Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA
Stone’s celebratory beer to commemorate their 14th year in business is one with a bit of a twist for the company. Sure it’s big. It’s hoppy. And tasty. But it’s also got all British ingredients. From the imported water to the hops to the yeast strain — all for the sake of paying tribute to the British brewing history.
While I’m a big fan of Stone’s take on the IPA, it’s always nice to see a brewer stretch outside of their comfort area to play with different ingredients and more. It’s even better when they consider the beer worthy enough to celebrate their anniversary.
Appearance
Emperial IPA pours a golden yellow in color with a one finger white head that faded slowly.
Aroma
The upfront sweet malts are met almost immediately with pungent hops (Target, East Kent Golding and Boadicea) that carry a piny and spicy character. There’s also a bit of light citrus as a result of the hop mixture. The nose does a nice job of hiding the 8.9% ABV, as well.
Taste
The mix of the hop varieties used make for a unique and pungent taste. The toasted malt presence is fleeting as the hops tend to dominate the palate from the start all the way through to the astringent, dry finish. There’s only the slightest hint of the higher alcohol level, but it does become more apparent as the beer warms in the glass. The mouthfeel is surprisingly smooth and creamy for the does of hop bitterness the beer holds.
Overall
This is a pretty hoppy beer, but not nearly as much of a kick in the teeth as the brewery’s flagship Arrogant Bastard. It’s got a more balanced hop presence. That said, it’s still got a nice pungent bite to it. I’ll be picking up more of this before the Summer is over.
Rating: 3.5/5