Standing Stone Brewery Flight

Today I enjoyed a flight of the current offerings from Standing Stone Brewery in Ashland.  Below are small notes taken- 

Standing Stone Hefeweizen Summer Seasonal- The ale had a surprisingly dry American wheat profile, with subtle Bavarian banana and clove yeast and a lemony tartness hinting at Europe more than being stylistically accurate.

Standing Stone Amber Ale- The ale opened with a green apple start, some lemon, soft hop bitterness, and a dry grain finish.

Standing Stone Pale Ale- A strong lemon start opened the ale before drying and tightening to a dry cereal malt.

Standing Stone Double IPA- The ale was dominated by dark caramelized orange, very smooth and sweet, light in body with a touch of heat at the end.

Standing Stone Oatmeal Stout- The stout was surprisingly light in body, with coffee and dried cocoa being the flavor focus, with a dusty finish.

Standing Stone Noble Stout- This stout was almost the same as above with a nuttier finish.  The coffee flavor was a bit more nuanced, but certainly not stronger.  

Stone Brewing IPA India Pale Ale

Stone IPA, Stone Brewing's India Pale Ale offering, poured a deep golden hue into the glass, with moderate carbonation feeding a frothy cream head.  The nose was bursting with hops, led by classic notes of grapefruit and pine followed by significant floral notes.  


Stone Brewing IPA opened bright and hoppy, with the citrus, pine, and floral hop flavors playing off each other through the carbonation.  Sweet malts quickly joined in the background, but never took hold over the hops and a slight, peppery spice came through as the ale faded and bittered up just a bit.Publish Post


Although often overshadowed by Arrogant Bastard and some of Stone's bigger beer offerings, Stone Brewing IPA, for my money, may be the best representation of what a Northwest IPA (yes, I know Stone is in San Diego) is all about.  That isn't to say it is the "best", or that it is completely unique... quite the opposite; it hits every style requirement on the nose and doesn't push the character of the style at all.  It is, simply put, the poster child for what a PNW IPA should be.

Stone Brewing Sublimely Self-Righteous Strong Ale

Denise, a brew buddy and coworker of mine, has been threatening to bring me a beer that showed her impression of me.  Never one to turn down a free beer, I waited with bated breath to learn my coworker’s true  feelings, and lo and behold, I was greeted with a bottle from Stone Brewing on my desk this morning, the apparently aptly-named Stone Brewing Sublimely Self-Righteous Strong Ale.

Stone Brewing Sublimely Self-Righteous Strong Ale poured a thick, solid black body into the glass, topped by a persistent, frothy tan head.  Dark hops dominated the nose, with some grass and dried date notes.

Stone Brewing Sublimely Self-Righteous Strong Ale opened with a curious combination a bright citrus and burnt malts up front that was enhanced by a dry, herby hop background as it mellowed.  A long, bitter burnt fade lingered for a good half minute. 

Stone Brewing Sublimely Self-Righteous Strong Ale is well at home with the rest of the Stone line; big, bold, a little abrasive, and unapologetically boozy with an iconic, amazingly designed bottle graphic and several paragraphs of arrogant prose. Truly, sublimely, self-righteous. 

Stone Baird Ishii Collaboration Japanese Green Tea IPA

Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA, a collaboration by Baird Brewing Co. in Japan, Ishii Brewing Co. in Guam, and Stone Brewing, poured a hazy orange hue, topped with a strong off-white head and invigorated by medium carbonation.  The nose was an unpleasant mix of green tea, light citrus, and pepper.

Stone Brewing Japanese Green Tea IPA opened with dry, dusty tea notes offset by an herb and citrus hop profile before the biscuit malt center settled in.  The green tea flavors fought with both the hops and the malt, worsened by the bitterness that came through in the close. 

Stone Brewing Japanese Green Tea IPA isn’t a terrible beer, but it’s the worst offering I have tasted from Stone and really merited a more thoughtful recipe formulation than the ale infers.  “Hey, let’s throw green tea in an IPA” is the start of a good idea, but there was clearly little effort put in the follow-through to make this special.  At least it’s for charity…

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale, an oak chip infused take on Stone Brewing’s iconic strong ale, poured a rich, golden amber into the glass, topped with a huge cream head fed by small carbonation trails.  The nose carried forward an almost bourbon-like caramel and vanilla sweetness, with citric and pine hops playing against a pronounced, slightly charred woody oak.

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard opened with heavy caramel, offset by grapefruit rind and resinous pine that played well against the carbonation.  The oak chips came through strong in the middle, imparting dry, tannic wood, vanilla, and earthy tones that as well as caramelized sugar as the ale warmed on the tongue.  A slightly liquor-esque fruity yeast character was noticeable at times, but didn’t stand a chance against the lead in.  The ale ended on a dry, woody bourbon fade with a touch of hop bitterness.

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard certainly wears the oak chip additions on its sleeve, but I can’t help but think there are other additions to the standard Arrogant Bastard recipe.  The addition of oak certainly changes the focus of the palette to the malts, lending the ale the aforementioned bourbon characteristic.  To my taste, the oak could stand to be a bit less pronounced (and I love oak).  I likely stand in the minority by saying I feel this ale is different, not better, than Stone’s standard Arrogant Bastard offering.  A great beer worth seeking out, but the price keeps it from being a contender for a regular rotator at my house.

Stone Cali-Belgique Belgian-style IPA

Stone Cali-Belgique India Pale Ale, an IPA brewed with Belgian yeast by Stone Brewing, poured a citrusy orange color into the glass with a large shiny white head presiding over a decent amount of suspended white flakes.  The nose was understandably dominated by new world hops, with orange and lemon standing out over bubblegum and a hint of clove. 

Stone Cali-Belgique IPA opened on a less intricate note than the nose suggested, leading with lemon and herbal, grassy notes.  Fortunately, fruity notes of peach, mango, and orange made their way through as the ale settled on the tongue.  The ale took on a surprising transformation in the fade, with bubblegum, bread, and light cloves taking over and almost rewriting the drinking experience.  Additional, tropical notes made appearances as the ale warmed.

Stone Cali-Belgique India Pale Ale stands out from the current trend of Belgian-tinged IPAs by offering the best aspects of both styles without accidentally trumping any of the most important keystones.  One of the most unique qualities of Cali-Belgique may be the bi-polar nature of the drinking experience.  I don’t know that this is a style that would permanently pull a dedicated IPA drinker away from their go-to beer, but kudos where kudos are due for a thoughtfully crafted hybrid ale.

Stone 15 Escondidian Imperial Black IPA

Stone 15 Escondidian Imperial Black IPA, a big beer offering celebrating Stone Brewing’s 15^th anniversary, poured a deep black color, topped with a dark brown head.  The nose was surprisingly bright for such a dark beer, with orange and lemon citrus hopping to the front (pun intended?) over subtle hints of licorice and chocolate. 

Stone 15 Escondidian Imperial Black IPA opened smooth, crisp, and light, with loads of bitter citrus and pineapple flavors in the middle.  A sweet fruitiness settled into the ale before the malts slowly dried up the mouth and added earthy notes of chocolate and roasted coffee beans.  The 10+% alcohol content made a heated appearance as the ale faded, lending a slight spiciness to the earthy malts.

Stone Escondidian Imperial Black IPA does a great job of showcasing all the ingredients throughout the tasting experience, and one can’t fault the heat and alcohol at the end… it’s an “imperial”.  An unique brew from a fun company.

Stone/Ninkasi/Alchemist More Brown Than Black IPA

Stone Collaboration More Brown Than Black IPA, a collaboration headed by Stone Brewing and including Ninkasi Brewing of Eugene, OR and The Alchemist of Waterbury, VT, poured a color that fit the name, more brown than black, but still dark, capped with a short lived beige head and chunky grey sediment from the bottom of the bottle.  The nose was pure hops... no malt to find, just orange, pineapple, and melon.


Stone Collaboration More Brown Than Black IPA opened with a sweet and bitter pine and orange start.  The orange flavor sweetened as a distinct pineapple core came through in the middle of the ale.  A strong bitterness was present throughout the tasting, and there were no detectable dark or roasted notes to find as the ale trailed off.


There is nothing subdued about the bitterness of Stone Collaboration More Brown Than Black IPA, and there isn't really anything dark in the taste.  It is cool to see these breweries using new hop styles and crafting a CDA so much lighter (in flavor) than any I have tried.  This is a great ale.

Stone-Troegs Collaboration Cherry Chocolate Stout

Another collaboration led by Stone Brewing, Stone Collaboration Cherry Chocolate Stout poured a dark black with red highlights on the edges when the light hit it topped by a small, beige head.  The nose carried through strong roasted malt, dusty bakers chocolate, with a slight cherry tartness in the background.

Stone Collaboration Cherry Chocolate Stout opened with strong, tart cherry on the tip of the tongue and a touch of sweetness by the time it hit the back of the mouth.  Dark chocolate rose up as the stout settled, met with a touch of dark, molasses like sugar.  As the stout faded, the chocolate and earthier tones faded to a somewhat anemic, cherry-centric fade.

Stone Collaboration Cherry Chocolate Stout is a good idea that could use a little more backbone in the malt and chocolate.  The cherries stood out a bit too much for my liking, with the tartness providing an odd juxtaposition to the dry malt profile.  Points where points are due for not going too sweet, but the wimpy end left me wanting more out of it. 

Stone Vertical Epic Ale 11-11-11

Stone Vertical Epic Ale 11-11-11, a Belgian-style ale brewed with Anaheim chiles and cinnamon as a part of Stone Brewing's Vertical Epic series (based on the concept of collecting and aging each in the series), poured a rich chestnut hue into the glass with mild carbonation trails floating to a small, sticky off-white head.  The nose contained telltale signs of Belgian yeast- banana and pumpkin pie spice with squash.  The cinnamon and chiles don't make an appearance in the nose, although there is a sensation of heat that is more likely attributed to the chiles than the relatively low alcohol.


Stone Vertical Epic Ale 11-11-11 opened with sweet and spicy Belgian yeast notes of pepper and banana.  The cinnamon is there, but is fairly obscured by the clove-like notes, and the hatch chiles impart the slightest touch of flavor, but like in the nose is more felt than tasted.  The spicy combo of the yeast and added spices did a nice job of drying out the finish of the beer, which was a relief after the thick and sweet middle of the ale.  


I hate to admit this, but for my money Stone Vertical Epic Ale 11-11-11 is kind of a mess of a beer.  It is interesting and by no means unpleasant, but there is a ton going on and the individual components don't coexist in harmony.  After reading the label, I realize the intention for this ale was to be aged for a year, so I picked up a second bottle and am interested to see what time does to pull this ale together.

Stone Brewing Smoked Porter

Stone Smoked Porter, a year-round release from Stone Brewing, poured an almost inpenetrable dark brown, topped with a thick tan head that was surprisingly short on lacing.  The nose carried forward notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee with only a hint of smoke.

Stone Smoked Porter opened light and well carbonated for such a dark beer, with a pleasant amount of smoke, capturing the campfire taste without getting into meaty Rauch territory.  The subtle smoke quickly faded to a respectable coffee-like middle before trailing into a bakers chocolate fade.  Throughout, notes of fruits and herbs make brief appearances without managing to settle and there is little to no hop flavor to detect.

Stone/Elysian/Bruery La Citruille Celeste de Citracado Ale

Stone / Elysian / Bruery La Citruille Celeste de Citracado Ale, a collaboration of ale brewed with pumpkins, yams, toasted fenugreek, lemon verbena, and birch bark between three West Coast breweries and headed by Stone Brewing, opened with hop bitterness and an earthy, tree bark and black tea flavor.  Lemon and extremely subtle roasted notes came through in the middle, and there was a citric, floral quality that took hold before the ale faded into a water finish of earthy bitterness and toasted herbal anise.  


Despite an unpronounceable name and daunting list of ingredients, there really isn't much of anything happening in this ale.  There are many novel and (mostly well placed)  flavors and aromas you won't find in a typical beer, but there just isn't enough body to the ale to make it stand up.  Thankfully, the pumpkin was just barely there and the ale was entirely devoid of sweetness.  So I guess there's that.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA

Today I'm tasting Dogfish Head's middle IPA sibling, Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA (aptly named for the 90 minute boil that makes this IPA the hop monster it is).

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA poured a reddish-orange color into the glass and was thick enough that the small carbonation trails seemed to move in slow motion to the to of the spotty, thin white head.  The nose had the big nectarine and tropical fruit notes of newer style big IPAs.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA opened with a fruity and floral entrance on stone fruit and aromatic hops, but as a somewhat cloying sweetness that started in the background became more prominent the ale darkened and took on a burnt sugar taste.  The ale faded in a thick, sticky medicinal linger with a bit more alcohol heat than the 9% ABV merited. 

For such a highly coveted and revered ale, Dogfish Head Imperial IPA doesn't really hold up to the newer breweries' attempts at a well balanced, super-hopped imperial IPA.  It is a bit too unrefined and medicinal to draw a non-beer drinker in, and the rough around the edges aesthetic is oddly out of place with the rest of their superb line.

Edit and Addendum- I should point out this bottle was purchased at a grocery store, and while still "in date" it was likely several months old.  Having tried a fresh bottle recently, none of my above complaints were apparent.  A little research revealed this ale has a particularly finicky shelf life, so those of us on the West Coast would do ourselves a favor to buy from a reputable bottle shop to reduce the chance of getting a bottle more than a month or so after bottling.

Boscos Brewing Ale Flight

While visiting Boscos Brewing in Nashville, I had the opportunity to run a flight of their standard offerings, their special releases, and their bottle-conditioned American-Style Dry Stout.

Boscos Witbier- A nice, American-style wheat ale.  stands up nicely without the typical citrus addition.

Boscos Original Alt- Thirst quenching, if nondescript.

Boscos English Style IPA- A toasted, biscuit malt profile dominated the hops

Boscos American Style Dry Stout Bottle Conditioned Ale- A standout of the flight, complex and extremely drinkable.

Boscos Famous Flaming Stone Beer- Typical amber ale, a little light on hops

Boscos Bombay IPA- The heavier hopped big broth of the English Style, this one stayed close to the English malting with much more pleasant and pronounced hops.

Hillsboro Brown- Nothing much to see here, folks.

Isle of Skye Scottish Ale- Surprisingly subdued and un-Scotchlike for the style

Three Creeks Hoodoo Voodoo IPA

 

Hoodoo Voodoo IPA, an offering from Three Creeks Brewing, poured a mildly carbonated orange in the glass with a sticky, off-white head.  The nose carried strong stone fruit and tropical aromas.


Three Creeks Hoodoo Voodoo IPA opened with a medium mouth-feel of grapefruit rind, mango, and orange notes.  The ale settled into a sweet, subtle caramel middle before going into an extended fade that dries out as the subtle bitterness at the start takes over.


A good IPA, not a great one.  

Deschutes Green Lakes Organic Ale

Deschutes Green Lakes Organic Ale, a year round offering from Deschutes Brewing, poured a orange-red amber into the glass with a tenacious white head.  The nose was fruity, with stone fruits and apples standing out. 

Deschutes Green Lakes Organic Ale opened with a fruity spiciness that was a bit surprising for an amber before mellowing into a sweet, dark sugar middle.  Some toasted grain came through before a slow fade with mild emerging bitterness. 

Deschutes Green Lakes Organic Ale is an interesting ale worth trying.  It straddles the fence of never being too hoppy, too sweet, or too malt forward.  

Elysian The Immortal IPA

The lovely Madame Crystal was kind enough to stock the pantry with some tasty 22s for my Portland visit.  Among the collection was an IPA from Elysian Brewing, a Seattle-based brewery we visited a couple of years ago at their Elysian Fields bar and restaurant.  I recall their more exotic beers, like the Avatar Jasmine IPA and Dragon's Tooth Stout being outstanding while some of their more "in the style of" offerings being a bit more average than the price, name, and packaging implied.  But hey... before I head out to the Cascade Brewing Barrel House for a heady flight of seven 8oz. samples of sour ales, let's crack open Elysian Brewing's Elysian The Immortal IPA.

Elysian The Immortal IPA was highly carbonated as it poured into the glass, forming a big, loose white head over a clear amber body.  The nose was mostly comprised of pine, with supporting notes of biscuit.

Elysian The Immortal IPA opened with a warm citrus start with subtle touches of honey and cream.  The ale quickly settled into a decidedly malty middle, hinting at burnt sugar and stone fruit without ever leaving the bready core.  It finished on a long linger with a slight bitterness.

Elysian The Immortal IPA falls into the large group of unremarkable IPAs that glut the shelves of better bottle shops.  It is surprisingly un-hopped for a Northwest IPA and isn't remarkable enough in it's malts to stand out.  It certainly isn't a bad beer, but it falls far short of the audacious name "immortal".  However, I do have to concede it was the perfect match for a late biscuits, sausage, and gravy brunch; the malts complimenting the biscuits and the bitter finish cutting the heaviness of the meal.

Chimay Blue Cap Peres Trappistes Grande Reserve Ale

I remember Chimay being one of the first non-American beer that caught my interest, with an air of mystery and  exoticism surrounding the ale.  Monks brewing special beer, far from the prying eyes of the world?  Awesome.  Champagne-like bottle design?  Fancy.  9% alcohol?  Amazing (to my inexperienced mind).  Looking back, I mostly remember the "I'm drinking champagne" levels of carbonation, crispness, and a distinct "otherness" about the ales when compared to the ales and lagers I was used to.  It certainly couldn't be as funky or wild as the ales I have grown to love over the years, but it's time to open up a bottle of Chimay Peres Trappistes Grande Reserve Ale to see how it stands up to memory.


Chimay Blue Cap poured a black tea brown into the glass, topped with a huge, foamy tan head fed by almost violent carbonation.  The nose was almost pure clove aromas, with the slightest hints of dried fruit and slight phenols.  


Chimay Peres Trappistes Grande Reserve Ale opened with dried stone fruit notes and dark sugar.  Despite the heavy carbonation, there was a slight heaviness to the ale that carried much of the sugar but never managed to become too sweet in the nix.    The clove and pepper notes were decidedly more tame upon tasting, and sat just above the slightest bit of yeast twang.  The ale ended on a decidedly confusing mix of airy dryness with a lingering, stewed fruit thickness more tasted than felt.  


Chimay Grande Reserve Ale is well regarded for a reason... it is ultimately accessible by almost anyone, dangerously drinkable considering the ABV, and isn't too bold in any area to be considered offensive.  At this point in my beer journey, Chimay Blue Cap is more an interesting experience (akin to Delerium Tremens) than a final destination I want to stop at. 

Bridgeport Hop Czar Imperial India Pale Ale

Bridgeport has made quite an impression to me this year.  In addition to their Big Brews series, they've really expanded their core series to include some outstanding varieties leap-years ahead of their original Bridgeport India Pale Ale (which has lost some of it's luster as more and more breweries offer their takes on the IPA).  Today, I crack open a bottle of Bridgeport Hop Czar India Pale Ale.

Bridgeport Hop Czar Imperial IPA poured the hazy color of over-steeped green tea in the glass and topped with a lumpy white head.  The nose was centered around stone-fruit and pine in even measures.

Bridgeport Hop Czar Imperial IPA opened with sugary, sweet notes of ripe citrus and undertones of subdued pine.  The IPA quickly settled into a caramel malt smoothness, and ended on a curious bitter aftertaste that reminded me of aspirin but wasn't unpleasant.

Bridgeport Hop Czar is a highly drinkable, easy entrance into the world of big IPAs, offsetting it's copious hopping with a sweet counter-balance of malts and barley.  Hop Czar was (I believe) a brave standard release for Bridgeport a year or so ago when they brought it to market, but seeing their Haymaker Extra Pale Ale and Cafe Negro coffee infused porter released brings it all into perspective.  Bridgeport is branching out and getting bolder.

Ninkasi Brewing Sleigh'r Dark Double Alt Ale

More “candy for adults” from Eugene, Oregon’s Ninkasi Brewing Co, and the second-to-last hoarded away winter seasonal, Ninkasi Sleigh’r Dark Double Alt Ale.

Ninkasi Sleigh’r Dark Double Alt poured a crimson clover honey hue in the glass with a lumpy, done colored head and mild carbonation.  The nose was composed of pine and honey in equal measures.

 

Ninkasi Sleigh’r Dark Double Ale opened with a pine start and a subtle but distinct earthiness and a fuzzy stone-fruit mouth feel.  The body of the ale was sweet bread, and it ended on a coffee and bitter rind finish. 

Ninkasi Brewing doesn’t do subtle or understated… they make big, bold beers high in hops, ABV, and body.  Ninkasi Sleigh’r is no exception to this brewing philosophy, managing to walk the line of “highly drinkable” and “highly flavorful” without straying too far into either camp.