This time of year, the last thing most of us want to hear is the acronym IRS. But, believe it or not, as the Internal Revenue Service’s April 15 draws nigh each year, thousands of beer fans begin emphatically chanting: I-R-S! I-R-S! Granted, most of this chanting occurs via keystrokes on social media, but make no mistake, many an American anticipates mid-April and the annual arrival of…
When Stone co-founder and original brewmaster Steve Wagner crafted our initial batch of Stone IPA, little could he have known that that highly hopped first attempt at amplifying a British classic would become so popular and, for many beer drinkers, an India pale ale by which all future New World interpretations of the style would be judged. For many, Wagner’s bright, potent…
In the craft beer universe, there are companies like The Lost Abbey and Cascade Brewing that are considered the masters of blending barrel-aged beers. Count us among the masses who bow to such expert…
Even with enthusiasm and knowledge at an all-time high among craft brewing fans, certain styles come across as a bit mysterious to the average beer nerd. Chief among those head-scratchers is barley wine. Is it a wine?—No. Is it a strong ale? –Yes. Is it an old ale?—Well, kinda. Is it delicious?—In the case of…
When Stone’s co-founder and original brewmaster, Steve Wagner, set out to brew our company’s first beer, he led with his love for the old English standard—pale ale. This was a common style among the small but rising number of American microbreweries at the time; however, Wagner decided early on that …
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. was the very first craft brewery I ever visited. This was waaaay back in 1984, when they were in their original location. Brewmaster Steve Dressler was there brewing (if my memory serves) on a 10-barrel system, and all the beer was fermenting in open fermenters that were repurposed dairy tanks. This…
We release MANY beers throughout the year and, without fail, no matter what hoppy deliciousness we are talking about, we can’t get through the comments and reactions without some plea for last year’s Stone Xocoveza Mocha Stout. For a whole year now, we have heard: “bring it back,” “I want Xocoveza,” “this is my favorite stout, ever, so I’m signing a petition to bring it back.” One even went as…
The first time I tasted Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine was when I lived in New Hampshire. Stone wasn’t yet available there but it was in Massachusetts, just a 30-minute drive away. I would go to an excellently stocked beer store just south of the New Hampshire border and others near…
CLEVERLY TWISTED WITH CITRUS PEEL & KAFFIR LIMEWhen it comes to our beers and the ingredients we use, we give a wit. So rather than spinning the same fruit wheel of the classic orange peel, we punched up our wit with the dynamic duo of citrus peel and kaffir lime leaf.Save yourself the hassle of cutting up fruit…
Counting the number of IPAs we have brewed over the years would take some time. However, there was ONE that introduced our fans to our unapologetic obsession with hops and it was also our first: Stone IPA. Brewed without even a pilot batch, this golden beauty—exploding with citrusy, piney hop flavors…
