Cali-Belgique IPA | Stone Brewing




Brewed by:
Stone Brewing
California, United States
stonebrewing.com
Style: Belgian IPA
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.90%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
A California-style IPA with a Belgian twist
AKA Stone Cali-België IPA
First Release:
September 2008
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA features a complex and surprising combination of flavors, but behind the fancy title is the simply delicious Stone IPA. The addition of a carefully selected strain of Belgian yeast adds banana and spice notes to the hoppy brightness of our flagship IPA. Think of it as an otherwise identical twin to Stone IPA that was raised in a Belgian culture. Literally.
Added by gpogo on 07-23-2008
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 3,458 | Reviews: 1,113
4.5/5 rDev +13.6%
Belgian IPA? I say yes!
For the price, this is one of my go to beers at nearly any supermarket that lacks anything interesting or new for me to try.
150 characters
Belgian IPA? I say yes!
For the price, this is one of my go to beers at nearly any supermarket that lacks anything interesting or new for me to try.
150 characters
4/5 rDev +1%
Poured from bomber into a chalice glass
Appearance – The beer pours a slightly hazy golden color with almost no head, but just a faint bit of white foam sitting atop the brew. The foam islands fade rather fast leaving no lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The smell is heaviest of a nice biscuit malt smell mixed with a good deal of candied sugar and some yeast. Along with these very aromas were some great notes of tangerine and orange as well as spice smells of clove, coriander, and nutmeg. Rounding out the aroma nicely are some hop smells of a grapefruit, floral , and grassy nature, which meld very nicely with the sweeter and biscuit malt aromas to create one fantastic smell overall.
Taste – The taste begins with a blend of a cracker and biscuit flavor mixed with a bit of tangerine sweetness. A hop flavor of grapefruit and a floral nature are present upfront as well, with the floral maintaining strength to the end, all while the grapefruit gets stronger and stronger. Some candied sugar and yeast come to the tongue soon after the initial tastes, with the yeast bringing with it some notes of a clove and coriander spice flavor. Along with these flavors some decently grassy and herbal hop flavors later come to the tongue, and with the increase in the grapefruit hop give the brew a big bitter boost. While the bitterness is increased, it never becomes overwhelming, instead, it mixes nicely with the sweeter and malty Belgian flavors to leave a rather nice more balanced Belgian IPA flavor to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the thinner and crisper side with a carbonation level that average. The thinner body made for an easy drinking brew, all while the average carbonation was OK for both the IPA and Belgian characteristics of the brew. I would have liked a bit more carbonation to accentuate the Belgian characteristics slightly more, but overall it was an alright feel.
Overall – A quiet drinkable brew, which was very balanced. A very nice Belgian IPA that had a great flavor profile and amazing nose. Quite tasty.
2,099 characters
Poured from bomber into a chalice glass
Appearance – The beer pours a slightly hazy golden color with almost no head, but just a faint bit of white foam sitting atop the brew. The foam islands fade rather fast leaving no lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The smell is heaviest of a nice biscuit malt smell mixed with a good deal of candied sugar and some yeast. Along with these very aromas were some great notes of tangerine and orange as well as spice smells of clove, coriander, and nutmeg. Rounding out the aroma nicely are some hop smells of a grapefruit, floral , and grassy nature, which meld very nicely with the sweeter and biscuit malt aromas to create one fantastic smell overall.
Taste – The taste begins with a blend of a cracker and biscuit flavor mixed with a bit of tangerine sweetness. A hop flavor of grapefruit and a floral nature are present upfront as well, with the floral maintaining strength to the end, all while the grapefruit gets stronger and stronger. Some candied sugar and yeast come to the tongue soon after the initial tastes, with the yeast bringing with it some notes of a clove and coriander spice flavor. Along with these flavors some decently grassy and herbal hop flavors later come to the tongue, and with the increase in the grapefruit hop give the brew a big bitter boost. While the bitterness is increased, it never becomes overwhelming, instead, it mixes nicely with the sweeter and malty Belgian flavors to leave a rather nice more balanced Belgian IPA flavor to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the thinner and crisper side with a carbonation level that average. The thinner body made for an easy drinking brew, all while the average carbonation was OK for both the IPA and Belgian characteristics of the brew. I would have liked a bit more carbonation to accentuate the Belgian characteristics slightly more, but overall it was an alright feel.
Overall – A quiet drinkable brew, which was very balanced. A very nice Belgian IPA that had a great flavor profile and amazing nose. Quite tasty.
2,099 characters
Cali-Belgique IPA from Stone Brewing
Beer rating:
3.96 out of
5 with
3,458 ratings
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