barleywine.

D: One bottle portion is enough.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2010 05:00:45 | More by Hershdawg

SaazWarz

Pennsylvania

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

Had this at Al's as well on draft.Super with hot wings! Simply a great beer. I find it funny that folks find it funny stone made an english Dipa! Whats it to them...but to dog this beer is just wrong(IMO). The E in Emperial is maybe for the great Empire that England once was. And can someone tell me what the hell is a cat box taste? What are you guys eating?

A- Cloudy, blonde, nice white head that leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

S- citrus,grapefruit, nice pungant burst of hops

T- Grapefruit,sticky sweet, piney resins,

m- tart,nice bitterness on the palate and back of tongue

D- easly drinkin if your a seasoned IPA consumer. So good I had to take a growler home.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2010 17:47:32 | More by SaazWarz

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

barczar

Kentucky

3.79/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Trying to make room in the cellar.

Pours a murky deep apricot with a foamy one inch cream head that dissipates in big bubbles, leaving thick lacing. Visible chunks are present.

Tangerine, grapefruit, and floral hops form the initial aroma. There's a confectioners sugar sweetness in the background accompanying pine, and substantial doughy malt ties things together. Surprised it's still this hoppy.

Orange, tangerine, and bitter pith flavors emerge first. Bitterness is quite high throughout. Citrus is accompanied by floral hops to dominate the profile. The finish is fairly dry and peppery. Grassy, earthy notes emerge as out warms. Caramel malt adds a substantial sweetness initially, but is dominated by hops in the finish.

Body is moderate, with spritzy carbonation and significant alcohol warmth.

More citrus character than anticipated. Very bitter.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 00:01:42 | More by barczar

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I imagine this would have been a stunning beer when fresh and clearly Stone can't be blamed for my poor cellaring choices, but although the taste has held up remarkably well, other elements don't shine as much.

Not a visually appealing beer, as it pours a yellowish-orange with limited head and many large floating chunks. Aroma has faded remarkably, so that now hops are barely present, just the "fresh blood" copper smell that comes with their passing. However the faint citrus tang in the background hints at what must have been. The flavour still has some bitter punch and is nowhere near as simple as the aroma. Tropical fruit and citrus with a decent caramelized malt backbone and a bracing alcohol warmth fitting its 8.9% ABV

I’ll state again how sad I am to have lost this bomber at the back of the beer fridge! This beer should definitely have been enjoyed fresh.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 01:54:09 | More by hopsolutely

Philousa

California

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

I tried this first at Stone's NYE celebration ringing in 2012. Thought it was interesting and then I saw it in a bottle at Lone Hill Liquor. Decided to grab it. Glad I did.

It should be noted that this is incorrectly labeled as an American Imperial IPA. According to the bottle this is an English Imperial IPA.

Somewhat opaque pale gold with a dense white head. Aroma is (unsurprisingly) hoppy. Mostly a perfume of flower and nectar notes with some grapefruit and lemon. Slight alcohol and biscuit. Flavor starts with white bread crust and lemon rind. Fades to bitter orange and then grassy, earthy bitterness of aforementioned hops. Feel is appropriate and finish is dry. Actually, the finish is the most unorthodox thing about this beer. The hops and malt are English, but this is more floral than I'm used to, so I view that as Stone's take on the style. The dry finish is a bit grating, the only flaw really. Definitely like this one. A different take on a tried and true style that is overlooked in the states. Glad I tried it, now I wish I had it fresh to compare.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 02:17:57 | More by Philousa

Ego

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

sittin' around the cellar for some time now, I thought I would pull one of these out to see how it was doing.

eyes...
audible sizzle fizz, one full finger of head (the craggy soapy kind), hazy straw color with a good amount of carbonation running through, the head settles in a hurry into your typical O-ring configuration, no lacing to speak of, minimal legs, so far this is far from impressive

nose...
piney hops with some malt backing, not too much else, I bet it has calmed down from being set down

taste etc...
for as much carbonation as seen in the glass it barely seems detectable in the sip, also, there is barely any flavor here, kind of a mild orange flavor with almost zero bitterness, there is some of the ABV felt in the gullet. This is a tamed tiger. It drinks really easy in this form but I would not recommend it to highly. This has been perfectly cellar kept since the release (no sunlight, no anything).

verdict?
this one has definitely lost its punch

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 05:03:04 | More by Ego

azdback

Arizona

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

Poured into my Stone Imperial glass. Fire yellow orange color. Very clear appearance with a ton of large carbonation bubbles that lead to a large two finger head that is off white in color and medium creamy in appearance. Lace isn't sticking that well.

Smell is very rich in caramel malts. Sweet, some earthy aromas like grass and just a bit of bread.

Taste is on the malty side. Sweet, but not super sweet, mild caramel, light kayro syrup. Some earthy yeast or hop flavors. Some mild alcohol at the end but very mild.

Mouth is round, carbonation is rather light and creamy. Body is medium and the finish is not very long and on the weak side of wet.

Overall for this being 2+ years old I think it is still drinking pretty nice. I don't remember it having the earthy, grass tastes when it was fresh but I didn't review it then so I could be wrong. If you are sitting on some of these I don't think there is a hurry on drinking them because I don't believe this has dropped off that much.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 04:24:42 | More by azdback

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from 7/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a cloudy medium orange amber. Moderate head with some lacing. Very citrusy with grapefruit and some piney hops. Moderate malt and moderate body. Finishes hoppy and bitter. A bit of an astringent aftertaste. A satisfactory IPA, but nothing really stands out. Not as well balanced as other Stone IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 23:05:20 | More by LiquidAmber

beermanbrian

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Down to my last 2 of a case of this one a realized i've reviewed yet so even though it's a little old here it goes.

Cloudy light gold appearance tha is actually somewhat blah for a stone brew. Big bubbled head that trails a few clumps of lace behind but nothing really special.

Faint citrus smells but maybe more like mango than strong grapefruit. Some honey sweetness appears also. Some musty earthyness also.

Taste is cloying sweetness upfront tha shows the bite of the alcohol. No fruitiness in the taste, i get more of earthy, slightly piney bitterness.

Full body on this one gives it some real meat. This is a big heavy beer.

Overall not the best of the Stone Anniversary beers but still better than most that you can get your hands on. Even the worst Stone is a treat that i will never turn down.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 01:06:20 | More by beermanbrian

SLeffler27

New York

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

A cloudy, golden honey with half inch creamy white head that leaves a coating of lace.

Has the aroma of citrus and dried orange peel in a Stone snifter. There is an odd cheddar aroma and some welcome pine tar.

Opens with a big, hoppy bite and pine. The upfront bitterness is followed by honey. There is a short, pungent finish that gradually fades to grapefruit.

Full body with a velvety texture with warming alcohol about as expected. This one is very dry and a bit chalky.

This one is relatively easy to drink despite the high alcohol because is warms well. I enjoyed it with pasta but it might also pair well with reading.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 12:56:35 | More by SLeffler27

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

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

Bomber poured into a tulip
Dated June 2010 (consume fresh or age in the hull of a seafaring vessel for a year or more)
I dont know about all that but Its being consumed after 19 months, recently bought of a shelf.

A- Pours incredibly hazy light orange with yellow on the edges. A nice two finger head with decent retention. (note: This beer has a lot of trub and other particles that only made it into the second pour)
S- Certainly a unique IPA. Lots of spicy dark fruits as well as citrus like grapefruit and lemon. Figs, mangoes and other oddities. Smells overly ripened and a little funky. A light caramel feel to the smell.
T- Tastes exactly like it smells. Theres a lot of old ripened fruits like grapefruit and mangoes and raisins. Light caramel, but this beer is all about the hops, and the yeast too. I think a lot of the bitter character has died with age but its still ever present here.
M- This bitter, but silky smooth IPA is a great drinker. Perfect carbonation, A full and coating mouth feel, Leaves behind a lot of bitterness. Smooth malts and a funky hop feel balance rather well. A little warming.
O- This another great IPA offering from Stone, too bad it has come and gone but it wont be forgotten. I has a smooth body, a warming feel and a hoppy funk that I have never really experienced.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 10:14:42 | More by TwelveOunces

superspak

Michigan

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

22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled June 2010. Pours extremely hazy golden straw color with a nice 2-3 finger fairly dense off white head with great retention that reduces to a nice cap. Some decent lacing on the glass. Aromas of lemon zest, orange, herbal spices, floral, some pine resin, and light spicy alcohol. Fairly nice aromas here with good strength. Taste of big lemon, orange, grapefruit, herbal spiciness, pine resin, biscuit, honey-like sweetness; and other light fruits. Good amount of bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, herbal spice, pine, and bread on the finish for a while. Good balance of flavors and bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a slightly creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Nicely drinkable, but is still a bit of a sipper. Alcohol is well hidden at 8.9%; with only a slight warming on the finish. Overall, for being and DIPA, this has held up quite nicely since 2010. Nice hop flavor profile is still present; with nice flavor balance.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 07:57:40 | More by superspak

Immortale25

Florida

4.51/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Sierra Nevada signature tumbler. Label says June 2010.

A- Pours a slightly hazy light gold color with a 3/4 inch head that retains shortly before it becomes just a 1/4 inch sheer head. Melty lacing.

S- Smells funky like bleu cheese with hops in the background.

T- Highly bitter but citrusy enough to provide balance and meaning. Intense grapefruit notes abound with high levels of alpha acids. This is a hop bomb but has a crisp, fruity bite rather than an earthy, herbal one. After multiple sips, the chaos evolves into a controlled balance and becomes very easy to drink.

M- Tight, dry and snappy. Medium-high carbonation has held up well in the bottle.

O- Amazing. Cracked at the perfect time.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 05:02:03 | More by Immortale25

kylehay2004

Florida

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

2 finger frothy white head on a murky golden body. Wet sock hop and lemon aroma. Some pine notes. Flavor is mostly piney hops, a little bitter. A little paper-like. The hops are subtle, more so than I expected. medium body and moderate carbonation. The flavor grows on you as you drink it. It is definitly different than I expected with a much stronger floral note to the flavor than I usually see in imperial IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 02:07:00 | More by kylehay2004

ZenAgnostic

Texas

3.7/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1 pint 6 oz bottle poured into Duvel tulip. Marked June 2010.

Appearance - Big white foamy head with decent retention and very erratic patchy stick. Opaque yellow-orange body with tons of floating yeast nodules.

Smell - Band-Aids. Peach? Very yeasty. Cardboard.

Taste - Bitter and fishy. Some lime peel and something like yogurt and bread. Strange. Reminds me of Orval for some reason. Underlying maltiness like maple syrup.

Mouthfeel - Light-medium bodied. Good bite and mild astringency. Head offers plenty of froth.

Overall Drinkability - Complex. Different. Makes me want to travel time and have an old school IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 19:41:53 | More by ZenAgnostic

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pouring a cloudy straw-yellow haze with floating green hop chunks, Emperial IPA opens with a fruity, hoppy, effervescent nose bubbling over with not the expected pungent grapefruits and pines one would expect from a beer with, reportedly, 100 IBUs, but a floral, almost bubble-gum like sugary rosewater flair, as if rose petals and rose hips had been infused into a light grapefruit spritzer, then sprinkled with Candi sugar. Touches of toast crust provide grounding, but the beer is largely sugary in aroma, and so saturated with sugars that the bottle's mouth is sticky. The effect is enticing, but strangely so, the aromas not quite resembling those of a beer, but still delicious.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a brown sugar rush, then moves quickly into a bitter, hop-based middle, the hops providing pine and grapefruit rind, as well as lemon, dandelion stem, and eucalyptus notes. Hints of anise and pepper linger in the background, and the soft palate burns gently under the 100 IBUs. A good toast and biscuit base helps offset the sugary bitters, and brown sugars bring sweeter notes, joined by touches of orange liqueur and apricot. The aftertaste is largely bitter grapefruit and pine hops, with hints of toasted wheat stems, and lingers for some time. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium-high, adding to the burning sensations on the tongue.

Overall, this is excellent fare, though I suspect many will find the hops overpowering, especially in their tendency to reproduce stem and twig flavors, as if one was eating the plant as well as drinking the plant infusion. Still, the beer is nicely balanced, the hops providing a lovely palate of mingling and delicious flavors, and the malts bringing good fruit esters and biscuit flavors. Well worth trying, and a beer worthy of being bottled again.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 01:35:34 | More by jondeelee

warnerry

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Notes from 2/12/11

A - Pours a very hazy straw color wit one finger of rather persistent off-white head.

S - Pungent hops. Has a rather earthy aroma for such a hop-forward beer.

T - I had this fresh but didn't review. The hops have definitely faded, but are still in abundance. Has an almost salty taste, like licking the side of an old sea-faring vessel (which I mean in mostly a good way). This definitely is't for everyone, but I enjoyed it. A decent amount of malt backbone to balance.

M - Medium mouthfeel that is somewhat oily. Finishes dry.

O - An interesting brew. One to savor in small quantities

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 02:29:31 | More by warnerry