Stone Levitation Ale

From Stone Brewing – This deep amber ale has rich & roasty malt flavors, a big hoppy character, citrus overtones (courtesy of the hops and our special brewers yeast) and modest alcohol.

Stone Brewing Co. – Stone Levitation Ale – 12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass. 4.4% abv. Purchased at Whole Foods Pasadena, CA.

Appearance: Pours a clear deep dark amber with a cap of beige froth.

Aroma: Orange and grapefruit zest and sweet malts.

Taste: A mixture of citrus and abrasive bitter hop. Finishes with modest toffee notes and bitterness that sits dead in the middle of my tongue.

Mouthfeel: Sticky with modest carbonation.

Overall: I had this a long time ago, and didn’t like it. I disliked it so much, I didn’t even want to write down my tasting notes.  I figured after a few years, that I probably had a bad bottle at the time. I’ve had bad bottles of Stone IPA before, but attributed the funked out beer to a bad batch, not the beer itself. I think it’s a good rule of thumb to revisit a beer that people generally praise that you find rank on the first go round.