Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Tuesday Tasting: Sublimely Stoned

I almost had a brain fart on this one. I tried today's tasting sometime last week, when the Enthusiast and I had dinner with some of my familials, and the beer was so powerful that it nearly wiped itself from my memory.

The Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale by Stone Brewing Co. was on tap at my hometown pub, and apparently it's a rebrewing of Stone's 11th Anniversary Ale from 2007. Stone calls this a "black IPA," because, well, it looks black when poured.

Despite it's dark color, the Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale has a light body, with a citrusy bouquet, an upfront malty flavor, and a well-hopped finish. The hops in this beer are just shy of the too-hoppy boundary for my palate. (Though, the Enthusiast said the hops crossed the line.) I've read it described as "bittersweet," but I'd say it's the opposite -- the bitterness follows the sweet.

Boozer beware: At almost 9 percent ABV and served in a 22-ounce glass, the Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale lasted me the entire meal and set me afloat on the seas of tranquility. Another dose or two and I'd arrive at Blackout Island without passing go.

At a Glance
  • Who: Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (Stone Brewing Co.)
  • What: 8.7 percent ABV, "black IPA," 22-ounce draught
  • When: June 2, 2010
  • Where: Ray's Place
  • Why: Dinner pairing
Booze Hounds Beer Rating: 4.3 Hiccups

[Drunkard's note: The Booze Hounds Beer Rating scale (0-5 Hiccups) is based on a complex mathematical formula that would be impossible to explain to such a dunderheaded audience. Let's just say the higher the score, the more likely I am to drink it again. Natty Light would get a zero.]

3 comments:

Al's CL Reviews said...

I love this beer. Yes, the dark color is deceiving to the taste.

The sweet then bitter is a good description.

MCM Mama said...

I haven't had that and am not a fan of IPA's but Stone does make some good beers.

I wanted to thank you, though. I saw Great Lakes as Savor this past weekend and made sure to try it because you always had great things to say. The Monster was a YUMMY beer!

Anonymous said...

I had the honor of trying this at a Stone Beer Dinner right before it was officially released. Yeah, I went right down on release day and secured bottle. Good stuff!