Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2017

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2017 - bottle

20171124:
I smelled the beer and thought it was the same as any other, but I tasted it and it tasted absolutely amazing. It was smooth, and it didn't have an alcoholic taste; this, however, might have been because I've already sampled several strong beers in succession. This hypothesis was supported by the beer's strong finish (the last sip was strong). 6:29PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2017 - taster and bottle cap

Relevant Links:
Bourbon County Brand Stout 2017 (Goose Island Website)
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (RateBeer.com)
Bourbon County Brand Stout | Goose Island Beer Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

BOURBON COUNTY BRAND STOUT 2017

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2017 - bottleneck label

BREWER'S NOTES
Brewed in honor of the 1000th batch at our original Clybourn brewpub. A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer.

RECIPE INFORMATION
Style: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 14.1
IBU: 60
Color: Midnight
Hops: Millennium
Malts: 2-Row, Black Malt, Caramel, Chocolate, Munich 10, Roasted Barley

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2017 - bottle label

AVAILABILITY
Limited Release

Bottles (16.9oz Bottles) & Kegs (1/6 bbl)

AWARDS
World Beer Cup Awards:
2006: Gold – Wood & Barrel Aged beer
Great American Beer Festival:
1995: Strong Ale

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2017 - bottleneck label, pt. 2

Avery Uncle Jacob's Stout

Avery Uncle Jacob's Stout - bottle

20171124:
I decided to skip tasting the Rochefort Trappistes 10 because I had it before. This Avery had a pleasing strong smell and taste, that is, the smell and taste were not overpowering. However, the final sip was strong enough to make me wink my eye. 6:18PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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Avery Uncle Jacob's Stout

Avery Uncle Jacob's Stout - taster

Relevant Links:
Uncle Jacob's Stout (Avery Website)
Avery Uncle Jacob's Stout (RateBeer.com)
Uncle Jacob's Stout | Avery Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

Uncle Jacob's Stout

ANNUAL BARREL SERIES
BOURBON BARREL-AGED STOUT
14.9% ABV

Jacob Spears, our 6th Great Grand Uncle, is credited as the first distiller to label his whiskey “Bourbon.” He built his distillery in Bourbon County Kentucky in 1790 — 203 years before we began brewing. While obviously a bit too late to produce Uncle Jacob’s wash, we’ve instead created something far more complex. In his honor, we present this robust, silky smooth, full-bodied and altogether extremely American rendition of an Imperial Stout aged for 6 months in the very finest Bourbon barrels. This explains a lot about our penchant for big brews! It’s in our blood!

Availability
Annually February through May
12 oz Bottle
5.16 gal keg
15.5 gal keg

DESCRIPTORS Silky | Bourbon | Vanilla
MALT VARIETIES Flaked Oats | Roasted Barley | Midnight Wheat | 2-Row
YEAST VARIETIES Westmalle Belgian Ale
HOP VARIETIES Bravo
DRY HOP VARIETIES N/A

Suggested Pairings
Brownie Sundae: A match made in heaven, this smooth yet robust Bourbon barrel-aged stout pairs beautifully with the rich, gooey chocolate brownie.

The Bruery Share This: Mole

The Bruery Share This: Mole - bottle (front)

20171124:
I love this style of beer. Well, I don't know the beer's official classification, but it reminded me of Elysian Peste Chocolate Chili Ale. 5:21PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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The Bruery Share This: Mole

The Bruery Share This: Mole - taster

Relevant Links:
Share This: Mole (The Bruery Website)
The Bruery Share This: Mole (RateBeer.com)
Share This: Mole | The Bruery (BeerAdvocate.com)

The Bruery Share This: Mole - bottle (back)

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Website Information:

SHARE THIS: MOLE

Let’s move beyond the concept of grabbing a beer, and reach for something bigger. Share This beer and be part of helping friends become mobile for the first time in Mexico – the source and inspiration of select ingredients in this beer. Each release in our Share This series spotlights unique ingredients and an important cause. Share This: Mole is a mole-inspired imperial stout collaboration with Chef Anne Conness, featuring ancho chilies, chipotle peppers, cinnamon, vanilla and cacao nibs. For each bottle we produce, Free Wheelchair Mission receives one dollar.

FOOD PAIRING
Chicken mole poblano, Beehive Big John’s Cajun cheese, cinnamon toasted pecans, tacos de papa. A churro, a chance, a chair.

BREW INFO
ABV: 11.1
IBU: 0
SRM: 0
Release: 2016

Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

Founder KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) - bottle

20171124:
This beer had a definite coffee smell.* I love the smell.

The beer tasted delicious. There was a little alcohol flavor on the sip. 5:10PM PT

*So much so that it put doubt in my mind that the Local Craft Beer Effin Birthday Cake I tried earlier had any coffee notes.

[20171205 Edit]

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Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

Founder KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) - taster

Relevant Links:
KBS (Founders Website)
Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) (RateBeer.com)
Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) | Founders Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

KBS

What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight.

ABV: 11.8%
RateBeer Rating: 100
Availability: April

Draft | 4 PACK | 750ML

Firestone Walker Parabola

Firestone Walker Parabola - bottle

20171124:
2017 Release. This beer had the same alcoholic fume as the last beer I sampled: Firestone Walker Bravo Imperial Brown Ale. This one was strong; like some other beers I tried today, it reminded me of the Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. The beer had a sweetness to it. It was an amazing, drinkable strong beer. 5:03PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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Firestone Walker Parabola

Firestone Walker Parabola - taster

Relevant Links:
Parabola (Firestone Walker Website)
Firestone Walker Parabola (RateBeer.com)
Parabola | Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

Parabola
Russian Imperial Stout

March 25, 2017 Release

Parabola is a beer of darkness and immensity, a barrel-­aged beast that is routinely ranked as one of the top beers in the world. This Russian imperial oatmeal stout is aged for a full year in Heaven Hill barrels, developing flavors of rich, chewy roasted malts, charred oak and bourbony vanilla. Parabola bares its teeth with its impenetrable black hue and soaring alcohol, yet its bite remains refined with a silky, balanced finish.

Beer Information
ABV: 14.5%
IBU: 69
COLOR: 103 SRM
MALTS: Crisp Maris Otter Pale, Munich, Cara-hell, Carafa, Dark & Light Crystal, Chocolate, Oats, Roasted Barley
HOPS: Bittering—Zeus; Late Kettle—Hallertau

Availability
12oz
Very limited draft

Firestone Walker Bravo Imperial Brown Ale

Firestone Walker Bravo Imperial Brown Ale - taster

20171124:
2017 Release. This beer had an alcoholic smell. It also had an alcoholic taste. Various persons in the room (who are participating in the beer tasting) mention that it tastes like whiskey; I agree. It is, however, smooth. It's sweet. This one's good if you like certain types of hard liquor. 4:55PM PT

Firestone Walker Bravo Imperial Brown Ale - bottle

I learned the beer was self-classified as an imperial brown ale. 4:56PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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Firestone Walker Bravo Imperial Brown Ale

Relevant Links:
Bravo Imperial Brown Ale (Firestone Walker Website)
Firestone Walker Bravo Imperial Brown Ale (RateBeer.com)
Bravo Imperial Brown Ale | Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

Bravo
Imperial Brown Ale

February 4, 2017 Release

We proudly present the 2017 Vintage of Bravo, our Imperial Brown Ale aged in retired American oak bourbon barrels. Although Bravo was the first strong ale brewed for our Anniversary Ale blending program over ten years ago, it has yet to see its own bottled release, until now. Balancing rich toasty and chocolate malt flavors with a gentle balance of noble hops, Bravo is brewed to showcase barrel flavors with massive bourbon barrel notes that morph as the beer warms in the glass.

Beer Information
ABV: 13.2%
IBU: 28
COLOR: 28 SRM
FERMENTATION: Retired Oak Bourbon Barrels
MALTS: Two Row, Munich, c-75, Simpsons Dark, Roast Barley, Dextrose
HOPS: Columbus, Tettnanger

Availability
12 oz bottle
Very limited draft

Local Craft Beer Effin Birthday Cake

Local Craft Beer Effin Birthday Cake - taster

20171124:
This beer had an alcoholic smell, but less than the Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee I just tasted.

It seemed to have coffee notes similar to those often found in stouts. Actually, it might have just smelled like a typical stout (without any chocolate or coffee notes). There was some light carbonation.

I liked this one more than previous one (Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee). 4:44PM PT

Local Craft Beer Effin Birthday Cake - bottle

[20171206 Edit]

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Local Craft Beer Effin Birthday Cake

Relevant Links:
Local Craft Beer (Yelp.com)
Local Craft Beer Effin Birthday Cake (Untappd.com)

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee - taster

20171124:
2017 Release. This beer had a cherry smell. It smelled like a candy. It had a sweet taste with a little alcoholic burn. There was no alcoholic smell. It had a nice spiciness. Overall, it was a great beer: it had the strong taste of my aged Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, but incredibly smooth. 4:35PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee - bottle

Relevant Links:
Stickee Monkee (Firestone Walker Website)
Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee (RateBeer.com)
Stickee Monkee | Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

Stickee Monkee
Barrel-Aged Central Coast Quad

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee - taster

2017

Brewed with Belgian candi sugar and aged in a selection of fine bourbon barrels, Stickee Monkee trailblazes its own category as a “Central Coast Quad.” The name Stickee Monkee is a nod to the Central Coast’s native Sticky Monkey flower, as well as a shout­‐out to the Belgian monks who pioneered the Quad style.

It has been said that the only constant is change and the same is true for barrel-aged beers. Cut from a similar recipe, this barrel-aged Quad evolves and shows a different face each year; a result of time spent aging in the barrel. Turbinado brown sugar from Mexico adds wonderful molasses flavors that are reminiscent of Belgian candi sugar. It has a full body and lush texture with barrel expression all over; toasted oak, coconut, leather and rich cigar tobacco.

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Beer Information
ABV: 12.5%
IBU: 36
COLOR: 75 SRM
FERMENTATION: Lucha Libre (Ballistica)
MALTS: 2 Row, Munich, Carmel, Torrified Wheat, Belgian Candi Sugar, Brown Sugar, Roast Barley
HOPS: Styrian Golding

Availability
12oz
Very limited draft

Russian River Consecration

Russian River Consecration - bottle

20171124:
The beer had a definite sour smell. However, it didn't taste like a typical sour beer. The beer tasted sour but the sips ended with an unusual bitterness. This might have been because I just finished a bottle of Small Town Not Your Father's Cream Ale. 4:29PM PT

Russian River Consecration - taster

[20171205 Edit]

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Russian River Consecration

Relevant Links:
Consecration (Russian River Website)
Russian River Consecration (RateBeer.com)
Consecration | Russian River Brewing Company (BeerAdvocate.com)

Russian River Consecration - back of the bottle

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Website Information:

Consecration

SOUR DARK ALE AGED IN CABERNET BARRELS WITH CURRANTS

Dark Ale aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from local wineries. It is aged for 4 to 8 months with black currants, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus added to each barrel. Rich flavors of chocolate truffle, spice, tobacco, currants, and a bit of Cabernet. Very full-bodied, sip slowly!

AVAILABILITY
Pub draft and bottles, local distribution draft and bottles, limited draft and bottles to most distributors, seasonal

Original Gravity: 1.078
Alcohol by Volume: 10%
Color: Reddish Brown
Bitterness: High

Small Town Not Your Father's Vanilla Cream Ale

20171124:
This beer had a vanilla smell. The taste was initially amazing, but the aftertaste was displeasing. 4:23PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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Small Town Not Your Father's Vanilla Cream Ale

Not Your Father's Vanilla Cream Ale - bottle

Relevant Links:
Not Your Father's Vanilla Cream Ale (Small Town Website)
Small Town Not Your Father's Vanilla Cream Ale (RateBeer.com)
Not Your Father's Vanilla Cream Ale | Small Town Brewery (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

NOT YOUR FATHER’S
VANILLA CREAM ALE

Chances are you’re probably familiar with the island of Madagascar thanks to some talking cartoon animals or a super strict geography teacher. What you might not know is that Madagascar produces the best vanilla in the world. And we use a healthy dose of it (literally tons) to make Not Your Father’s Vanilla Cream Ale, a classic American favorite that comes through with a vanilla flavor that’s anything but ordinary.

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TASTING NOTES
There’s really no synonym for vanilla, so trust us when we say this tastes like a bunch of vanilla pods got together and had a vanilla party inside a vanilla mansion hosted by Vanilla Ice. With a creamy, sweet finish, this brew will easily become one of your go-tos when you want something smooth and flavorful.

Art in the Age Snap

20171124:
This ginger snap had a strong flavor and was smooth. The ginger taste was subtle. Overall, I enjoyed sipping it. 3:47 PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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Today (20180627) I read a news article - dated February 23, 2017 - that said Art in the Age would be discontinuing four of their flavors - including Snap. However, it seems possible that the flavors are still available under a different name.

[20180627]

Stella Artois Cidre

~I'm not a beer. I'm a cider.~

20171124:
This drink mostly tastes like apple juice. It was easy to drink. There was a slight alcoholic taste that imparted some bitterness. 3:30PM PT

Stella Artois Cidre - bottle (front)

[20171205 Edit]

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Stella Artois Cidre

Relevant Links:
Cidre (Stella Artois Website)
Stella Artois Cidre (RateBeer.com)

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Stella Artois Cidre - bottle (back)

Website Information:

Welcome to Cidre season,
when winter blankets are packed away and picnic blankets lay down to play. Add a splash of spontaneity to your repertoire, and raise a glass to it all coming together just so. As golden afternoons unfold, savor the taste of Stella Artois Cidre, a bubbly cider described as such:

Balanced.
Pairs a soft, apple-y sweetness with a crisp dryness.

Effervescent.
As bubbly as the personalities on your blanket.

Refreshing.
The perfect partner for any alfresco gathering.

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Cidre hits all the right flavor notes in this deliciously delightful composition. It’s music to your palate.

New Belgium French Oak Saison

20171121:
This beer had a pungent smell, but it tasted good. I was expecting a different taste from a saison; this one had a sour taste. I enjoyed it. 10:19PM PT

New Belgium French Oak Saison - full glass

[20171205 Edit]

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New Belgium French Oak Saison

Relevant Links:
French Oak Saison (New Belgium Website)
New Belgium French Oak Saison (RateBeer.com)
French Oak Saison | New Belgium Brewing (BeerAdvocate.com)

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New Belgium French Oak Saison - lacing / empty glass

Website Information:

FRENCH OAK SAISON
BARREL-AGED SOUR FARMHOUSE ALE

To understand "Belgian-style beer" is to understand Belgium's nuanced regions and historical past. To the north, we have Flanders, a region invaded and occupied by many foreign powers over hundreds of years, known for everything from white beer to oak-aged sour brown ales.

To the south, we have Wallonia, a region known for its rich farmland, industrial coalfields, French culture and farmhouse ales like Biere de Garde and saison. Our French Oak Saison pulls inspiration from both regions by marrying a dry, hop-forward Wallonia-style saison with a golden ale soured in French oak foeders for 15 to 18 months -- a method derived from Flanders. The rye and spelt grains in the saison contribute to a medium-light body while the Huell Melon and Tettnang hops give aromas of honeydew and white pepper.

The result is a rustic, goldenrod yellow saison offering pleasant lemon and white grape aromas and a bright, mouthwatering sourness with a clean, dry finish.

A true blending of inspirations.

TASTING NOTES
VISUAL Goldenrod yellow, medium sheen, moderated white foam.
AROMA A mix of balanced aromas: lemons and phenolic, mild white grape, white pepper, and coriander. Light tropical fruit and floral. Bread dough and stone fruit with a smidge of isoamyl acetate, bretta, grassy and pine.
FLAVOR Sweet with a surprisingly strong sour initially that fades but lingers slightly. Light bitterness.
MOUTHFEEL Smooth but puckering and mouthwatering.
BODY Medium-light body, astringent finish.

BEER FACTS
ABV 7.5
IBU 23
YEAST Hybrid saison yeast
HOPS Nugget, Tattnang, Huell Melon
MALTS Pale, rye, spelt

Cascade / Bruery Terreux One Way Or Another

20171121:
I came to Eureka! today with my friend and ordered this beer. It had a delicious sour taste. It was initially too sour, but eventually I enjoyed the taste. It had a cherry-like taste to it. 9:00PM PT

Cascade / Bruery Terreux One Way or Another - full glass

The beer went well with the Kimchi Burger I had.

The beer had a small amount of bitterness which offset its strong sourness. 9:35PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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Cascade / Bruery Terreux One Way Or Another

Cascade / Bruery Terreux One Way or Another - lacing / empty glass

Relevant Links:
One Way Or Another (Cascade Website)
Cascade / Bruery Terreux One Way Or Another 2016 (RateBeer.com)
One Way Or Another | Bruery Terreux (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information: (Cascade Brewing Website)

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER | 2016
A project designed in collaboration with our friends at Bruery Terreux, One Way or Another is a blend of sour triple ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 16 months with regional ingredients: Oregon marionberries and California Meyer lemons. With each brewery crafting their own blend, this limited offering illustrates how a single recipe can be interpreted One Way or Another.

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ‘16 TASTING NOTES
Color: Red-violet with a light pink head
Nose: Meyer lemon peel, fresh marionberries, wintergreen
Body: Medium-bodied, high effervescence, bright acidity, dry finish
Flavor: Blackberry jam, citrus fruit, spruce tips

AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394

20171118:
I poured the beer into a glass. It had a pungent smell with subtle citrus notes. It had an ale taste. It seemed to have tasted "warmer" than other ales. 8:02PM PT

AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394 - Can and Beer in Glass

I dumped about 20% of the beer when it got too warm (literally). 9:18PM PT

[20171205 Edit]

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AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394

Relevant Links:
San Diego Pale Ale .394 (AleSmith Website)
AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394 (RateBeer.com)
San Diego Pale Ale .394 | AleSmith Brewing (BeerAdvocate.com)

AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394 - Back of the Can

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Website Information:

San Diego Pale Ale .394

In early 2014, Tony Gwynn's team approached AleSmith to create a distinctive beer for the baseball legend. A meeting was called at the Gwynn household, which included a sampling of AleSmith beers to identify Tony's preferences. He wanted the beer to be "light with a kick" which he elaborated further to mean full of hop character and light in body and color. The result of the Gwynn family’s feedback on test batches rendered a golden pale ale full of American hop flavor and aroma, with a subdued bitterness and a malty sweet finish. AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394 pays tribute to the city that Tony loved and the career high batting average that he achieved in ‘94. Discover what happens when a Hall of Fame perfectionist crafts a beer with a world-class brewery. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Tony and Alicia Gwynn Foundation (TAG).

SPECS
ABV: 6.0%
Bitterness: 13 IBU
Original Gravity: 1.058
Serving Temp: 45-50°F
Serving Glass: Pint

Availability
YEAR ROUND: Yes
BOTTLES: 12oz 6 Pack
KEGS: 5gal / 15.5gal

Stone Hop Revolver IPA - Simcoe

20171118:
While I was unable to fully focus on the flavors of this beer, I could tell it was harsher than the Delicious IPA.

[20171205 Edit]

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Stone Hop Revolver IPA - Simcoe

Relevant Links:
Hop Revolver IPA (Stone Website)
Stone Hop Revolver IPA #5: Simcoe (RateBeer.com)
Hop Revolver IPA - Simcoe | Stone Brewing (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

STONE HOP REVOLVER IPA
A rotating single-hop series

STYLE India Pale Ale
ALC/VOL 7.7%
IBUs 80
GET SOCIAL #HopRevolver

The aim of this experimental, hop-centric series is to demonstrate just how dramatically a single hop can impact a beer. We’re going to periodically fire off a variety of single-hopped variations of this IPA for some good brewing fun! Empty the bright tank with one. Reload it with another batch. Rinse. Reload. Repeat. We invite you to enjoy along with us.

RELEASE DATE January 23, 2017
PACKAGE TYPES 12oz bottles in Stone Mixed Packs
AVAILABILITY Nationwide
WHEN TO ENJOY Drink fresh
FEATURED HOPS Rotates by release

Related Information:
FEATURED HOPS
January 2017 - #1 - Loral
~March 2017 - #2 - Mosaic
~May 2017 - #3 - Ella
~July 2017 - #4 - Mandarina Bavaria
~Sep 2017 - #5 - Simcoe

Stone Delicious IPA

20171117:
This beer has a subtle IPA flavor; it's not harsh. With that being said, by the time I started taking down notes I had a shot of Jack and Jameson. I couldn't describe the subtle flavor. 10:02PM PT

Stone Delicious IPA - front of the bottle

This Delicious IPA was solid. It was smooth. It was not particularly delicious. I did not detect any obvious citrus notes. 10:43PM PT

[20171204 Edit]

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Stone Delicious IPA

Relevant Links:
Stone Delicious IPA (Stone Website)
Stone Delicious IPA (RateBeer.com)
Stone Delicious IPA | Stone Brewing (BeerAdvocate.com)

Stone Delicious IPA - back of the bottle

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Website Information:

STONE DELICIOUS IPA
A citrusy India pale ale with Lemondrop & El Dorado hops

STYLE India Pale Ale
ALC/VOL 7.7%
IBUs 75
GET SOCIAL #DeliciousIPA

While our beers are many and diverse, yet unified by overarching boldness, India pale ales are our undeniable bread and butter. The result is an intensely citrusy, beautifully bitter beer is worthy of the simple-yet-lordly title of Stone Delicious IPA. Lemondrop and El Dorado hops combine to bring on a magnificent lemon candy-like flavor that’s balanced by hop spice. It’s unlike anything we’ve tasted in nearly two decades of IPA experimentation, and another lupulin-laced creation we’re excited to present to hopheads everywhere.

RELEASE DATE January 5, 2015
PACKAGE TYPES 12oz bottles in 6-packs & 12-packs | 22oz bottles | Draft
AVAILABILITY Nationwide
FLAVOR PROFILE Hoppy, Citrus, Lemongrass
WHEN TO ENJOY Drink fresh
BEERADVOCATE 88
FEATURED HOPS Nugget, Calypso, Lemondrop & El Dorado

TASTING NOTES
APPEARANCE Pours deep gold with a white-colored head.
AROMA Spicy, herbal and citrusy hop aromatics balanced with light-toasted malt. The spiciness is reminiscent of lemongrass.
TASTE The hop flavors really explode with a dominant flavor that reminds many on the brewing team of a lemon Starburst candy!
PALATE Medium body with a bitter, dry finish.
OVERALL We went through many iterations of this beer at our Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station restaurant and brewery, using several hop recipes until we had that “Aha!” moment tasting a beer that I had asked Liberty Station Brewing Manager Kris Ketcham to brew. It was a single-hop beer called the Lost City of Liquid Gold, using 100 percent El Dorado, a new hop from Yakima, Washington. This beer gave us the last piece to the puzzle on the formulation for Stone Delicious IPA. We changed the dry hop to 100 percent El Dorado, and we achieved magnificent lemon candy and spicy hop flavors that are fun and unique.

PAIRING NOTES
APPETIZERS Hummus, Buffalo chicken wings, Cajun shrimp skewers, spiced pumpkin seeds
SALADS Tomato and avocado, black bean and corn, quinoa tabbouleh
ENTRÉES Roasted chicken, chile verde, vegetarian huevos rancheros with corn tortillas, veggie jambalaya with long-grain rice, spinach chickpea curry
CHEESES Grana Padano, Grafton Village Cheddar, Maytag Blue Cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano
DESSERTS Rice pudding, coconut macaroons, lemon soufflé, raspberry white chocolate mousse
CIGARS Illusione Fume d’Amour Clementes, Padilla Reserva Toro, My Father No. 3 Crema