Stone 11th Anniversary Ale
The Stone 11th Anniversary Ale does not disappoint. Weighing in at a hefty 8.7% you may assume it’s too big for your likings, don’t judge this beer by the numbers. The 11th Anniversary carefully balances many flavors to come up with a very enjoyable beer.
“The inspiration for making a Black IPA (or should we say “India Black Ale/ IBA”?) has been over a year in the making. As soon as we wrapped up the brewing of the Stone 10th Anniversary IPA, we started brainstorming ideas for the Stone 11th Anniversary Ale, and the Black IPA concept was born. This was a challenging brew to formulate and achieve what we considered the ideal flavor balance of intense up-front hops with balanced roasted malt flavors, a deep, rich flavor, and a hearty bitterness…”
Mitch Steele
Stone Head Brewer
Appearance
This beer pours almost completely black (India Black Ale) with a thick tan head that sticks to the sides of your glass as you’re enjoying it. The head hangs around until the beer is completely gone. Carbonation is kept at a minimum.
Taste
Very hoppy, but what else do you expect in a Stone IPA style brew? Some of the roasted flavors pop through and mellow the beer a bit. But still, the hop bitterness shines in this one. I wouldn’t quite call is a hop bomb, it’s borderline. Hard to get this one nailed down.
Availability
Limited release for Stone’s 11th anniversary, duh. You can find this beer in 22s or on draft. As of February 2008, it seems to be running dry at some of my normal shops. Bummer.
Rating
A very enjoyable beer, try to find some in your area before they’re all gone. Stone, brew more of this one please.