Stone Pale Ale

A return to the Stone brewery from California, here we have their flagship beer Stone Pale Ale.

I had to change my expectations for this beer upon opening and smelling the brew. With a nose low on hops and a powerful waft of malt, I quickly realized that I was going to a very different place than the Ruination takes you. But at least it is a friendly place, that doesn't try to bend you over and clean your insides with a bushel of hops.

Drinking reveals a good strong taste with plenty of malty goodness and a nice clean bitterness at the end. This isn't a beer trying to wow you with its fancy hops tasting like all sorts of wild things or have a complex flavour that needs to be savored to be enjoyed.. This beer takes you to malt town, hands you some hops to sniff and then slaps you in the face. Clean and simple, stronger on the malt than some pale ales, but overall it knows what it wants to do.

A lovely beer to drink, without feeling like I need to take my time. Looking forward to more, an easy 8.0.