Stone 11th Anniversary Ale is described as a black IPA or IBA (India Black Ale) with lots of IBU’s by Stone’s website. What does “lots” mean ? Who cares, IBU’s are usually just a calculated number that is used by brewers to help them formulate beer recipes and they don’t tell you anything about how bitter a beer actually tastes since they don’t take into consideration the finishing gravity of the beer (residual sweetness), mouthfeel, type of hops (each have different bittering properties), type of malts used, or the final balance of the beer. Nor do they tell you what kind or how much hop flavor or aroma you can expect – despite some beer writers and blogger views, hopheads are not just in it for the bitterness and know that there are many levels of hop characteristics that make hoppy beer so enjoyable. My palate told me there is an appropriate amount of bitterness to keep this beer in balance without burning out the palate and enough to keep any hop head smiling from ear to ear – that’s all that really matters – numbers are just marketing hype.
Hoppy and dark may be considered an oxymoron by some beer lovers, but hop lovers have known that hop character (bitterness, flavor, and aroma) has worked for years in dark beers like northwest styled porters, stouts, and also in imperial stouts. Usually the hop aroma and flavor fight against the roasted malt character of these beers, but in Stone 11th, they seem to get along enough to let each other shine through. The roasted qualities of the dark malts used in this beer may be a bit shy until it warms, but the hops are screaming so loudly out of the gate that you cannot help to notice their lovely bouquet of pungent grapefruit, pine, and leafy greenness. Amarillo hops seem to dominate the pack followed up with Centennial and/or Chinook that help tame the Amarillo fruitiness and give it a piny/grassy edge. As the beer warmed, some dark and roasted malt character poked its head through creating a uniquely aromatic and cohesive dark fruit aroma and flavor. Interesting, balanced, and quite drinkable considering its size (8.7% abv), and its “hearty” bitterness. This is one of my favorite realeases from Stone thus far.
The only other black IPA that I have enjoyed is The Alchemist’s El Jefe which is made with all Simcoe hops. This beer is so laden with hops that you can actually smell it as it is being poured out of the tap, but its Simcoe flavor profile only shows its magic after the beer warms and your taste buds get used to the roasted malt flavors. Stone’s 11th is much different in its hop profile, yet wonderfully similar. More experimentation with this style is welcomed from this hop head.
