Stone says: "This year our brewing team was inspired by some exotic-ish additions of
the lemony persuasion. Yes, it's a Double IPA (can you really say you're
surprised?), but as we strive to do with all our Stone
Anniversary Ales of the let's-take-this-IPA-in-a-new-direction variety,
we've brewed up a Stone-worthy divergence from tradition. The amount of
rye malt we used isn't quite enough to warrant the appellation "Rye
IPA," but it still adds hints of spiciness that contrast deliciously
with the tropical fruit flavors and aromas of the Amarillo and Calypso
hops. Add a few European specialty malts, some lemon verbena, and three
more hop varieties to the mix, and you have a highly complex brew
melding both bitter and fruity hop notes with rich toasted malt
character punctuated by nuances of spicy rye and subtle lemon."
This DIPA is 10% ABV, distributed nationwide, and will be available basically until it sells out.
Appearance: The picture makes it look much more red than it actually is, but there still is a red hue to this beer that is more apparent than usual in IPAs. The head poured to about 1.5 fingers and dissipated, leaving no lacing or rings on the glass. It's slightly cloudy and overall color is probably amber, but with that slight red tone I mentioned earlier.
Smell: Spice and herbal notes are dominant on the nose, and some tropical fruit aromas from the hops come in toward the end. I'd say the additions (rye, lemon verbena) make up the majority of the smell of this beer.
Taste: Even though I'm sure Stone hopped the crap out of this beer, it's definitely a "different" IPA. Much like on the nose, herbal and spice characteristics are dominant here, making this appear to be a very yeast-forward beer (whereas most IPAs, especially double IPAs, are hop-forward.) I can almost taste what seems like flavors of sage and thyme, and the lemon definitely comes through as well. The hop notes are mostly tropical, like mango. There isn't a lot of sweetness from any perceptible malt backbone, but the beer does seem pretty well balanced.
Mouthfeel: Slightly slick and oily, and medium bodied. This is a weaker aspect of the beer. My mouth feels a bit coated after I sip.
Overall: Stone hit it out of the park on two IPAs they released this summer: Ruination 10 and Enjoy By 9.21.12. I wouldn't say this is an "afterthought," since they definitely seem to have put some effort into making this a unique brew, but so soon after the former two, it pales in comparison. It's still a decent IPA, especially if you like herbal notes in your beer. I do think they achieved what they were going for: this is a deceptively strong DIPA (I didn't mention it before, but the alcohol is pretty well masked) that is unique and flavorful. As far as true IPA mastery goes, though, it's not my favorite.
3/5
This DIPA is 10% ABV, distributed nationwide, and will be available basically until it sells out.
Appearance: The picture makes it look much more red than it actually is, but there still is a red hue to this beer that is more apparent than usual in IPAs. The head poured to about 1.5 fingers and dissipated, leaving no lacing or rings on the glass. It's slightly cloudy and overall color is probably amber, but with that slight red tone I mentioned earlier.
Smell: Spice and herbal notes are dominant on the nose, and some tropical fruit aromas from the hops come in toward the end. I'd say the additions (rye, lemon verbena) make up the majority of the smell of this beer.
Taste: Even though I'm sure Stone hopped the crap out of this beer, it's definitely a "different" IPA. Much like on the nose, herbal and spice characteristics are dominant here, making this appear to be a very yeast-forward beer (whereas most IPAs, especially double IPAs, are hop-forward.) I can almost taste what seems like flavors of sage and thyme, and the lemon definitely comes through as well. The hop notes are mostly tropical, like mango. There isn't a lot of sweetness from any perceptible malt backbone, but the beer does seem pretty well balanced.
Mouthfeel: Slightly slick and oily, and medium bodied. This is a weaker aspect of the beer. My mouth feels a bit coated after I sip.
Overall: Stone hit it out of the park on two IPAs they released this summer: Ruination 10 and Enjoy By 9.21.12. I wouldn't say this is an "afterthought," since they definitely seem to have put some effort into making this a unique brew, but so soon after the former two, it pales in comparison. It's still a decent IPA, especially if you like herbal notes in your beer. I do think they achieved what they were going for: this is a deceptively strong DIPA (I didn't mention it before, but the alcohol is pretty well masked) that is unique and flavorful. As far as true IPA mastery goes, though, it's not my favorite.
3/5
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