Baird / Ishii / Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Escondido, California USA

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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Bottle (RBESGG2011, Grand Tasting)
In simple terms, a pale lagery aroma. Retronasals remind me of alcohol. Body is bitter. There’s a nice tingle of hops. but the whole things says nothing to me.

Bottle. Pours lightly hazy amber with an average, fizzy white head, medium retention with fair lacing. Aroma is heavy floral, citrus, pine, and perfume hops with light notes of biscuit and straw malt. Light, tropical fruity esters appear late. Flavor is moderately bitter fruity, floral, and herbal hops with light supporting malts and tropical fruit esters. Full body, moderate warmth and carbonation with a dry finish.

Bottle. Pours with a muddy golden hued body and a large, foamy, slightly green tinged off-white head. Aromas are a bit dank, tropical fruit hoppy, a bit herbal as well. Slight green tea ice cream nose, a hint of pine. Minimal esters, minimal malt profile, a bit of fusel. Flavors of are bitter, a bit tannic. An odd grassy flavor towards the finish. Lemon, grassy, herbal, lightly fruity (berries maybe?). Odd hopping, lingering bitterness. Medium to lively bubbles. Some alcohol. Perhaps a bit messy.

Draught Small yellowish dense head over hazy orange-ochre beer. Orange zeste², much more than tea, very intense, pinch of ginger, flowery. I’m thinking of orange-flavoured, half-fermented tea ("Darjoolong"). Again dry, spicy-bitterish orange zeste, even a bit mouldy, or blue curaçoa orangepeel. Hops are perfectly in balance (what kind??). Spritzy, refreshing, medium bodied. No new flavours in the aftertaste, but long-lasting main flavour. An "interesting" beer - in all senses of the word. Mind, I WOULD drink it again, gladly.

Cloudy deep gold pour. Sweet malt, resinous hops and certain green tea notes. Great mix of caramel malt, tea and hops. Love it.

Bottle at home in London. Lightly haY gold pour, white foam. Big piney citrus hop aroma. Strong sweet flavor, some caramel, toast, dark sugars, light grass and wood. Medium to full bodied with average carbonation. Lightly warming finish, slightly sticky, some resinous hops, caramel, faint tea, pine. Good beer.

A: The pour is a light orange color with a big white head. S: The nose on this is just flat out unpleasant. There is a strong aroma of onions, vegetables, body odor, and feet. There is some tea, but it’s not very strong. A bit of grapefruit peel and some fake lemon. T: There is a lot of bready malt flavor to the beer with a decent amount of hops. The hop flavors aren’t all that enjoyable, though. I pick up some lemons, onions, a mild pine, and just a bit of bitterness. M: The body is medium with a medium to high carbonation. O: I wanted to like this as it is for a good cause, but it just missed the mark.

Bottle from Capone’s. Has a great pour; turbid deep golden orange with 2-finger fluffy white head. Nose is hopcitrus, florals, tannins, black pepper. Tastes rich, very citric, floral, spicy, black peppery, and has a crisp finish. Very complex and enjoyable.

UPDATED: SEP 16, 2011 12 ounce bottle from Whole Foods Market Dublin/Columbus. Pours an almost murky orange with lots of floating particles. Medium sized off-white head. Good head retention. Aroma of citrus, herbal and floral hops, lemongrass, mild tea notes, caramel malts. The taste is big strong tea notes, citrus hops and caramel malts. Medium bodied. Well done.

Draught at Moeder Lambic, Brussels, for the Stone beer festival. Sampled on September 16, 2011
Cloudy orange color, big yellow to tan head. Sweet, hoppy, citrus, cheeze scent. Big, sweet, spicy, yeast, dry taste. Spicy and bitter aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel, high bitterness.