Stone's Odd Year Releases for 2013

Full pint has a short article about the odd year variations for Old Guardian and IRS for next year.

"If you recall in late 2010, Stone announced it would release a spin off of their Stone Old Guardian and Stone Imperial Russian Stout in the name of ”Odd Beers for Odd Years.” They made Old Guardian BELGO Barleywine and Belgo Anise Russian Imperial Stout for 2011.
With 2013 on the way, we did some digging to find out what was in store for the Odd Beers for Odd Years. We've confirmed Old Guardian will be brewed with Oak Smoked Wheat malt from Weyerman. It will be a smokey wheat wine of sorts. We have not confirmed the twist on IRS, but have been told coffee has been identified as one of the potential ingredients"

I know the 2011 versions received less than favorable reviews from all of us but personally I am excited about the next round of variations. Coffee in stone IRS!? Hell yeah


http://thefullpint.com/beer-news/stone-old-guardian-13-odd-beer-will-be/

Oak smoked wheat/barleywine? Could be very interesting. I'd prefer the smoke be left in a supporting role, but Stone does things to the hilt, so...we'll see

I would be down for either one of these. Sounds really tasty.

Cheers!

The smoked Old Guardian, I'd buy 1 to see how it is.
A Coffee IRS I would buy a lot of, no questions asked.

My thoughts exactly.

these variations sound *much* more appealing than the 2011 twists. definitely looking forward to both.

I think both sound great. I am a big fan of smokey beers

Belgo IRS was the worst beer I have ever had. I still have a bottle. I cry every time I see it. Every single time.

Both of these sound good.

lyk dis if u cry evertym.

I havent had it. Sendies?

Send it to me. I really liked that one!

It's strange to me that anyone would actually want to try this. I would do anything to get it off my hands though. Just remember this; it will only end in disappointment.

Their smoked porter has a pretty subtle smokiness... Either that or Aecht Schlenkerla's beers have desensitized me. Or maybe a bit of each. Either way I'm probably hoping for a smokier beer than you are.

I WILL SEND YOU ONE (1) LAGUNITAS SUCKS AS A TRADE. I cook with a lot of Anise, thats why.

I wasn't too happy with the Belgo Anise IRS (although I didn't hate it but to me their IRS has too much of an anise flavor already so more didn't help) but I thought the Belgo Old Guardian was awesome. Just my opinion apparently though since everyone I meet seemed to hate it. That smoked OG sounds like an awesome experiment too. And I really hope they do more than add coffee to their IRS because that's not very interesting or "odd".

There's still a bit of the Belgo Anise IRS on shelves in Minnesota. The one I had my friend opened in like June, that didn't help its case either.

I liked the Anise one, hated the OG one. I'll try both new ones, though.

I've tried at least a hundred beers that are worse than the Stone Belgo IRS. It wasn't necessarily good, but you're crazy for thinking it's the worst beer.

As for the new beers, I don't think a smoked barleywine/wheatwine sounds good at all, but I may try it. A coffee IRS would be an instant purchase though.

Coffee IRS? How much to fill a bathtub?

So no Belgo bottles this year?

Coffee in my Stone IRS? Instabuy 2 growlers.

Correct. Greg Koch has confirmed no Belgo variants this year.

Stone Coffee IRS

Oh yeah baby, oh yeah baby...oooh...aaah....yes yes yes<beergasm>

Both of those sound great!

I am cellaring some to see how they mellow through the years, and I am excited, but that may be because I kind of enjoyed it fresh.

so is Coffee beer "the next beer trend"? I know it's been around for ever but seems like it's really everywhere now and more and more breweries have coffee offerings

I feel like Stone has been all over the map lately. I really enjoyed Ruination 10th and More Brown (and have heard repeatedly that Enjoy By is great) but 16th Anny, Belgo IRS and 12/12/12 were way overdone. Like, they should have halved the spices, way out of whack. Absolutely agree that Coffee IRS sounds like a winner but I really want to see these guys show a modicum of restraint with their upcoming releases. I know that they relish their attitude but this is becoming some Magic Hat shit.

Am I the only one that doesn't want coffee beans getting all up in the taste of an innocent IRS that Stone has pretty much perfected to the traditional stout? Glad I stocked up on the 2012.

I was going to say the same thing about smoked beers. (Actually, I have been saying that for a couple years now. "Rauchbiers are the new sours," I've been saying. "Mark my words.")

You really ought to drink more beers if that's the worst beer you've ever had. IMO.

Given Stone's track record with 1 off's or 'specials', color me unexcited.

I'm sure at some point I'll be subjected to tasting it, who knows though...

The 2011 odd beers were horrible, but these sound promising. Coffee IRS sounds like a big winner to be.

If Stone never uses Belgian yeast again, the world will be a happier place.

No, maybe you ought to drink another Belgo Anise IRS.

They still released 'classic' IRS in '11 along with Belgo Anise, so maybe they will do the same in '13

Thank God.

Coffee IRS?

Yes, please.

They can only go up from the 2011 releases; way up

Smoked Wheat wine sounds amazing to me. Heres to hoping there is a bourbon barrel aged varient of it!

I had one several months ago and the anise is even more pronounced now than fresh.

I was a fan of the smoked saison, so I think I will spring for the smoked wheat wine.