While bomber bottles (22 ounces of frothy goodness!) are great for sharing, it’s rare that I’ll have more than one 12 ounce bottle of beer when I’m working on a review, so when I saw that the Stone Brewing Company released its Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale in a single serving format, I picked one up as part of a mixed six pack during a recent beer run.
Before I get on with my review, here is a video from Stone Brewing Company that gives us a bit more information about this beer:
And now for my impressions…
- Appearance: Deep dark mahogany color. Thick tan foam that tops out at about 1.5 inches and dissipates reallllly slowly. Oodles of lacing clings to the inside of the glass as you drink it down.
- Aroma: Espresso and dark chocolate scented malts are front and center. Once you work past the supreme roastiness, some grapefruit scented hops come through along with some evergreen.
- Taste: Medium bodied with smooth and creamy carbonation. The dark roasted malts start things off with a tasty balance of bitter coffee and dark chocolate flavors. Citrusy hops kick in towards the middle and it all comes together as you approach the finish. There’s some definite bitterness from start to finish, but it’s never overwhelming. Moderately astringent finish with a lingering hoppy bitterness.
- ABV: 8.7%
It’s no secret that we enjoy a well crafted Black IPA at the Booze Dancing Beverage Research Institute. 21st Amendment’s Back in Black is always in the rotation, as is the Firestone Walker Wookey Jack. And why do we love the Black IPA? Easy! It takes two things that we love, i.e. deep dark malts and soothingly bitter hops, and let’s them share the spotlight together. Stone’s Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale has just earned the right to become a regular around these parts. Rich, flavorful, and deceptively easy drinking, this is a Black IPA that I highly recommend.
