Stone Levitation Ale

Why I tried this: I've had a few things from Stone before, such as their Arrogant Bastard, which led to quite a few good nights. However, I hadn't had much of them at World of Beer, so I figured I'd rectify that a little by ordering the Levitation Ale. I hadn't had an amber red ale in a while, which is a style I normally enjoy, so why not?

Smell: Has a light citrus scent followed by floral hops and some moderate malt smells.

Taste: Pretty much mimics the smell. You get an initial hint of citrus that is covered up by sweet malts, eventually paving way for a bitter hoppiness that is fairly crisp and not overdone.

It's been a while since I've had a beer from Stone brewery, and I'm glad I finally came back to them. This amber ale was a decent effort, and while I don't think it's a home run, I would give it a quarter full pint glass rating. I enjoyed the balance of sweet malts and citrus transitioning into a moderately hoppy finish. If you like a good amber ale, I'd definitely recommend it. Otherwise, it'll probably be hit or miss. I may pick it up again some time.

--Jeff

Stone Ruination IPA

Why I tried this: This is another brew off of my IPA bender, and Stone is a brewing company that I've enjoyed other brews from. They always seem to make their beer with a little "like it, or fuck off" attitude, which was enough to engender me to their style.

Smell:This has a super piney hop smell, almost like sticking your nose into a bucket of raw hop flowers. While it's not a super pungent smell, it definitely lets you know what's coming up.

Taste: Ouch. This thing is like taking a sucker punch to the gums from the amount of hop flavor there is. I can almost feel the enamel in my teeth beginning to rot a way a little as I sip on this bastard of a brew. The strangest bit is actually the mouth feel though. It's a nice smooth feel, but the after taste almost punishes you for even daring to drink it.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 6. This is just a personal preferences sort of thing. I found Stone Arrogant Bastard to be an interesting drink, and the Ruination definitely follows suit for that in your face attitude. If you're into a more hoppy bitter beer, then I definitely recommend it, but if you're more of a fruity Mike's Lemonade swill drinker then stay away. Your kind aren't wanted or welcome with this group.

--Scott