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Gold Stock Ale
New England Brewing Co.
Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- New England Brewing Co.
- Connecticut, United States
- Style:
- English IPA
Ranked #1 - ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 94
Ranked #2,632 - Avg:
- 4.23 | pDev: 9.93%
- Reviews:
- 51
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 11, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 18, 2001
- Wants:
- 88
- Gots:
- 15
This one’s for the beer geek in all of us. The Gold Stock is a cult classic that’s offered up only one or two times a year. If you catch the rare sighting of this “draft only” beer, rejoice. What we did first when we made this was we brewed a full-bodied, golden ale. Then we went absolutely nuts with the pricey German hops. This smooth but biting beer is our own individual take on the pleasant India Pale Ale. It’s one of those beers you have to try. Look for it and order two!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Jwale73:
Reviewed by Jwale73 from Rhode Island
3.78/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a dull orange hue with a slightly hazy clarity and no head; just a thin, tight band around the shoulders. Nose is subdued - citrus notes and a light, herbal quality. Grain bill is very forward in the flavor profile with just a little citrus in the background. Mouthfeel is light in body with a mild acidity and carbonation levels just shy of lively. Overall, a solid offering, but nothing spectacular. In fact, I thought this beer was originally billed as an American Strong Ale. I'm surprised it's listed as an English IPA - I would have guessed an APA.
Mar 01, 2015More User Ratings:
Reviewed by AElfwine_Nerevar from Connecticut
4.46/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.46/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Canned: 1/30/24
L: Pours a deep gold color with a medium plus haze. The pour results in two fingers of fine, off-white head with excellent retention. As the beer goes down it leaves a sticky ringed and webbed lacing.
S: Bright citrus notes presenting grapefruit, oranges, and limes; a bit of citrus pith; a light note of freshly cut hay; and a bit of crystal malt character mixing with grainy pale malts. I am not getting anything from the oak on the nose.
T: Big juicy citrus flesh mixing with a subtle grassy character, a bit of crystal malt character, light impression of grainy pale malt, a good amount of bitter grapefruit flesh and rind, and a light earthy spice mixing with light oaky notes on the backend and finish. This one starts sweet and ends bitter coming in with a medium to medium plus bitterness.
F: Medium body with medium carbonation. The mouthfeel seems viscous up front coating the palate with hop resin but finishes crisp and clean with adequate dryness on the backend and finish.
O: I am guessing Centennial is the showcase here with the noble hops playing a supporting role. This iteration is more hop forward than in previous years kind of overwhelming the malt bill and oak character. I do like the complex interplay between the citrus, grass, earth, spice, and woody aspects though. Highly Recommended!
Mar 11, 2024L: Pours a deep gold color with a medium plus haze. The pour results in two fingers of fine, off-white head with excellent retention. As the beer goes down it leaves a sticky ringed and webbed lacing.
S: Bright citrus notes presenting grapefruit, oranges, and limes; a bit of citrus pith; a light note of freshly cut hay; and a bit of crystal malt character mixing with grainy pale malts. I am not getting anything from the oak on the nose.
T: Big juicy citrus flesh mixing with a subtle grassy character, a bit of crystal malt character, light impression of grainy pale malt, a good amount of bitter grapefruit flesh and rind, and a light earthy spice mixing with light oaky notes on the backend and finish. This one starts sweet and ends bitter coming in with a medium to medium plus bitterness.
F: Medium body with medium carbonation. The mouthfeel seems viscous up front coating the palate with hop resin but finishes crisp and clean with adequate dryness on the backend and finish.
O: I am guessing Centennial is the showcase here with the noble hops playing a supporting role. This iteration is more hop forward than in previous years kind of overwhelming the malt bill and oak character. I do like the complex interplay between the citrus, grass, earth, spice, and woody aspects though. Highly Recommended!
Reviewed by GlenFarclas from Connecticut
4.71/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.71/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
I'm rating this from a can today but having had it a bunch on tap, I'll point out that this is a little different - the wood is firmer here and masks some of the hop character at the front. I don't know why this is classed as an English IPA. It's really what the "pale ale" category should include. Maybe there's too much hop character? Anyway, pours a beautiful golden, amber color - has that classic nebco hoppy nose. Sweet, piney, floral, juicy character. And the taste follows though this batch, 1/10/2022 give or take, carries just a load more wood in it. Anyway, deserving of #1 here albeit perhaps not a classic english IPA, it's great, whatever you choose to call it!
Jan 23, 2022Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
4.1/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.1/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
On tap at New England Brewing Co in New Haven, CT.
This one pours a clear golden yellow color, with a small white head, and lots of lacing.
This smells like piney hops, cedar, golden maltiness, tea, and grassy hops.
I've randomly wanted to try this one for a while now, and it's pretty nice stuff. Dry hopping with German hops give this a unique and separate character from a typical West Coast or NE-style IPA for sure, and that's intriguing to me. I get tea, grassiness, lemon, and maybe even lime - along with some more typical grapefruit. There's a bit of maltiness, but it's sort of welcome here - it's a golden biscuity type of flavor and just a light bit of sweetness.
This is crisp, and dry, with delicious smoothness on the back end. It's quite drinkable.
I'd certainly love to see more IPA takes that aren't just Northeast juice bombs. The uniqueness wins me over here.
Mar 08, 2020This one pours a clear golden yellow color, with a small white head, and lots of lacing.
This smells like piney hops, cedar, golden maltiness, tea, and grassy hops.
I've randomly wanted to try this one for a while now, and it's pretty nice stuff. Dry hopping with German hops give this a unique and separate character from a typical West Coast or NE-style IPA for sure, and that's intriguing to me. I get tea, grassiness, lemon, and maybe even lime - along with some more typical grapefruit. There's a bit of maltiness, but it's sort of welcome here - it's a golden biscuity type of flavor and just a light bit of sweetness.
This is crisp, and dry, with delicious smoothness on the back end. It's quite drinkable.
I'd certainly love to see more IPA takes that aren't just Northeast juice bombs. The uniqueness wins me over here.
Reviewed by CTHomer from Connecticut
3.78/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A: slight haze; deep gold in color; 1 finger finely pored ivory head that receded to a thin cap; little lacing;
S: not especially aromatic; what's there is grassy and earthy;
T: follows the nose with a touch of lemon in the background; mild to moderate bitterness at the end;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation - a little creamy; moderately dry finish;
O: easy drinking; would pair well with a lot of food;
Mar 13, 2019S: not especially aromatic; what's there is grassy and earthy;
T: follows the nose with a touch of lemon in the background; mild to moderate bitterness at the end;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation - a little creamy; moderately dry finish;
O: easy drinking; would pair well with a lot of food;
Reviewed by DFV from Connecticut
4.66/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.66/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Appearance – Medium to thick of head and hazy, yellow body.
Aroma – Citrus, pine, and floral. Hint of vanilla or oak
Taste – Deep and complex. Not very hoppy for an IPA. Some Spicy and again vanilla or oak.
Mouthfeel – just right. Refreshing while not thin
Overall – Favorite beer from New England. Right amount of hoppy and malt flavors. Unique in that I can’t find another beer like it.
Feb 15, 2019Aroma – Citrus, pine, and floral. Hint of vanilla or oak
Taste – Deep and complex. Not very hoppy for an IPA. Some Spicy and again vanilla or oak.
Mouthfeel – just right. Refreshing while not thin
Overall – Favorite beer from New England. Right amount of hoppy and malt flavors. Unique in that I can’t find another beer like it.
Reviewed by connecticutpoet from Connecticut
3.58/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance – Thin layer of head on a hazy, deep yellow body.
Aroma – Citrus, pine, and floral hops all blended together, very complex.
Taste – Hop resins, caramel malt, a little grainy. Not what the aroma led you to expect.
Mouthfeel – Good for an English IPA, not heavy but not too thin either.
Overall – Not too bad but the taste could have been a little more layered and complex.
Mar 21, 2018Aroma – Citrus, pine, and floral hops all blended together, very complex.
Taste – Hop resins, caramel malt, a little grainy. Not what the aroma led you to expect.
Mouthfeel – Good for an English IPA, not heavy but not too thin either.
Overall – Not too bad but the taste could have been a little more layered and complex.
Reviewed by Phishagonia from Connecticut
4.35/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had on tap at local restaurant in southern Connecticut. Poured into a US pint glass. This English IPA/pale ale pours a golden amber color, with some nice bubbling, medium sized head, and really nice lacing. Smell is of mild hops, maybe even goldings or fuggles, but with a hint of caramel/two row malts. The taste is perfectly balanced, just as this style should be. The hops are faint, and not in your face. This paired perfectly with fish and chips. If you are a huge fan of New England Brewery's IPAs like I am, set those tastebuds and expectations aside, and picture yourself sitting in a quaint English pub. I am kicking myself for passing on a growler of Gold Stock the last time they had it at the brewery. Well, there is always next time. NEBCO nails this style. Cheers!
Apr 14, 2017Reviewed by ScaryEd from New Hampshire
4.03/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 32 oz growler filled at the brewery.
Pours a lightly hazy deep golden amber color with 2 fingers of off-white head. The head has excellent retention, and leaves a fair bit of cobweb lacing as it dissipates. Beautiful looking beer.
The aroma is quite faint, but there are notes of sweet citrus and oak, as well as some cereal grains on the back end.
The taste brings loads of vanilla and oak on the front end, followed by some spicy yeast and cereal grains. The finish is quite citrusy and hoppy.
The feel is medium-light bodied with fairly high carbonation. Relatively dry finish with some lingering hop spiciness.
Overall, a very good and very interesting beer. The oak and vanilla works very well with the hops, creating a wonderful balance. Will definitely snag another growler of this if I get the opportunity.
Feb 16, 2017Pours a lightly hazy deep golden amber color with 2 fingers of off-white head. The head has excellent retention, and leaves a fair bit of cobweb lacing as it dissipates. Beautiful looking beer.
The aroma is quite faint, but there are notes of sweet citrus and oak, as well as some cereal grains on the back end.
The taste brings loads of vanilla and oak on the front end, followed by some spicy yeast and cereal grains. The finish is quite citrusy and hoppy.
The feel is medium-light bodied with fairly high carbonation. Relatively dry finish with some lingering hop spiciness.
Overall, a very good and very interesting beer. The oak and vanilla works very well with the hops, creating a wonderful balance. Will definitely snag another growler of this if I get the opportunity.
Gold Stock Ale from New England Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
176 ratings
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