Beer Review: Stone Brewing 18th Anniversary IPA

One of my favorite breweries is Stone Brewing Company out California.  They have a lot of special releases that make it all the way to the St. Louis area.  One of the latest was their 18th Anniversary IPA, an Imperial India Pale Ale; how does it stack up to their other IPA offerings?

Offering: 22 oz “bomber” bottle poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: The beer pours clear and has a copper brown color.  It left about a good inch and a half of ivory head.  It also left a thick lacing on the glass.

Smell: The malt is the primary smell here, which give off an earthy, herbal essence.  It goes well with the citrus hop smell, which comes off as a mixture of orange and grapefruit.  There is also hints of spices.

Taste: The taste is close to the smell.  The toasted malt and caramel are blended together for a sweet taste.  It goes well with the citrus finish.  It’s not overly hoppy like most IPAs, but it definitely has a little bitterness.

Mouth: The beer has a medium body.  The carbonation is perfect for the taste.  The finish is dry and slightly bitter.

Overall: One of my favorite beers from the brewery; it appears to be something they perfected over the last 18 years.  The combination of smell and taste set up a good finish.  I recommend tracking down this beer.

The Beer Advocate score is 88 Very Good; the Bros. give it a 90 Outstanding.