Stone Cali-Belgique IPA

 There's a description on the back of the bottle that explains what the hell Cali-Belgique means. Neat, right? Yeah. So, anyway, wow. This stuff is good. I drank it after the BSP Quad so the 6.9% didn't really rip through, but that could be different if I wasn't alread primed.

I loved the way this one hits. The finishing flavor is that of fresh hops. I thought it was familiar, made a guess and I was right - Chinook hops (FACT CHECK ME HERE). I only knew this because it's one of the varieties I have growing on the side of my house and when the first ones popped through I crushed and smelled them non-stop, but damn I felt smart when I could pick that out.

The bottle on this one is styling as well. That gargoyle is one badass looking dude. And he's just sitting there like "Oh, hey. Me? I'm just a gargoyle. enjoying a mug of brew. Watching from the corner of old buildings."

6.9%ABV
Beer Advocate rating: A-

Sweetwater BSP Quad Ale

I got the email from Sweetwater about the latest Dank Tank beer a couple weeks ago and since then my head has been on a swivel. Call me a Sweetwater homer, but to date, the Dank Tank Wet Dream is the best beer I have ever had. So I looked for this on my Friday package store trip and at Taco Mac last week with no success. Stopped by the package store on a whim today and BAM! hidden behind a couple Big Ol Belgian Blue Balls was a whole line of these bad boys.

 I popped this one open before cooking dinner and I'm not going to lie about the next part. Poured it in a pint glass. Took a sip. Took another BIG sip and then felt like I got popped in the mouth with straight alcohol. "What the shit?" I decided to wait a few minutes to regroup. (Went out to the car to get some stuff. phone charger, chapstick, etc) The truth is the first sip (gulp?) beat my face up. I drank this like it was anything but a 11% brew.

I embraced/respected it after that and we got along well.
I treated the beer right and it treated me right. Had a nice dark malty flavor that was easy to drink and grew on me more and more. Sweetwater suggests letting one sit in 'your cellar' for a while. I got an extra one to do just that.



And the breakdown of BSP? Well, the Sweetwater folks probably have something in particular they want it to mean, in fact I know they do but here are some things I think the BSP should stand for:
Beautiful Suds Pontificate
Ballin Straight Pimpin
Bring Some Pie
Break Slippery  Penguins

ABV 11%
Beer Advocate rating: A-

Stone Arrogant Bastard to Drinkers: You're not worthy.

Stone Brewing. Arrogant Bastard. I honestly can't tell if this is delicious because of the name or if it's because it's just delicious. I'm arrogant, this beer is arrogant. I feel like it's two negatives mixing for one gigantic positive beer orgasm in my mouth. It's on the more malty side of ales, but damn if this doesn't deserve the first post.

It's also worth noting that Stone has the coolest marketing of any brewery. Go buy a bottle of this, read the back, tell me I'm lying.
Here's but a snippet:

Questions or comments? If you don't like this beer, keep it to yourself --- we don't want to hear from any sniveling yellow-beer-drinkin' wimps, 'cause this beer wasn't made for you. 

7.2% ABV
Beer Advocate rating: A-