Stochasticity Project - Varna Necropolis

You live on the opposite side of the country and most likely didn't buy your bottle at Costco...what do you think the beer should retail for?

 

Why they ever thought "not" putting their name on the bottle was good idea is beyond me.
Some kind of "Rogue" marketing?

 

I think a more grapefruit forward beer was warranted as well. With the name Grapefruit SLAM it damn well should have been.

 

Was skeptical about the Grapefruit Slam (shouldn't the hops provide the citrus bite?), but the actual beer won me over--indeed, went back to my local store for additional bottles, which I didn't manage to save (a good sign, when I drink a beer as soon as I get it).

Having said that, I'm glad Stone has found a way to innovate. That was their role in the initial rebellion. It would be sad to see them locked into their several successful lines, without a way to try out new ideas.

 

Well its ruination with grapefruit added and ruination is 11.99 a 4 pack so how about 12.99 a 4 pack or the equivalent of that in a bomber.

 

Any chance that you could try it first before you slam it? Just asking.....

 

It's not expensive, you're just cheap.

 

Grapefruit Slam was essentially Ruination with grapefruit rinds. Same hops, same grains, same ABV. Heck, it tasted exactly like Ruination, just with grapefruit.

Varna Necropolis is essentially VE 2008 aged in barrels although this one looks slightly different. Different yeast and Ahtanum hops are missing but same grains and ABV.

Good beers, but even better marketing.

 

They lost me on The Grapefruit Slam.

 

Sounds gross

 

So basically it's this beer: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/65279/

 

Pretty close.VE08 also uses Simcoe and Amarillo, it has the same grains, and ABV. Varna Necropolis doesn't list the hop schedule or grain %'s so I guess one could say that it could differ there, perhaps. The big difference is that Varna's yeast is a French saison as opposed to a Golden Strong yeast for VE08. VE08 also has Ahtanum in the whirlpool, Varna doesn't not.

 

Yeah if you get your beer angel to spring for it. Seriously this sounds good if different. Par for Stone means I'm gonna have to try this

 

Is there something I don't know? I had a pretty young consumer tell me that my Stochasticity Grapefruit on the shelf was "too old" because the brewed on date was two weeks ago (when this happened).
Is the Grapefruit Slam super-sensitive to age or is this guy a bit of a snob?

 

I thought Grapefruit Slam was a decent beer but for me it was too over the top - grapefruit flavor coming from hops is one thing - and a really great hoppy taste - but grapefruit coming from the peel was too much and for me pushed this dangerously close to a fruit beer that I generally try to avoid (albeit far from those orange / lime / raspberry / etc. summer beach beers).

 

Sounds like Stone is following Dogfish Head's bad example in an attempt to stay relevant.

 

"Greg wanted to be weird" - The answer I got from a Stone rep when I asked that question.

 

as absurd as that is regarding something that looks like calculated marketing on the part of one of the larger companies in a rapidly growing industry... i would bet money that that's 100% true.

 

I got the impression that they wanted to keep it a secret for a few releases but realized the distributors would know where it came from and spill the beans.

 

It wasn't hard to figure out with the first release. "Grapefruit Slam IPA". Same bottles as stone and even mentions the same Escondido address (even has the gargoyle etched in the design). Might have been a little trickier with the second release first (Varna Necropolis) since Stone isn't known for that style (yes, I know they have done similar beers in the past).