Levitation Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

bmwats

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint.

A: Medium dark brown. Pours about a 1 finger, frothy, brown-white head. Settles slowly leaving a thick blanket and a substantial beer ring. Medium spider web lacing.

S: Soapy hops. Sugar cookie, and a little lemon citrus.

T: Woody malt, white bread, slight hop bite, pecan shells, a little licorice, and light tinge of butterscotch.

M: Full flavored, hearty malt goodness. Very slight sweetness to start, and very slight bitterness in the finish.

D: Goes down easy, but you'll want to savor.

Atmosphere is good. Nice appearance including a frothy head, and some really nice lacing. Nose is bitter and sweet. Flavor is a great combination of numerous very light components. Very well balanced. Overall, this is a great quaff.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 05:32:50 | More by bmwats

DannyHartman

4.28/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Once again, Stone Brewery comes through.... This is an ale I place a step above their I.P.A... Such a complex body and nose.... Incredibly hoppy, with such an amazing taste.... I love to just sit and sip on this enjoyable brew.... On the strong side if you're not into a beer with hoppier taste, but I can promise you that this is one of the tastiest beers out of the Stone Brewery.... A must have.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 18:57:58 | More by DannyHartman

MacQ32

South Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a slightly muddied dark amber with a fluffy thick cream colored head, excellent lacing, decent retention

S - Sweet caramel, slightly earthy/citrusy, slightly resinous. Good, a little too faint though

T - Crisp but mild citrusy/resinous hop flavor up front, nice sweet aftertaste, slightly chewy

M - Medium/lighter bodied, appropriate carbonation, pretty drinkable

O - Tasty brew, a little mild for my liking in a lot of ways but incredibly well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 03:06:13 | More by MacQ32

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

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

Reviewed from 7/20/12 notes. 12 oz. bottle poured into a standard pint.

A - Deep ruby auburn in color with just a thin white film of head. Some lace, but not much.

S - Smells of various malts; caramel and sourdough come to mind. Some blood orange on the nose as well.

T - Very mellow flavor. Dominated by malts, but not sweet. Has the herbal character of black tea, with some added spiciness. Citrus comes out as it warms. There is a drying bitterness on the finish.

M - Good carbonation with a light feel.

O - This one gets a lot of talk as one of the best session beers out there. The reputation is well deserved. Unique and full flavored, while staying light and mellow. Great when you want to have a beer or twelve.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 01:33:58 | More by NoLeafClover44

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Impressive beer for what it is - definitely sessionable, low ABV, but excellent flavor for this category. The deeper flavor reminds of some of the English pale ales yet low ABV. Definite hop flavor but they are mild and very dry. This beer is not new - at least a year old yet the flavor is still good. Brown to amber color in the glass.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 21:25:53 | More by Oakenator

Infamous7100

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a vibrant orange red to copper color with a thin off white head.
S: a nice floral-malt balance aroma, but perhaps a tad muted.
T: starts with the sweet malts and hints of toffee. This blends perfectly with a citrusy grapefruit tang. Finishes slighty bitter, but not overpowering.
M: Very smooth and a tad creamy. A nice crisp bite with a finish that mirrors. Pleasant hoppy hang.
O: a very good straight ahead beer. The balance is perfect. And, at an incredibly low ABV, a perfect session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 23:12:05 | More by Infamous7100

pburland23

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours a dark, reddish amber. It came out of the fridge a little cold, so there wasn't much head and it dissipated pretty quickly.

Smell: Funky, musty, earthy citrus and piney hops aroma. A touch of caramel sweetness but not much. The smell is just alright. It's alright, but not great.

Taste: Much more balanced than the nose would indicate. Sip starts with a big bite of carbonation...sharp and prickly. Lots of rich caramel malt flavor....very nice. The finish is dry and mildly bitter. Nice tasting.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. The carbonation is a bit much, but it doesn't derail the beer on the whole. Obviously, the drinkability is superb at 4.4%. There's a lot of flavor in this eminently sessionable beer.

Overall: When you want a quality, well crafted beer with not a lot of alcohol, Levitation should be near the top of your list.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 00:38:10 | More by pburland23

harrymel

Washington

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Have enjoyed this beer many, many times on tap. Finding a fresh bottle in my area was a little trickier.
Best by 04OCT12

Pours an inviting hazelnut with some light tan foam etching the surface. Nose pulls give me hints of orange and lemon zests, light malts, hints of cola and tea. Flavor is yummy english like malts and plenty of citrusy hops. The citrus cannot be understated in this one for me - it's really on the back end when I breath: nice orange rinds with some hints of grapefruit. The malts are pekoe in character. The beer is carried in a medium weight with lively carb and a wet finish. Nice beer - really drinkable and I wish Stone would can this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 07:16:42 | More by harrymel

soju6

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a rich amber color with a good head that fades slowly to ample lacing.

S: Aroma of citrus wityh a bit of pine and some malt sweetness.

T: Nice bit of citrus up front with a trace of pine and a bit of malt sweetness. There is a nice bitterness throughout and a dry finish.

F: medium body, crisp and quite creamy. Interesting balance.

O: Good beer that is very enjoyable. Worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 05:37:48 | More by soju6

gtermi

Texas

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This has a clear brown body with a thin white head that quickly fades to a ring around the glass.

S: There is a nice amount of malt and a slight amount of hop spice.

T: A lot like the smell, it has a strong amount of sweet malt and this also has a nice spicy style hop flavor that lingers around for a while with the malt.

M: There is a good amount of carbonation on the tip of the tongue and the back of the throat. It does go down somewhat easy.

O: This is a solid beer and has a nice flavor. All around, I enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 05:26:21 | More by gtermi

threeviews

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle (Best Before Date: 9-20-12) into a Magic Hat 9 Shaker Glass (with etched bottom to encourage carbonation).

A- Pours a crystal clear amber color with about a 1-1/2 finger, mild khaki head with good retention.

S- Caramel malt, some pine resin and (just a hint) of tropical fruit/citrus...the aforementioned is so faint it is almost undetectable until the brew warms.

T- Without question, this is a hoppy ESB...or better yet, a hoppy English Mild. It is certainly not bad, but completely not what I was expecting. As a session ale from Stone, this is a nice take on the style.

M- Good carbonation and a drying bitterness makes up for the session-ability of this beer. Hop heads will be able to get their fix on both ends...hops and quantity.

O- A good offering, but at the price-point ($10+ 6-Pack) for a 4.4% ABV beer, that seems a little excessive. If the price was paired down to $6-8 a 6'er, than I'd be singing (and slinging) its praises for a wonderful year-round, session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 00:27:41 | More by threeviews

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Amber colored body with a sticky tan head. Good lacing and good head retention.

S- Noticable hop aroma in the front with hints of caramel malt in the back.

T- Hops come through up front with a smooth malty finish. Nice mix of hop and malt.

M- Very smooth and creamy with a little bit of crisp aftertaste.

O- Very impressive for a low abv session beer. Would definitely try again.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 22:03:14 | More by stephenjmoore

masonacoats

Louisiana

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- poured into a pint glass. Beautiful burgundy with a nice, dense tan head. Decent head retention and good lacing. This is a REALLY pretty beer, especially the ruby-red hues when held up to light.

S- balanced on the nose. Earthy hops balanced with bready, caramelly malt; hints of dates and raisins.

T- much more hops than I expected from the nose (not that I'm complaining); good bit of bitterness; same malt flavor as the nose. Very good.

M- Medium mouthfeel; very good carbonation

O- A great beer just on the hop-heavy side of balanced

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 02:48:51 | More by masonacoats

GR_Rick

Michigan

2.38/5  rDev -39%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Great looking beer! Pours a nice deep hazy copper with some sentiment present, and a nice frothy off white head. Significant lacing on the glass. Looks like a nice strong iced tea with a fluffy head.

S: Smell is light overall. A little bit of malt and a fair bit of sweetness - almost sugary. I get a smell like a weak, sweetened iced tea.

T: much stronger than the smell, with more hop presence than expected from the nose. Starts out mild and a bit malt-esque, then the hops hit, which linger a bit throughout the sip and into the finish. I get that sweetened tea in the finish as well - it reminds me a bit of sweet tea flavored vodka, but with a hop bite instead of an alcohol bite.

M: Thin given the deep color, overall I'd say on the heavy side of thin, if that makes sense.

O: Dissappointing, overall. I wanted to like this, given the look and low ABV, but it just doesn't deliver. Has that strange bitter hop/sweet taste I just can't get into. Not a drain pour, but I won't be buying or drinking this again soon. More interesting then a macro light lager, but at 3x the price and the same ABV, I'll take a Bud Light.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 00:56:09 | More by GR_Rick

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.3/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into tumbler.
I got the freshest bottle I could find... BB 6/25/2012

A- Hazy, dark amber pour with a two and a half finger off white head. Lacing is very good.

S- Some floral and citrus hops, there is a touch of strawberry and some fresh baked bread. Slight metallic aroma.

T- Slight metallic taste, floral hops are there but don't shine like in the aroma. Baked bread and a touch of orange rind.

M- Light bodied, slightly chewy. Good carbonation.

O- Every time I head to Buffalo I see this and check the date, I bought this in early July and the BB date is the freshest I've ever seen for this so I took a chance. I'd love to try it fresher but being in Canada and relying solely on Buffalo stores I think this is good as it's going to get...

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 21:49:57 | More by korguy123

dontpanic5

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours an opaque hazy red with a bubbly white head. The smell is light floral hops, very nice. It's very carbonated, a little too much... the hops are in front in the taste just like in the smell, definitely bitter - I guess I shouldn't expect any less from Stone considering their other offerings. I was expecting a little maltiness since this is an amber ale but I can't pick out anything over the hops. It's a supremely drinkable beer, a nice feat considering the hop-packed flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 02:10:26 | More by dontpanic5

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best by 7/9/2012. Pours lightly hazy reddish copper color with a nice 2 finger dense cream colored head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice rings spotty lacing cling to the glass as you drink. Aromas of caramel, orange zest, grapefruit, mango, floral, pine, herbal, pineapple, and toast. Pretty nice and well balanced aromas; but a bit muted. Taste of grapefruit, orange, pineapple, caramel, pine, herbal, floral, and toast. Light bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, pine, herbal, caramel, and toast on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance of hop flavors with caramel malt sweetness; almost perfect contrast. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy and crisp mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is not really noticed at all, as expected for 4.4%. Overall this is a very nice amber ale! Very flavorful and balanced; and extremely easy drinking of course. If I am looking for a nice session beer I would not pass this up.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 01:37:23 | More by superspak

ShaneO

5/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

By far one of my top beer! Very hoppy but has a great malt balance. Seems like a lighter ipa. If your not quite ready for ipas yet this is where you should start. Goes down very smoothly and has a high drinkablilty. I could definitely use this as a session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2012 02:59:02 | More by ShaneO

SawDog505

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass, best by 8/20/12. Pours a dark amber red, with a two inch off white head, with great retention and loads of lacing. Smell is carmel, pine, biscuit, and grapefruit. Taste is all of that, kind of carmel and citrus in the start, with a blast of grapefruit in the finish. Body is medium for its ABV, plenty of carbonation, not dry, and very drinkable. I have passed on this many times, because of price and low ABV
It is a wonderful beer, but I will still pass until I see it crazy fresh.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 15:29:36 | More by SawDog505

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass at cellar temperature.

L - Amber-brown color with a 2-finger bubbly, pillowy light tan head. Great retention and pretty good lacing. Lots of bubbles coming to the surface.

S - Hop-forward with grapefruit, pineapple, peach, and mango aromas along with a toasted caramel malt backbone.

T - Starts off sweet with caramel malt flavors and builds to a slight bitterness from toasted, bready malts. Bitterness continues to build to a light-to-moderate level with grapefruit, orange, peach, and pineapple hop flavors. More malt presence than the nose suggested.

F - Light-to-medium bodied with good carbonation, a creamy and crisp mouthfeel, and a slightly bitter and dry finish. Caramel sweetness and toasted malt and hop bitterness both linger for a little bit.

O - This is a pretty good beer. It’s well-balanced like a good amber ale should be, but it’s somewhat confusing because the nose was more hop-heavy while the taste was more malt-heavy. It’s also a little on the lighter side in terms of body, but that kind of makes sense considering the low ABV. Despite these characteristics, this is a really nice session beer. Stone never disappoints.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 00:56:34 | More by BlackBelt5112203

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.18/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a New Belgium snifter. The pour is a nice clear dark reddish-amber with a thin head and a bit of lacing. The nose is pretty hop-forward with sweetish floral notes (almost like a barleywine). Mostly, I get pine, caramel, and a hint of cherry.

The beer is medium-bodied with a firm mouthfeel. There are some sweet caramel-like notes up front and a not-so-subtle hop assault that somehow just doesn't work for me. Perhaps it's the varieties used, but they contribute a strong lemon-like character that gives the beer an almost acidic flavor. At mid-palate, the acidic flavors come in and carry you to the finish, which is watery, lemony, and rather unpleasant.

This style is hit or miss with me and this time it definitely was a miss. I did not find this beer enjoyable or flavorful, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to turn in my Stone Fan Club pin just yet. This brewer has several outstanding beers. In my opinion, this isn't one of them.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 23:36:36 | More by deadonhisfeet

MortarPestle

Indiana

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a clear copper color with a rich head that had nice retention and good lacing.
Aroma: A good nose of citrus and pine, with malt breadiness.
Taste: The hops is up front in this brew; grapefruit and rind, with juniper. The malt comes through with flavors of bread crust and toast.
Texture: Crisp and creamy with a dry finish.
Drinkalbility: Nicely balanced hops and malt, very drinkable. A good session brew.
Presentation: Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 18:23:38 | More by MortarPestle

AMiz602

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A nice, strong, mildly yellow head that is quite thick and frothy.

Is a very nice pale amber-reddish color and smells like a very strong IPA. Smells hoppy and tangy almost.

Is actually not too hoppy, a light Chinook (?) hops taste will a dry, burnt flavor. Very little sweetness in this beer. Has a nice mouthfeel to it that is heavy, easy on the tongue, and not the consistency of some lesser amber ales.

For an amber ale that defies tradition and tastes like an IPA, it is a low key tasting beer that doesn't overpower, yet keeps its flavor throughout.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 01:21:50 | More by AMiz602

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – Served a nice deep amber color with a large white head. The head faded rather fast to give a light to medium level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma had many good characteristics for a beer at only 4.4 % abv. It had a great bready and hoppy aroma with a light spiciness and a nice caramel sweetness which balance out the hop nicely. The hop was rather complex in smell with notes of earth, citrus and pine all present.

Taste – The taste started out on the breadier side with some of the caramel detected in the nose. The hop flavors quickly come to the tongue however and mellow some of the sweetness. First a more citrus hop flavor comes on the scene shortly followed by the pine and more earthy hop flavors. In the end a somewhat pinely and spicy hop flavor mixed with a smooth bread flavor are left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel –The body of the beer was better than I would have originally anticipated for an only 4.4 % brew. It had a nice slightly more creamy feel with a higher level of carbonation. Overall quite good for the style.

Overall – While only at 4.4 % this beer has some really wonderful characteristics. It has a nice look, smell, mouthfeel and taste that are all much more characteristic of a beer of a much higher abv. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 19:13:20 | More by Darkmagus82

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark amber colour with orange tinges throughout and a bubbly white head on top that stays for roughly a minute.

Nice pine hops on the nose, lighter than those of an IPA though. There is some mild citrus and a nice amount of malts coupled with a little spice and mild caramel too.

A good malt base with some caramel, hops and spice thrown on top of it. I also detected a little pine and citrus but not a lot together with some very light grapefruit and a touch of bitter at the end.

Smooth and quite bitter for the style thanks to the pine hops and citrus. The carbonation was slightly above medium and overall the beer had excellent balance, going down great.

This one was a very nice beer and seemed a lot stronger than the 4.4% abv mentioned on the label. I enjoyed it but I think it would prove a little to strong in the bitterness department for me to make it a regular session beer despite the relatively low abv.

1001 Beers: http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 10:38:16 | More by flyingpig