The Swill: Stone Cali-Belgique IPA
The Still: Stone Brewing Company
Escondido, Califronia
http://www.stonebrew.com
The Drill: India Pale Ale, 22oz bottle, 6.9% ABV
The Spill: This is Stone IPA with a Belgian strain of yeast used to ferment it. It pours a light amber color with a thick white head, which leaves tremendous lacing on the glass. (Lacing, in case you don't know, is the trail of suds that stick to the sides of the glass as the beer's level decreases with drinking.) The nose is undeniably IPA, sharp with hops, and Belgian too, with a little sweet clove thrown in. The taste is clean, and quite hoppy, with a mouthfeel that's surprisingly light for a beer with such intensity. The finish is all IPA, with the hops stinging the back and sides of the tongue, but the overall flavor and character of the beer is somewhat mild for a Stone creation.
Says Bill: In reading the story on the back of the bottle, I learned that the brewers at Stone have paid tribute to the bilingual nation of Belgium by creating two separate labels for this one beer: "Cali-Belgique" for the French speakers, and "Cali-Belgie" for the Dutch. Each is of the same availability as the other.
Refill?: Oui oui. But please, not in my wooden shoes: 3 taps out of 5.