Stone Cali-Belgie IPA

Crazy day yesterday. Ol' Mother Nature dumped about 10 inches (or was it a foot?) of snow on us, just after all the stuff on the ground has melted and we thought spring was really here at last. It didn't give up all night long, and we cancelled our entertainment for the night at the Blue Nile. Then, the power went out, and we called it a night. I was able to lock up and get home by 10:30, a good 5 hours earlier than normal for a Thursday night. I used the opportunity to take down three big, beautiful bombers, this one being middle of the trio. (First: Stone Enjoy by, Third, Three Floyds Behemoth Barley-wine.) If I try that on any other Thursday, that means I'm up until seven in the morning and my Friday starts at 3 pm. Which is why I don't do that.

I'll tell you this much, though. Just after drinking Stone's Cali-Belgique (called Cali-Beglie on this label), I had to seriously interrogate myself about why it has taken me this long to try it out, since it's been on the market here for a couple of years. Here come the notes:


Stone Cali-Belgie IPA India Pale Ale, North Country, San Diego, Brewed and bottled by the Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA. 6.9% Alc./Vol. Ingredients: Nothing but Barley, Hops, Water, and (Belgian) Yeast. With a back label loaded with gobbledygook that I will not even read. Not now. Maybe later.

Appearance: very hazy, orange colored, smallish white head.

aroma: spices, citrus, and funky-ass Belgian yeast. Beautiful. Like a trappist tripel with a hoppy kick. Nice, nice, nice.

Taste: Belgian yeast flavor leads it off, commands the palate, with the bitter hoppy edge riding side saddle. Funky, weird, wild, and hoppy as heck. If I were drinking this blind, I'd assume it was Belgian and never guess it was hailing from San Diego or thereabouts. Rounds out rather dryly, eases easily off the palate, but leaves one with the memory of fruity hops and esters, a blistering barrage of hops, and unmistakable Belgian yeast.

It's a wonderful marriage of Stone IPA and Belgian-style IPA. It's sweet, hoppy, wild, and dry, and I'm falling madly for it. Quite drinkably, passes the gullet with the greatest of ease. Each new sip leaves me loving this, and marveling at the mastery of it's creation. Mmm, mmm.