Stone Pale Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

WillCarrera

Illinois

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

12 oz bottle, no bottle date, poured into a pint glass.

A- Pours an amber caramel color, topped with a couple fingers of creamy tan head, leaves great lacing.

S- Pale biscuity malts, floral hops, a bit of citrus,

T- Grassy floral hops with some citrus, has a bready caramel malt center, bitter finish.

M- Medium bodied, smooth feel, very drinkable.

O- A very nice straightforward pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 01:25:23 | More by WillCarrera

harrymel

Washington

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

Best by: 22APR12

Pours a nice copper ale with a sheet of white foam and excellent clarity leaving some decent lace. A somewhat spicy smell with an unusually english malt profile from this brewery. There some aromas of prune and citrus. Flavor is malty with again spicy hops and a good english (almost high end ESB) malt character. Really nice flavor, just not what I expected from this brewery. Medium bodied with moderate carb and an off-dry finish. Nice pale ale, really dig the take. Not all flashy like some of todays offerings.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 07:58:33 | More by harrymel

tony223366

California

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

A: Nice, 2+ fingers of off-white creamy head. Eventually it turns rocky and is really dramatic in appearance. Nice lacing occurs almost immediately. The color is really nice. It's a rich caramel that has more red than brown. Clarity is spot on and there's nice action from the carbonation.

S: Smell is mostly citrus from the hops and some nice, sweet caramel malts. It is a bit more subdued than I would like though.

T: This is a surprisingly well balanced pale ale from stone. It is certainly hoppy but there was a very careful hand in deciding the malt level. The first thing that strikes you is a bright, delicious hop almost entirely composed of citrus. But then the malts kick in... sweet and caramel, rich and roasty. It finishes with a nice bitterness and a shockingly clean finish.

M: Light to medium carbonation and smooth body.

O: Wow, this was the first time I've had Stone's pale ale and I was expecting a beer that barely qualifies as a pale. But they were surprisingly even in creating this beer. There's no harshness to it at all. It'd be perfect with practically any meal. The finish is clean and delicious. This beer is a beauty

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 05:41:12 | More by tony223366

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: 1/4" quickly diminishing white head over cloudy deep amber fizzy liquid.

S: Caramel malt with a perfumy and citrusy hop aroma.

T: Perfumy floral hop presence with some citrus up front with a biscuity and nutty malt. Very clean tasting.

M: Crisp with medium viscosity and a delicate carbonation.

O: Very easily drinkable, wasn't expecting the perfumy and floral hop presence though.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 21:35:29 | More by DaftCaskBC

rangerred

Tennessee

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

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Appearance is an almost clear medium copper with a 1.5 finger off-white head. Really good lacing and head retention.

Smell is a lot maltier that I thought it would be. Some nice biscuit along with spicy, earthy hops dominate. A little caramel in there too.

The flavor is quite malty from the get go with caramel being most noticeable. Spicy hops are there in the background with a light to moderate bitterness appearing about halfway through and lingering through the finish.

Overall I was a little disappointed there wasn't more hop flavor to this. The malt just seemed to overwhelm the hops that were there. A solid APA, though.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 00:45:43 | More by rangerred

LiquidAmber

Washington

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

Poured into a glass tumbler. Pours a medium red-orange amber. A half finger fine slightly off-white head that slowly dissipates to a light film. Aroma of herbal hops, sweet malt and a hint of citrus. Flavor of bready and caramel malts and hops. Finishes with malt and herbal hops. Light to medium bodied. Not as hop forward as other Stone brews, but appropriate for the style. A nice pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 04:34:26 | More by LiquidAmber

Treebs

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle served in a footed ale glass. Enjoy by date of 5/02/2012

A: Pours a clear amber with a one finger off white head that recedes to a thin collar and leaves some splotchy lace.

S: The nose is very balanced. Solid biscuit and pale malts with a light citrus rind hop presence. There is a slight hay also.

T: The taste is more of the same. Balanced with just a touch more bready and pale malts. The hop presence is a a combination of some orange and grass.

M: Light bodied with a light mouthfeel and nice carbonation. Drinkability is high.

O: A very solid, balanced and easily drinkable pale ale. Not much else to say.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 15:45:00 | More by Treebs

BeerDawgs

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A 12 oz bottle pored into my Stone Imperial pint glass picked up at the brewery last summer

A - A copper amber, with 2 fingers of head, and nice sticky lace all over the glass. Very impressive for a Pale Ale

S - Malty grain up front, some citrus notes from the hops, and a slight booze aroma.

T - A very hoppy pale ale. Nice citrus notes, with a very strong malt backbone. Very well balanced. Smooth, and crisp.

M - Well carbonated, crisp mouth feel.

O - About as good as a Pale Ale can get in my opinion. Well balanced, hoppy, smooth.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 00:42:17 | More by BeerDawgs

beer272

New Jersey

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

A - appearance was good. Nice carbonation that lasted with some lacing.

S - Hops pretty dominate.

T - taste was nice. hops were forward and the malt took a back seat.

M - Good mouth feel.

O - I'll admit I am not a hop fan. This is one of Stone's year around beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 22:02:28 | More by beer272

Doughbodyboy

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this beer is good. it pours a darker than most pale ales amber brown color with a thick creamy head that leaves near perfect lacing. the smell has a very sweet butterscotch and fruity smell it reminds me of fermenting apples. the taste is similar to the smell at fist and flows into a small bite of hops with some faint bitterness that lasts briefly. the feel in the mouth is more creamy than crisp but that's not to say it is lacking any carbonation. i will definatly be picking this one up in my next mixed six pack i grab. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 21:01:46 | More by Doughbodyboy

jhtipton

Spain

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

When reviewing this one has to dismiss any other Stone beers they have had before, especially of they are lovers of the hop as I am. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into my trusty affligem chalice. I love the appearance a bit darker than a "pale" ale but a beautiful two finger head and a deep orange. Nose is nice malts and slight grassy piney. No definitely not a ruination but I can enjoy a beer afterwards without having to bump up the IBU. Nice mix of British PA and California PA. Malty with a eccentric piney aftertaste. Light to medium bodied with the enduring oily hops. Overall an excellent Pale Ale. Definitely great for a sunny afternoon session without killing you for the evening. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 17:05:10 | More by jhtipton

iabeerbaron

Iowa

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Copper pour with a nice head. Sweet smell of fruit and pine. Nice hoppy, piney bitterness that is balanced nicely with the malt flavor. A very drinkable pale ale but I wasn't as blown away with it as I thought I would be. I made the mistake of trying their IPA before having their pale ale. Will definitely try again.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 23:51:30 | More by iabeerbaron

HighballurRollby

California

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I've had this on a few occasions and have really enjoyed it so thought I'd give it a review.

Love the burnt red orange appearance and hoppy caramel nose it gives off. This beer is refinely refreshing while at the same time tasting like caramel hops together all the way through. The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth which makes each sip easy to drink despite the bitter character. Gotta be inthe mood for some hops when you drink this because after each drink I can taste the bitterness (not a bad thing). I've been impressed with the Stone brewing company thus far, and look forward to having more of their stable of beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 04:11:27 | More by HighballurRollby

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

a cool pale ale, i view this one as sort of a hybrid between the english and the american pales. pours rather red for a pale ale, big fluffy head too. smells like english malts and caramel, but also a very robust oily hop vibe. flavor is hops prominently, in the american vein, but dusty english malts in the body. love this mix. almost an ipa, but more going on here. highly rated for a reason. mouthfeel is good, a little heavy than most pale ales. a sixpack might be a stretch, but i like a good challenge. pricey but a nice example of what a pale ale can still offer. thanks for this one stone

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 04:31:41 | More by StonedTrippin

nolanstout

Louisiana

4.83/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up a bottle of this beer in a build your own six pack set up a few weeks ago. My father had always told me Stone made some of the best beers he had ever tasted so I decided to take his advice and try Stone Pale Ale.

It was a very rich and rewarding beer to drink so a couple nights ago I picked up a six pack of Stone Pale Ale. If you haven't had this beer before. Try it. You won't regret it.

The look of the beer is similar to many pale ales although it is a bit darker than what most people would consider a "pale ale." This is probably because of the complexity of the hops in the beer. This complexity pays heavy dividends for the ale. The taste was complex, yet not too complex, and the mouthfeel was also satisfying in a slightly refreshing but also slightly spicy way.

The best part of this beer, in my opinion, was the smell. The hard work that the people at Stone brewing company put into this beer's creation is most evident in the complexity of the smell of this ale from when it is freshly poured till the final sip.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 23:03:21 | More by nolanstout

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 12oz bottle with a BB of 11/01/12, so it's just out of date. Acquired through the power of the internets. Love the silk-screen gargoyle label.

Poured into a tulip pint glass. A rich orange-amber with considerable yeast sediment and low carbonation. Forms a small, off-white head of foam that rapidly reduces to a surface layer. Aroma of sweet malt and a nice blend of aromatic hops. Notes of pine, faint citrus, caramel and yeast.

Tastes of sweet malt with stacks of aromatic hops and a light bitter finish. Notes of pine, caramel, sugar and dry yeast. A harsh stewed hop flavour upon swallowing. The impression is that the hop character has faded. Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, but somewhat flat and lacking in depth. Quite astringent; dries the palate. Aftertaste of bitter aromatic hops and malt.

Not bad, but imperfect. The malt and hops are quite well balanced, with plenty of fruity aroma. However, the hop flavour seems attenuated, possibly by age. Also, the harsh background bitterness detracts from the overall character. A decent American pale ale, but not outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 22:04:06 | More by jazzyjeff13

TheBigE5

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured from a bottle into a sniffer. Thin white head, about a half finger. Perfectly clear light brown amber color.

S - Very hoppy in the nose, floral, sweet. A bit of malty notes. Great smelling beer.

T - Perfectly balanced. Malty at first, the the hops enter later. A bit of sweetness in the finish.

M - Smooth mouthfeel, not overcarbonated. Get a little bit of tingle in your throat. Very drinkable.

O - Wow, great nose and perfectly balanced. Add its drinkability. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 01:26:49 | More by TheBigE5

denver10

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy orange-amber with a nice head. Smells hoppy with earthiness and florals. The hops assert their presence in the flavor with a distinct mild level of bitterness, piney. Some sweetness from the malt is there. Balanced but this has always felt, to me as a non-hophead, to be a hop forward pale ale. But I like it, it's assertive but not too strong. This was one of my first american pale ales and remains one of my favorites for the style. This isn't a beer I go to all that often, but usually once a year I do have to go out of my way to pick up a 6'er of this and always enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 23:54:40 | More by denver10

TaySuth

California

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Good looking one finger head that dissipates slowly leaving behind some fantastic lacing.

Smell: Very good smell with a balance of hops and sweetness.

Taste: Delicious taste that is very well balanced. The sweetness and hops flavor hits first with a nice bitter malt taste on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Mild carbonation with a medium body. Not the smoothest finish but still very good.

Overall: Another excellent beer from Stone Brewing. Definitely worth buying again.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 04:13:32 | More by TaySuth

Blakaeris

Iowa

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours hazy orange amber with a surprisingly dense foamy head.

Aroma is mellow citrus hop and toasted malt.

Taste is a complex bready toasted caramel malt with a lot of subtle flavor. Then a pleasant sweet tropical fruitiness - notably orange and melon. Finishes with a spicy, earthy bitterness with lingering tobacco notes.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied.

Overall smooth and flavorful. A great example of an APA. Easy to drink with a lot of subtle flavor that I look for in lower gravity beers. Hops are apologetically west coast in character without being overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 22:53:38 | More by Blakaeris

magictacosinus

California

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

Poured into a pint glass from a 12oz bottle. Freshness date is "01/17/12." Website states that this is a "Southern California interpretation of the classic British pale ale style."

Produces an amber-reddish tan with noticeable light carbonation and a small head that quickly turns into a ring. Not bad.

Huge malty notes rather than hoppy ones in the aroma, which is quite unusual for Stone comparing this to all of their other beers. There are still refreshing orange peel notes, as well as a sugary finish. Caramel and honey aromas bounce around. Nevertheless, it does indeed smell what I would consider a good pale ale to be - although in this case indeed more as an English bitter rather than a California-style APA.

Some initial sips and tastings, reality strikes: this is still bitter, despite high maltiness, yet it DOES have the same body and flavor of many great English bitters I've had. Grainy and slightly buiscuty, good hoppy citrus and floral flavors following behind, and substantial carbonation to make it thick and welcoming (for me, at least). While cold, it's pretty fruity and bready, but warmer it manages to be a little too malty for my liking - at least when I'm buying a Stone product.

Might not be my favorite offering of Stone, and definitely not what I would personally consider to be a representative example of the West coast APA style - although that doesn't matter, as they've pulled off the beer they intended to make here. It is a good quality product that is sure to be a crowd pleaser to those that couldn't stand Arrogant Bastard, as well as other intense products by Stone. Not sure why they consider this to be one of their flagship beers when they're so renowned for their hops and crazy recipes, but it still stands as a good beer that I would recommend a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 03:15:16 | More by magictacosinus

Murrhey

Montana

3.4/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Reviewed from notes.

A-Thick 2.5 finger offwhite head. Clouded dark orange color. Spotty lacing.

S- Hoppy and grassy. Nice bitter smell.

T- Strangely sweet. Bitter as well, as is fitting for the APA. Very refreshing flavor.

M- Light in body, crisp finish. Little carbonation.

O-The classic. Good beer, not great in my opinion. A bit too watery for my taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 23:59:23 | More by Murrhey

Philousa

California

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Light russet in color with one finger thick cream colored head. Thin, consistent lacing leaves rings around the glass ticking off the time left for this brew.Wheat biscuit, thick caramel, and a bit of maple syrup in the nose. Very much like fresh bread. Very little hops aroma, if any. Sweet biscuit and grassy hops dominate the palate. A bit of hop oil at the end, the bitterness lingers. Clean, crisp, and a bit watery feeling to it. Dry finish. Easily drinkable, as a pale ale should be.

Gotta say, I was expecting more hops in Stone's pale ale. Sierra Nevada has more hop character in their PA than Stone, which kinda made sense when I compare SN's Torpedo to Stone's IPA. I think they like to make the hop presence a little more subtle than most in Escondido. The hops really come out in the mouthfeel and bitter aftertaste. The prominent malt presence makes this a well balanced brew that is easy to drink. A solid beer, I'll pick this up when I'm looking for a bit more malt in my pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 03:35:12 | More by Philousa

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

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

P- Als of Hampden

A- a clear copper color with a fluffy two finger head that crests m ypint. Head hangs around for at least 5 minutes.

S- caramel, wood and foral nose.

T- somewhat hoppy but fruity and caramel on the palate for flavor, very nice.

M- smooth and medium bodied. goes down very easy and could get carried away quickly with a sixer.

O- love stone and their brews, another A in my book. Not too much going in the beer but plenty to be a great brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 21:52:05 | More by Dodo2step

jayhawk73

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a copper color w/ a one finger off white head. Massive lacing on my snifter glass. Somewhat hazy in appearance. The nose is caramel, hops, malt, and some floral notes. A little on the weak side, but improves with warming. The taste is fairly pleasant, with the hops really coming out to balance the malt. Not bitter at all, w/ a smooth aftertaste. I can see putting several of these down after mowing the grass, or any other summer activity. Overall, not a bad beer for the style. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 20:51:38 | More by jayhawk73