I was able to pick up both of this during a weekend trip with a friend to attend Jungle Jim's Beerfest just outside of Cincinnati. I somehow have never had Stone IPA, which prompted me to pick it up. As soon as I saw Girardin Black Label for under $10 I made a mad dash to snatch it off the shelf. I also made sure to pick up some other gems that aren't available here in WV (Jolly Pumpkin La Roja, The Bruery Mischief, Weyebacher Double Simcoe IPA, and other various sours and Belgians). I really regret not picking up Barrel Aged Boris for only $14, but I really don't need another RIS to collect dust. Anyway, you can expect reviews on some of these brews in the near future.
Stone IPA
Presentation: 12oz bottle poured into Stone IPA pint glass. I had just purchased a 4 pack of Stone pint glass so I jumped at the opportunity to use one.
Appearance: Light orange color with a 1" head and minimal lacing. This looks like the prototypical IPA.
Aroma: Tons of hops and pine up front with lime, lemon, and maybe a bit of grapefruit, which makes for a really juicy/fruity aroma. The bouquet is just wonderful.
Taste: Hops up front followed closely by malt. This is just so close to beingbalanced, but the hops are a bit more prevalent. There's an appearance of grapefruit and a bit of lemon/citrus-like notes. I also notice a tad bit of caramel so this might have been slightly oxidized, but it doesn't really detract from the bouquet. I scanned other tasting notes on this beer and none mentioned caramel so I'm glad I opened this when I did so it didn't get worse.
Mouthfeel: The body is somewhere between medium and light. There is tons of carbonation, which makes it really crisp and pretty easy to drink.
Overall: This is wonderful. This is what an IPA should be like. I really wish I had purchased more than just a single. I may be the minority in this opinion, but I think I might like this a bit more than Ruination.
2011 Girardin Gueuze 1882 (Black Label)
Presentation: 37.5cl bottle poured into a tulip.
Appearance: Hazy orange with two finger off white head. I know that there isn't a head pictured, but I was a little slow in getting to my phone to take a picture. Anyway, there was very little lacing was left behind by the time I finished the glass.
Aroma: Tons of funk and sourness. There's also vinegar with a bit of straw. I basically only detect general citrus aroma and can't really pinpoint anything. Overall, this seems pretty standard for a gueuze.
Taste: Good lord this is sour! Tons of lemon-lime sourness that is pretty puckering. I'm pretty new to the sour game, but this puckering quality is just great. I also pick up some floral notes and a bit of oak to a lesser extent. This is simply wonderful. I could drink this everyday for the rest of my life.
Mouthfeel: Thin, yet a little creamy with tons of carbonation. This is pretty much par for the course with a gueuze.
Overall: This is one damn good gueuze. It instantly became one of my favorites upon my first sip. Now only if this was available in WV... I pray for the day that WV gets a gueuze that isn't Cuvee Rene. Anyway, I will certainly buy this beer again. I really wish I would have purchased another to age.
-Jeff
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