Stone Pale Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

Todd

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz brown bottle, painted label. Cheers to Greg's fridge for the sample. Pours an inviting, shimmering with some initial haze, copper-hued beer topped with a massive 2-finger slightly off-white head - creamy, some stick, great retention and settles to a lacing that lasts the entire beer.

Malty nose, distinct caramel, hints of wood, and delicate floral aromas. Fruity and veggie with some grainy tannins.

Incredibly smooth and a bit silky on the palate. A roughness builds with a leafy hop feel and backing hop flavor. Oily coating. Bitterness is balanced and well placed. Fruity undertones proceed and even malt foundation of moderately sweet grain with bready / biscuity edges. Mild toasty caramel with some slick buttery lingering throughout. Raw hop, oils, grains and some tannins in the finish, but nothing unappealing. It's all good here.

I dig it. Stone's "pay the bills" beer and something that can appeal to novices and geeks.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2006 21:14:54 | More by Todd

Jason

Massachusetts

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

Presentation: 22 oz brown bomber with a silk screen painted label of the "Stone Brewing Gargoyle" which wards off impurities that would otherwise taint the sanctity of the brew.

Appearance: Copper in colour with a very faint haze ... a crisp tiny bubbled lace fades a little yet retains to the bottom of the glass.

Smell: Ripe fruit with hints of citrus (from the hops), a little bit of veggie/floral hop and a touch of caramel in the nose.

Taste: Medium bodied and semi crisp up front, then an assertive somewhat coarse America hop bitterness shows that it is going to be the dominant one. The rustic hops play with the malt a bit letting them show malt sweetness and a hint of nutty/biscuity malt upon the tongue. A bit high with the fruity esters, perhaps the only flavour the hops don't dominate. Even in the after taste there is a lingering and dominant leafy/bitter hop flavour with a pinch of grain and residual sweetness which help to finish this brew off.

Notes: A richly hopped brew that takes pride in the west coast style ... definite good drinking here for a seasoned hop head, might be a bit too much for someone that wants a balanced pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2002 19:56:14 | More by Jason

Absolut

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-23-2013 23:08:15 | More by Absolut

camelgar

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +21.8%

05-23-2013 19:55:16 | More by camelgar

visionaries

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-23-2013 17:18:01 | More by visionaries

cyrushire

Florida

2.75/5  rDev -29.5%

05-23-2013 04:08:33 | More by cyrushire

SpAiReArGsEonNE

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

05-21-2013 19:56:10 | More by SpAiReArGsEonNE

johntfox

Florida

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-21-2013 18:24:35 | More by johntfox

bnes09

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Transparent amber and tons of carbonation. Rich, creamy ivory colored head with excellent retention and plenty of stickage to the glass.

Malty, bready aroma. Some spices, herbs and rye. Hint of pine.

Dense malt character, buttered biscuits and toasted rye. Subtle pine and leaf hop. Well balanced.

Medium bodied, smooth in the middle and dry in the end. Well carbonated.

NIce pale ale. Solid flavor and good balance.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 05:07:52 | More by bnes09

seplo

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-20-2013 23:12:01 | More by seplo

NJB145

Michigan

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-20-2013 00:36:52 | More by NJB145

PortLargo

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-19-2013 01:20:11 | More by PortLargo

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-17-2013 15:05:34 | More by twenty5

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-17-2013 03:04:32 | More by ElizabethEleanor

Doctlow

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

05-15-2013 05:42:09 | More by Doctlow

Bustersuess

New York

4/5  rDev +2.6%

05-14-2013 18:37:33 | More by Bustersuess

csfcmitchell

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-13-2013 15:53:18 | More by csfcmitchell

EGolfer4

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +9%

05-12-2013 18:28:15 | More by EGolfer4

durlta

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-11-2013 22:55:50 | More by durlta

Suds

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This one is a clear and copper colored brew. The head is white and leaves a nice lace. The smell is clean and balanced with both malt and hop qualities. Herbal and earthy in aroma...some underlying stone fruit.m the taste is more assertive....bitter ans strong. On the dry side, but lots of malt flavor. Hop resin and flavor is prominent throughout. Full body and satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 01:50:12 | More by Suds

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

05-10-2013 19:11:23 | More by Whiskeydeez

jkane101

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-10-2013 01:13:43 | More by jkane101

MadCat

New Jersey

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

Appearance: Nice copper color, decent white head, leaves good lacing

Smell: Fruit and caramel malts, along with floral and citrus hops

Taste: Hoppy, with some bitterness, floral and citrus. Caramel malt sweetness backs it up some, with some fruit and nut flavor. Very well balanced

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body, good carbonation

Overall: Excellent example of the style. This brew always makes me happy, as I don't have it as often as other pale ales.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 01:50:45 | More by MadCat

billab914

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-09-2013 00:51:40 | More by billab914

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +9%

05-07-2013 22:58:25 | More by cadaugherty