Stone 10th Anniversary. Geeze, what more needs to be said about this one? This is one of the "holy grails". Most IPAs/Double IPAs/Imp. IPAs are just NOT suited for aging and MUST be consumed fresh for their full enjoyment. That's a given if you are "in the know".
But... Certain rules are simply meant to be broken! And that means there are certain beers that defy convention. And the Stone 10th is just such a beer. In fact, one could almost say that this beer is "magic" in that it's really 2 beers in one. When this beer was fresh just a few short years ago, it's hoppiness kicked your ass right off your chair it was so good. Monstrously hoppy, fruity, and perfectly balanced malty goodness for those of us who remember it well.
But then Father Time began to take his toll. But wait, is this really a bad thing? Certainly not in this case! Time has been gentle, caressing and transforming the contents of this bottle into something otherworldly. A different beer entirely. Think; a perfect transformation from "Hop Bomb" to "Malt Bomb" in just a few years! And who knows where it will go from here. It just keeps getting better every time I crack open a bottle. This stuff ages like a fine cognac or whiskey and in my opinion has really transgressed into one of the finest barleywines you can get your hands on. Or, at least IF you can still find one. I search high and low for a wayward bottle of the 10th and occasionally find it stashed away in some "Ma and Pa" store somewhere. And you can bet I buy every last one!
So my hat's off to Stone, and more specifically to Steve Wagner, Brewmaster. For the 10th is a beer crafted by a true master, and if you believe this sort of thing, just might have had his inspiration influenced by the touch of God. My only hope and suggestion might be that Stone brings this recipe back in the future -not as an "anniversary beer" (after all, it has already lived that life), but perhaps in a new incarnation called "Stone Imperial IPA", or something else that's catchy. I'll be one of the first in line to try it. Of course, this may all be wishful thinking, but who knows?
So my hat's off to Stone, and more specifically to Steve Wagner, Brewmaster. For the 10th is a beer crafted by a true master, and if you believe this sort of thing, just might have had his inspiration influenced by the touch of God. My only hope and suggestion might be that Stone brings this recipe back in the future -not as an "anniversary beer" (after all, it has already lived that life), but perhaps in a new incarnation called "Stone Imperial IPA", or something else that's catchy. I'll be one of the first in line to try it. Of course, this may all be wishful thinking, but who knows?
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