New Kickass Beer from Stone Brewing Co.: 13th Anniversary Ale

Everybody, listen up:

I had the opportunity to try out Stone Brewing Company's new pride and joy: their "13th Anniversary Ale." While we know most non-mass-produced beers are at least "good," and a majority are "really good," this one tips the scale at the peak of "AWESOME!" (You see, regular "Awesome" is not in all caps, nor does it have the exclamation point at the end of it - this one is ALL CAPS and has the exclamation point, indicating that it is at the peak of being "AWESOME!")

Normally, I'm a big fan of dry, bitter, hoppy beers. IPAs are my thing. I like them with burgers, pizza, light fish, or even heavy, red-meat-and-potato meals. IPAs cut through just about any flavor your palate will hold, so I like them with just about everything. Of course, I like them just fine all by themselves, too.

But, the 13th Anniversary Ale is not an IPA.

Another kind of "beer" I like on occasion is a good Barley Wine (Old Foghorn Ale, Piraat, etc.), but I have to be in the mood for a sweeter beer. Barley Wines for me are like an after-dinner drink. Sure, sometimes there's cognac, brandy or port involved, but for us beer drinkers, Barley Wines (and their cute, little bottles) are a good after-dinner drink. Heavy on alcohol, but not too heavy to drink after dinner thanks to their sweetness.

But, the 13th Anniversary Ale is not a Barley Wine.

Another thing I like in my beer is a significant alcohol content. Anything under 6% is a disappointment to me. Better stated, if you lack alcohol, you'd better taste DAMNED good. Some stouts fit that bill, but there are a bunch of under-flavored, under-boozed beers out there that just don't make any sense to me.

But, the 13th Anniversary Ale is not low on alcohol content.

So what's a beer-snob to do? I want the dry hops, sometimes I want the sweetness, and I want the higher alcohol content. Oh yeah, and it has to taste good, too, or else there' just no point in drinking it.

THEN ALONG CAME STONE BREWING COMPANY'S "13TH ANNIVERSARY ALE."

The front end of the beer is slightly sweet, and then the dryness of the hops takes over. Then, mysteriously, the sweetness comes back again in the aftertaste, only to be taken over again by the hoppyness! What's this? The perfect beer? Could be!

Stone's 13th Anniversary Ale comes in my favorite beer vessel, the 22-oz bottle. Don't you just always feel like you got over when you pour a pint of beer out of a 22-oz'er... and then there's still a little more beer left over? While everyone else is popping another top, you're pouring the "extra beer" into your pint glass. Just an added touch of shameless decadence, if you ask me.

Anyway, the 13th Anniversary Ale is a much darker red than a Pale Ale or an IPA, and the combination of tastes, from dry to bitter to sweet is amazing, especially the way the flavors take turns on the palette.

And did I mention the alcohol content is 9.5%? That's right, baby: everything I like in beers, all in one, concise 22-oz bottle. Adorned with their demon mascot soaring through the "13" with his stein held high, on the bottle, there's really nothing left to do with Stone Brewing Company's 13th Anniversary Ale, other than pour out another one and make sure the first one wasn't a fluke.