Juli Goldenberg / Monkey Paw / Stone 24 Carrot Golden Ale

From Stone Brewing Co. – To highlight the homebrewing talent that helps foster innovation among the craft beer community, Stone Brewing Co. hosts an annual Stone Homebrew Competition & American Homebrewers Association (AHA) Rally. This year’s prize-winning contender was created by Juli Goldenberg, QUAFF (Quality Ale and Fermentation Fraternity) homebrew club member and founder of the San Diego Suds Sorority. San Diego-based Monkey Paw Brewing Company was later asked to complete the collaborative trifecta. A creative recipe inspired by carrot cake, Juli Goldenberg/Monkey Paw/Stone 24 Carrot Golden Ale is a Belgian-style golden strong ale infused with carrot juice, milk sugar, raisins, cinnamon and vanilla beans.

Stone Brewing Co. – Juli Goldenberg / Monkey Paw / Stone 24 Carrot Golden Ale – 22 oz. bottle poured into a goblet. 8.5% abv.

Appearance: Pours an amber tinted gold with a disappearing head. Lets plenty of light through. On very close inspection you can see dancing yeast sediment.

Aroma: Stone’s house Belgian yeast strain. I am getting more used to it/fond of it as I get older. Sweet blush wine, raisins, vanilla, grandma perfume. Nary a carrot.

Taste: Estery Belgian yeast (heavy on banana), cinnamon, plum, raisin, spicy Euro hops, ginger. Finishes mildly bitter. Very neutral malt not particularly sweet nor toasty.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied. Perfect carbonation.

Overall: I enjoyed this beer. It might be one of the few Belgian-style beers from Stone I’ve enjoyed.  On the carrot cake meter, 10 being a slice of carrot cake, this is a 5.  I think I understand that Stone and Collaborators didn’t want to make an obnoxious, goopy cloying beer but rather a classy nod to the dessert. Well done.