Stone Brewery in Escondido, CA is a marquise craft brewery and certainly one of my favorites. Opening in 1996 they went from a well-kept secret to a world wide juggernaut in the industry in only 10 years. Their barrel production went form 400 in '96 to 115,000 in 2010. checkout out the website for more interesting facts. http://stonebrewing.com/press/facts.asp
Today my friend Rick and I decided to sit down and taste Stone's Cali-Belgique IPA. This is quite obviously by its name a marriage of California IPA with Belgium yeast to create a unique beer that still has the distinctly Stone flare.
The First thing I noticed as I poured this beer is the cream white thick head that quickly dissipated to a light ring around the edges of the glass. The color is slightly hazy with pale wheat to amber shades. Right on the nose you catch the overly hoppy presence that Stone is known for. Less of a grapefruit and more of cantaloupe or other more earth melon aroma, with a hint of peach maybe some lemon, and Rick notes very faint classic belgium notes just past the hops of bubblegum, banana and cloves.
Right up front you get hit with the signature hops of Stone, some people find it overbearing but I am a hop head that doesn't mind unbalanced hop attacks! However in this one they try to balance it out with its Belgium side that brings more earth tones and the melon that was picked up in the nose. Rick didn't get it but I got a faint green vegetable taste that lingered behind the crisp hoppy finish, like asparagus or broccolini.
All in all I think this is a fantastic beer from a fantastic brewery that give a different take on the classic American IPA. Whether you are a fan of IPA's or Belgium's you get all the best parts of each and left satisfied and ready for another glass.
Please visit their website for more information on the rest of their brews and don't for get to check us out on facebook to keep up to the minute on news and tappings. Special thanks to Rick Wilson for comparing tasting notes! www.stonebrewing.com
Jonathan Cole
Supreme Beer Geek
www.facebook.com/sharkclubhowell
www.sharkclubhowell.com
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Founder's Double Trouble
As a huge fan of giant IPA's I was very much looking forward to tasting this one. Just arriving on tap last week, I don't expect this to last long, so come in and grab a glass while it lasts.
After a few glasses of Breakfast Stout I decided to switch it up to close out the night, so I poured a glass of Double Trouble... and at 9.4% abv it was perhaps a poor choice and certainly was my night cap. The name is spot on as I knew I was in trouble from the first sip. Unlike Hopslam or other Double IPA's that balance the large amount of hops with equal amounts of malt to add a touch of sweetness to cut the bitterness, Founders seems to have left that out with this one. It instantly drys the mouth with a bitter puckering that made me feel like I was in one of the old warhead sour gum commercials.
It smells fantastic! All those hops throwing the classic citrus with pineapple and grapefruit tones all followed up with an almost spruce tree like hint of pine. A golden murky yellow almost honey colored with a rich creamy head, it definitely looks the part.
The first thing you notice when it hits your tongue is unabashed hops. Bitter, citrus and pine, it tastes just as it smells with very little malt to balance the insane amount of hops in this beer. A hop heads dream! Medium bodied but still very substantial mouth feel that lingers nicely after each sip leaving your mouth dry and wanting more. With 86 IBUs it ranks right up that at one of the most bitter IPA's, not in the top 100 but it holds its own.
Another great beer from a great Michigan commodity, Founders Brewing Company. To find out more about Founders visit their website below.
Thanks for checking in with me and be sure to come check out this and the many other great Craft Ales on tap at the Shark Club in Howell, MI.
JC, Supreme Beer Geek
links:
www.foundersbrewing.com
www.facebook.com/sharkclubhowell
www.sharkclubhowell.com
www.michiganmicrobrews.com
After a few glasses of Breakfast Stout I decided to switch it up to close out the night, so I poured a glass of Double Trouble... and at 9.4% abv it was perhaps a poor choice and certainly was my night cap. The name is spot on as I knew I was in trouble from the first sip. Unlike Hopslam or other Double IPA's that balance the large amount of hops with equal amounts of malt to add a touch of sweetness to cut the bitterness, Founders seems to have left that out with this one. It instantly drys the mouth with a bitter puckering that made me feel like I was in one of the old warhead sour gum commercials.
It smells fantastic! All those hops throwing the classic citrus with pineapple and grapefruit tones all followed up with an almost spruce tree like hint of pine. A golden murky yellow almost honey colored with a rich creamy head, it definitely looks the part.
The first thing you notice when it hits your tongue is unabashed hops. Bitter, citrus and pine, it tastes just as it smells with very little malt to balance the insane amount of hops in this beer. A hop heads dream! Medium bodied but still very substantial mouth feel that lingers nicely after each sip leaving your mouth dry and wanting more. With 86 IBUs it ranks right up that at one of the most bitter IPA's, not in the top 100 but it holds its own.
Another great beer from a great Michigan commodity, Founders Brewing Company. To find out more about Founders visit their website below.
Thanks for checking in with me and be sure to come check out this and the many other great Craft Ales on tap at the Shark Club in Howell, MI.
JC, Supreme Beer Geek
links:
www.foundersbrewing.com
www.facebook.com/sharkclubhowell
www.sharkclubhowell.com
www.michiganmicrobrews.com
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