Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Black IPA
Escondido, California USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

22oz bomber. Pours black with subtle dark brown highlights and an immense, soft, pocked tan head that leaves a few thin but wide sheets of lace on the glass. The aroma starts with a pungent blast of hops. It smells like Chinook (and I should know because I still have Chinook resin on my fingers from harvesting them from my own plant this afternoon). There are other notes in there, too - perhaps grapefruit (centennial or amarillo?). And there is some alcohol and a touch of dry, dark roasted grain (like a background note of espresso). The flavor starts hoppy and bitter (since bitterness is usually registered at the back of the tongue, this must be some tannic/astringent mouthfeel influencing the flavor). This is some serious stuff. It is very hoppy - tingly pine needles and resin all over the tongue. After a few sips, fruity notes (prunes with chocolate?) appear up front. Instead of being balanced by malt sweetness (or at least a wave of bready, even if dry, malts), it is instead backed by a wave of drying roasty coffee-ish blackness. Intense. Its assault on the palate does not let up. At mid-palate, there are subtle smoky, almost woody, notes along with a very slight chocolatey/caramel malt sweetness. But the sweetness is brief. There is some fruity ester quality deftly tucked in there, but it is subtle. The finish is oh-so-dry with a big wave of roasty intense stoutiness following by surges of insane hop bitterness. This beer is very bitter. The mouthfeel is unbelievably good - velvety, full-body with a luscious loftiness from just the right level of carbonation. There is also a peculiar dryness and light astringency all over - but not enough to detract from the otherwise brilliant texture. Overall, slightly disappointing. Don’t get me wrong - it seems like a wonderful beer in most aspects, but overall it is just not balanced enough. Ruination was intensely bitter but provided better balance. With a touch of sweetness somewhere in there, this could have been so much better. It is still a very nice beer, but the more I drink the more I find myself wishing it were a little less astringent - a little less brutal. Perhaps I only feel this way because I’m drinking the whole bomber by myself. Had I been just drinking 11ounces, my palate might not be feeling so abused right now...

Let this guy warm up a bit and you’ll be able to appreciate the interesting hop profile that hides behind the bold malts. Flavors of hops, roasted malts, pine, coffee, and rye bread. Very nice aroma of dank hops and tropical fruits. Good stuff. Share with a friend because a whole bomber gets to be flavor overload.

Bottle. Color brown with big brown head. Aroma malt, caramel, chocolate, hop, grapefruit. Taste sweet, hop, peach, bitter, grass.

Bottle to chalice filled with espresso with a large fluffy tan head and significant lacing. Aroma includes strong grapefruit presence, piney hops, and hints of freshly brewed coffee. First sip reveals the layers of flavor including bitter sweet chocolate, roasted malts, and notes of citrus. Really smooth finish with slight smoke and bitterness lingering in the mouth. Perfectly blended Black IPA.

A - pours deep dark almost opaque cola syrup brown with high fluffy tan head that lasts a while. Strong lacing. S - hops hops and hops. But subtle. Grassy and piney up front. Centennial hops? M - full bodied beer with a nice palate. Lingering sweeter malty finish with a nice bitter finale. T - nice well rounded ipa. Centennial hops, grassy and citrus hops up front. Nice transition to a sweeter malty palate. Nice notes of quiet roasted malts and a hint of chocolate. O - very good clean black ipa. 7+

Pours a very dark dark brown but seemingly clear beer with a tan head that lasts a while with great lacing. Aroma of citrus with maybe some fruit and roasted malt. Tastes of malt and coffee with a hint of chocolate. It has a great undertone of bittersweetness. There is a twang at the end that may be the alcohol. Not to sure how I like this initially but will see how it pans out with the full drink. Overall of moderate body and carbonation. Not sure how I like this beer overall but this is the first of this style for me so that may just be it. As time went on this beer did grow on me so I have modified some of the numbers.

22 oz bomber pours deep brown with a tan head. Aroma of malt, citrus and a bit of pine. Taste of the malt and very nice citrus hops. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

22oz bottle poured into tulip glass. No bottled on date. Aroma: citrus, fruity, floral hops, malt, caramel Appearance: very dark brown color, doesn’t let much light through. 1 finger milk chocolate colored head that faded rather quickly. very small and tight packed bubbles. laces glass nicely. fairly clear once i drank towards the bottom of the glass and light could get through. Taste: mild sweet, mild sour, mild bitter Palate: roasty aftertaste, lots of malt and coffee with a twinge of bitter. i like this alot. Carbonation is average but feels right. medium body and thin texture. Overall: I was afraid this was going to be extremely bitter considering the other stone beers I have tried but i was pleasantly surprised. Also I wasnt expecting the roasty malt and coffee flavors which i also liked. Some chocolate came through as well. Not as hoppy as i expected either. Just an extremely well balanced and tasty brew with a few surprises. Very impressed!

Pours black with three fingers light tan head. Smell is very hoppy and a bit of coco. Taste is a bit of roast, some floral hoppiness, and that same bit of coco. Very well done.

Creamy, malty and hoppy. Dark and heady. Tastes and even looks almost like a porter. Minorly sweet and somewhat bitter. Deluctable

Nice dark malty ipa. Perhaps some citrus crispness but malt is what I noticed the most. On tap at rock n brews ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone