15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA - Stone Brewing Co.

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BA SCORE
94
exceptional
-
1,328 Ratings

rAvg: 4.23
pDev: 12.77%
Reviews: 705
Hads: 623

Ratings Help

Brewed by:
Stone Brewing Co.

California, United States

Style | ABV
American Black Ale | 10.80% ABV

Availability: Limited (brewed once). bottle (620), on-tap (76), growler (8), cask (1).

Notes:
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.

No notes at this time.

View: Beers (85) | Reviews (242) | Events (1)

Reviews

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Reviews by TechTriumph:

TechTriumph

Virginia

4.47/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From notes on 12/02/11:
Bottled: Aug 2011; Poured in a pint glass.

A - Half inch thick creamy tan head; Very close to black - just a hint of dark brown along the edges when held to the light; Some lacing around the glass

S - Grapefruit smelling hops; Sweet chocolate with some roasted coffee beans; Dark fruits as well; Loving the smell of this

T - Some bitterness hits up front with some pine and grapefruit hops; Roasted coffee beans follow accompanied by biscuity and slight chocolate qualities; Some alcohol is present in the beginning; A good dose of bitterness stays throughout the taste

M - Lots of carbonation; Higher side of medium bodied; Pretty smooth feel that leaves a slight citrus oily coat on the tongue; A little warmth from the alcohol is also detected

O - This beer has really broadened my horizons in mixing the stout and IPA styles...and it's awesome. At first, the flavors in this beer didn't mesh like I had hoped. However, after having a chance to warm, it really reached a nice balance of hops and malt flavors. Stone really did a nice job on this beer, and I'm pleased I had the chance to enjoy this. I am excited to see what direction other breweries take with this new and growing style.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 02:53:34 | More by TechTriumph

More User Reviews:

beernads

Florida

3.75/5 rDev -11.3%

05-18-2013 06:39:49 | More by beernads

OC_Beer_Fan

California

4/5 rDev -5.4%

05-17-2013 05:22:10 | More by OC_Beer_Fan

Zbeetleman

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4.5/5 rDev +6.4%

05-15-2013 03:05:13 | More by Zbeetleman

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4/5 rDev -5.4%

05-13-2013 22:24:50 | More by mikeincharleston

csfcmitchell

Texas

4.25/5 rDev +0.5%

05-13-2013 15:54:17 | More by csfcmitchell

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

4.25/5 rDev +0.5%

05-08-2013 17:19:02 | More by Whiskeydeez

cadaugherty

Illinois

4/5 rDev -5.4%

05-07-2013 23:01:09 | More by cadaugherty

Tom-Peters

California

4.5/5 rDev +6.4%

05-06-2013 19:43:12 | More by Tom-Peters

campfirebrew

New York

4/5 rDev -5.4%

04-04-2013 14:53:21 | More by campfirebrew

Obsidian

California

2.75/5 rDev -35%

04-03-2013 03:18:40 | More by Obsidian

Smurf2055

Washington

3.68/5 rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed Dec 2011

Poured from bottle into a pint glass.

Pours like a stout, with a nice tan head about a finger thick. Good lacing.

It’s got some coffee and licorice, but the pine and hops smell as well. Maybe a bit of caramel. An interesting mix.

Taste really confused me. It’s a light body, very smokey, almost ashy. Greets you with light coffee and finishes with a hop kick near the end. I couldn’t tell it was over 10%. Very powerful. Leaves a nice aftertaste.

Overall, it’s a very interesting beer to say the least. Very complex and very bold. Impressive.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 20:11:28 | More by Smurf2055