Tried another bottle of this a few nights ago and it tastes a little different than I'd remembered: A little like a hopped up Black Butte porter. Excellent stuff.
This is a great beer. To me, a perfect cross between a DIPA and a RIS. You shouldn't be taking any crap for giving this an A+. Stone hit a home run with this one.
Just got back from local liquor store. Saw 15 there and since it always disappears I bought three bottles right away. It poured thicker than Imperial IRS by Stone I had yesterday. It seems even blacker! It is awesome! My lesser alcohol taste then IRS. So much hops yet chocolady taste... Nice..
Had this last week. Yep definitely a beast of a beer right up there with Greenflash IIPA and just a notch below the Maharaja as far as IIPAs go. I was only able to pick the anise towards the finish....none of the other stout-like qualities came through. Sitting on another bottle to see what time does to this one. I expect the hops to recede a bit and enhance the stout qualities.
I'm drinking this one right now...it definitely changes a lot over the course of warming up. Easily the best black ipa I've ever had. One of the best Stone beers I've ever had even. I think the stout part of it pretty much just worked at keeping everything really smooth and it played it's part perfectly.
Drinking this one right now. Don't know what to think. Tastes like an aggressively-hopped imperial stout (like they mixed Ruination IPA, which I love, with some impy stout). As it's warming up, it's beginning to grow on me though. I liked Two Brother's Hop Juice Black much better with a comparable ABV, too bad it was only a very limited release, and New Glarus Brewing's Black Top black IPA (not an imperial) is just amazing. Too bad that one's only available in Wisconsin!
@BrokenGalaxy Yeah this is a different beer once it starts to warm up for sure. Ive heard the Hop Juice black is an impressive beer. I actually was able to get a bottle of that but I passed on it.
Great review. I agree with your verdict on this one, they did a great job with this beer. I feel like it got more bitter as it warmed, did you get that?
i'm not sure why this beer is so polarizing. maybe some Stone backlash? maybe some ppl aren't really sold on the whole Black IPA thing. either way, i think this beer is fantastic. the complexity of flavors makes this the best Black IPA i've ever had, and is definitely in the running for favorite new beer of 2011.
@dirtywilly26 Yeah I think the reason it is so polarizing is because it is a black ipa. People either love them or hate them. Me though ive had some good ones and some bad ones but this was just a great beer in general and easily one of the biggest surprises of 2011!
At least what I have found about this Stone Ann ale is that drinking it a little warmer (52-60F) allows it to taste much better. When a friend and drank it colder there seemed to be a secondary flavor that was off-putting. Great review!
Picked this one up, as soon as we got it in store(last month) and loved it. Bold, yet drinkable. After having there sub par collaborations, this was a truly a breath of fresh air. I also gave it an A+ on beer advocate. Great review, defiantly agree.
I totally agree with you on this one dude!!! This is a mindbending beer!! I found it to be surprisingly delicious ! Lets not forget that these 22OZ bombers are only around $6.00 a piece!!!
Good review Chris. Black IPA's are really not my thing but I know people who are keeping this one to see how well it ages. Also, to your left are those bombers from Portsmouth Brewing out of NH? If so what did you pick up from them? I went there the other day and had Fruit Gruit. Certainly an interesting beer spiced with a lot of herbs instead of all hops.
@Albion426 Yep the bottles are Kate The Great imperial stout from Portsmouth. Even if you are not into blackipas i would try this one. I think you might be surprised.
Drank one of these last night and I thought it was a good beer but I did not get the hop citrus presence like you. Mostly a bitter dark fruit (lots of Raisin) hoppy taste. Probably one of the better Stone brews that I have had. Was really surprised at the amount of head for such a high ABV beer.
First negative thing to say? Alright: I HATED this beer. Remember being a lot more roasty than you said it was. It was like, "Hey! You got your stout in my IPA, and I don't much appreciate that!" So, yeah, would've been a drainpour had my dad not liked it.
First introduced to a Black IPAs via Otter Creek's offering which I thought was pretty good , I'm going to have to keep an eye out for this one. IPAs and porters are my all time favorites and this looks to be a nice hybrid of the 2.
@BeerGeekNation I have yet to be disappointed with anything from Stone Brewing and if I can find it here (My local Wegmans usually has a great selection of Brews from Stone's) Its going in the cart LOL !
Well I do not see how this is polarizing or why you would get a lot of crap for your rating. I think Stone 15 is a great beer and much less controversial then Stone 14.
The best Black IPA I have had. In this case a Black IIPA. Very Hoppy with some stout qualities . To me it was more of a hopped up stout on hop roids. The beer def changes ton's as it warms. I don't think your crazy with your rating if you compare it to any other Black IPA's. As an overall IPA I say a solid A. Nice review. Cheers.
@truthisrare777 Yeah this is by far the best black IIPA I have ever had. As it warmed up more of the stout starts to shine through which is great because it starts to develop the hops even more! Cheers
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KixRules1 4 days ago
Tried another bottle of this a few nights ago and it tastes a little different than I'd remembered: A little like a hopped up Black Butte porter. Excellent stuff.
tiltomatic1 1 month ago
This is a great beer. To me, a perfect cross between a DIPA and a RIS. You shouldn't be taking any crap for giving this an A+. Stone hit a home run with this one.
Hugomarink 2 months ago
@Hugomarink I totally agree man this is one of the best beers stone has put out!
BeerGeekNation 2 months ago
This was a fantastic beer. Best Black IPA I've ever tried. Thoroughly enjoyed!
mrmuyrapido 3 months ago
@mrmuyrapido I agree 100%!
BeerGeekNation 3 months ago
I just tried this last night and couldn't agree with you more!
Imasofat 3 months ago
@Imasofat Glad you liked it! Cheers
BeerGeekNation 3 months ago
Definitely loved this one. Like a super hoppy porter.
doughanson78 4 months ago
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Just got back from local liquor store. Saw 15 there and since it always disappears I bought three bottles right away. It poured thicker than Imperial IRS by Stone I had yesterday. It seems even blacker! It is awesome! My lesser alcohol taste then IRS. So much hops yet chocolady taste... Nice..
Sivek1 4 months ago
Had this last week. Yep definitely a beast of a beer right up there with Greenflash IIPA and just a notch below the Maharaja as far as IIPAs go. I was only able to pick the anise towards the finish....none of the other stout-like qualities came through. Sitting on another bottle to see what time does to this one. I expect the hops to recede a bit and enhance the stout qualities.
gshankaran 4 months ago
@gshankaran Yeah I think with some time this is going to get similar qualities to their RIS. SHould be interesting.
BeerGeekNation 4 months ago
I'm drinking this one right now...it definitely changes a lot over the course of warming up. Easily the best black ipa I've ever had. One of the best Stone beers I've ever had even. I think the stout part of it pretty much just worked at keeping everything really smooth and it played it's part perfectly.
JoSmoBN 4 months ago
@JoSmoBN Yeah for as an intense beer as it is it is really a well balanced beer for sure. Awesome stuff
BeerGeekNation 4 months ago
I couldn't find this so I got the Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale.
ZwienerZ 5 months ago
@ZwienerZ SSR fresh is also a great beer. Its not quite as hoppy as this one but it has a similar profile
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
@BeerGeekNation I looked for it today and they had 1 left! I guess this stuff goes pretty fast here in Austin, TX.
ZwienerZ 5 months ago
@ZwienerZ Tons of cases still available here in Houston...
gshankaran 4 months ago
@gshankaran I've got it a couple more time, but every time I see it there's like 1 or 2 left.
ZwienerZ 4 months ago
This is one intense beer, love it. Still got a bottle chillin'
PbNAphasia 5 months ago
@PbNAphasia enjoy it!!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
a few people said if I don't love this beer there's no Black IPA I'll love.
ChadzBeerReviews 5 months ago
@ChadzBeerReviews Thats actually a pretty fair statement. This is prob the best black ipa on the market.
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
Drinking this one right now. Don't know what to think. Tastes like an aggressively-hopped imperial stout (like they mixed Ruination IPA, which I love, with some impy stout). As it's warming up, it's beginning to grow on me though. I liked Two Brother's Hop Juice Black much better with a comparable ABV, too bad it was only a very limited release, and New Glarus Brewing's Black Top black IPA (not an imperial) is just amazing. Too bad that one's only available in Wisconsin!
BrokenGalaxy 5 months ago
@BrokenGalaxy Yeah this is a different beer once it starts to warm up for sure. Ive heard the Hop Juice black is an impressive beer. I actually was able to get a bottle of that but I passed on it.
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
How's this stack up to Lucky Bastard?
capitalistraven 5 months ago
@capitalistraven This is a much much much hoppier beer then Lucky Bastard
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
for the price, this one is almost unbeatable. definitely one of my favorites.
keep up the good reviews, chris. definitely enjoying these.
tranceaddictallnight 5 months ago
@tranceaddictallnight Thanks man!. Yeah for the price this is one of Stones best offerings for sure!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
this is certainly something I want. I hope I can find it.
StephenDickerman 5 months ago
I've had 4 bottles so far. Hopefully they keep this in their rotation like Sublimely Self Righteous.
ZomBeneath 5 months ago
Great review. I agree with your verdict on this one, they did a great job with this beer. I feel like it got more bitter as it warmed, did you get that?
NYRfan4ever 5 months ago
@NYRfan4ever Yeah more of the imp stout characters came out.
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
I got an awesome tropical fruit flavor on this one.
FSVR54 5 months ago
@FSVR54 Yep the hop profile was all over on this one!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
good review.
i'm not sure why this beer is so polarizing. maybe some Stone backlash? maybe some ppl aren't really sold on the whole Black IPA thing. either way, i think this beer is fantastic. the complexity of flavors makes this the best Black IPA i've ever had, and is definitely in the running for favorite new beer of 2011.
dirtywilly26 5 months ago
@dirtywilly26 Yeah I think the reason it is so polarizing is because it is a black ipa. People either love them or hate them. Me though ive had some good ones and some bad ones but this was just a great beer in general and easily one of the biggest surprises of 2011!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
Is it even hoppier than the 14th anni IPA? Great review. Cheers!!!
drolretfa 5 months ago
@drolretfa it is way more hoppy then the 14th!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
@BeerGeekNation WOW!!!
drolretfa 5 months ago
This was great beer we just reviewed it to. Great review man!!
TheBEERSgoneBAD 5 months ago
@TheBEERSgoneBAD cool. Cheers
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
At least what I have found about this Stone Ann ale is that drinking it a little warmer (52-60F) allows it to taste much better. When a friend and drank it colder there seemed to be a secondary flavor that was off-putting. Great review!
DrHopulus 5 months ago
@DrHopulus Yeah I started reviewing it a bit colder then it should have been but by the end the flavors were screaming out of this one
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
I've beer doing this Stone Brewery Beer Taste off; good beers, but I havent ran in the Stone 15, yet, cant wait to check it out, Good Review
DaBeerKing 5 months ago
@DaBeerKing Its fantastic stuff!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
Yep, they nailed it. Most the people I know in San Diego love this beer. I still need to get a few more bottles of this.
StumpyJoeJr 5 months ago
@StumpyJoeJr yeah this is a fantastic offering from them. I hope they decide to brew it year round
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
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Picked this one up, as soon as we got it in store(last month) and loved it. Bold, yet drinkable. After having there sub par collaborations, this was a truly a breath of fresh air. I also gave it an A+ on beer advocate. Great review, defiantly agree.
JDSproducitons 5 months ago
@JDSproducitons I agree I thought the green tea IPA was solid but the cherry stout was medicore at best. This one really wowed me though
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
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JDSproducitons 5 months ago
I totally agree with you on this one dude!!! This is a mindbending beer!! I found it to be surprisingly delicious ! Lets not forget that these 22OZ bombers are only around $6.00 a piece!!!
bigpapykane 5 months ago
@bigpapykane this is very true! I forgot to even mention the price!!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
Good review Chris. Black IPA's are really not my thing but I know people who are keeping this one to see how well it ages. Also, to your left are those bombers from Portsmouth Brewing out of NH? If so what did you pick up from them? I went there the other day and had Fruit Gruit. Certainly an interesting beer spiced with a lot of herbs instead of all hops.
Albion426 5 months ago
@Albion426 Yep the bottles are Kate The Great imperial stout from Portsmouth. Even if you are not into blackipas i would try this one. I think you might be surprised.
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
Kate in the background??????
5iveStarGeneral 5 months ago
@5iveStarGeneral Yep a 2010 and 11
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
Drank one of these last night and I thought it was a good beer but I did not get the hop citrus presence like you. Mostly a bitter dark fruit (lots of Raisin) hoppy taste. Probably one of the better Stone brews that I have had. Was really surprised at the amount of head for such a high ABV beer.
cjfourty6 5 months ago
First negative thing to say? Alright: I HATED this beer. Remember being a lot more roasty than you said it was. It was like, "Hey! You got your stout in my IPA, and I don't much appreciate that!" So, yeah, would've been a drainpour had my dad not liked it.
ace125koo 5 months ago
@ace125koo Yeah this style is really a love hate style. But thats the beauty of craft beer! Cheers
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
First introduced to a Black IPAs via Otter Creek's offering which I thought was pretty good , I'm going to have to keep an eye out for this one. IPAs and porters are my all time favorites and this looks to be a nice hybrid of the 2.
WatchToddPattison 5 months ago
@WatchToddPattison If you like Black IPA's you are going to love this one. Its a must get if you do!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
@BeerGeekNation I have yet to be disappointed with anything from Stone Brewing and if I can find it here (My local Wegmans usually has a great selection of Brews from Stone's) Its going in the cart LOL !
WatchToddPattison 5 months ago
my favorite style, hope I could get some of this over here.
flipper2gv 5 months ago
@flipper2gv If you get Stone you should be able to pick this one up
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
@BeerGeekNation I don't get any Stone. Otherwise I'd be swimming in a pool of Sublimely Self-Righteous
flipper2gv 5 months ago
Well I do not see how this is polarizing or why you would get a lot of crap for your rating. I think Stone 15 is a great beer and much less controversial then Stone 14.
Tantrum777 5 months ago
@Tantrum777 I think Black IPA's in general can be polarizing. But yeah I think this one is a lot more "stone" then their 14 was for sure
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
If that is Kate the Great, I hate you.
:) Thanks for the review, I'll look for this one!
tlazaroff 5 months ago
@tlazaroff haha yeah it is. Def check this one out
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
Wish I could get Stone where I am. :/
AngilasGuy 5 months ago
@AngilasGuy that sucks!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
Drank this last night. Loved the accent of the "black" flavors too.
CBABitz 5 months ago
@CBABitz yeah they really accentuate the hops in this one
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
A+++ for sure
kbroberts1 5 months ago
@kbroberts1 Yeah its awesome stuff
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
The best Black IPA I have had. In this case a Black IIPA. Very Hoppy with some stout qualities . To me it was more of a hopped up stout on hop roids. The beer def changes ton's as it warms. I don't think your crazy with your rating if you compare it to any other Black IPA's. As an overall IPA I say a solid A. Nice review. Cheers.
truthisrare777 5 months ago
@truthisrare777 Yeah this is by far the best black IIPA I have ever had. As it warmed up more of the stout starts to shine through which is great because it starts to develop the hops even more! Cheers
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
I'm gonna have to pick this up. I love the Ruination. Is it available everywhere? I go to Central Market or Whole Foods. They have a great selection.
ZwienerZ 5 months ago
@ZwienerZ It should be available where Stone beers are sold its limited but not that limited. Def check it out though if you like Ruination!
BeerGeekNation 5 months ago
first
th1nonlydg88 5 months ago