Why We Picked It: A IPA by Stone we hadn't had yet. It must be had.
What Stone About It: "A fermenting beer never slumbers. Consequently, there is always scattered activity tending our precious beers throughout the dark hours. In these late nights and wee hours that hallowed responsibility falls to the shoulders of the overnight Brew Crew. These brewing soloists brave the long nights, often alone, to do what needs to be done. Most areas of the brewery are dark or in shadows. Throughout the night the cellars resonate with the occasional knocking of expanding and contracting pipes. It can be a bit spooky to hear the brewery creak and groan as if possessed by a spirit randomly knocking about with a mallet. This IPA, liberally hopped with Loral™, honors our intrepid overnight team by naming it after their mischievous poltergeist companion – the Ghost Hammer." (Note: I love this description, even if it gives you no idea what it taste like."
ABV: 6.7%
IBU: 56
Fun Facts: Stone Brewing famously open the award-winning The Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Berlin, challenging the German concept of beer. It was an amazing concept... unfortunately, it didn't work. In April, Stone sold the facility to Scotland-based Brewdog. I guess the Germans just aren't ready for the American microbrew movement.
“Awards and accolades are awesome and humbling. Unfortunately they aren’t enough. To feed a beast like Berlin, we needed volume,” the entry read. “The sheer cost of building and maintaining Stone Berlin to our standards didn’t let us grow it slowly. Sometimes you gotta realize when your dream is becoming a threat to your greater good,” said Executive Chairman Greg Koch
Good to see I'm back on schedule of posting first and at an hour that some people are still finishing their lunch. I felt like I waited today. Anyway, when we bought this, I swore I'd had it before and liked it. But Untappd doesn't lie and apparently I have not. Wonder what that beer was. Anyway, this is quite nice. Quite hoppy and a bit danky to be my favorite, but definitely would have it again. Maybe now if I had more than one. Digging deep to figure out how to rate this? Hammer of the Gods Led Zeppelin reference? John Henry? Hank Aaron? But it is winter and so I give this 3.75 out of 5 John Shusters. He's probably more of a Milwaukee's Beast man but I bet he could put down a sixer of this in no time.
ReplyDeleteWell the highway is alive tonight
ReplyDeleteBut nobody's kidding nobody about where it goes
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Searching for the ghost hammer ipa
Soooo excited. We've reached the IPA stretch.
ReplyDeleteThis is DELISH. bitter. Love bitter. And...did anyone else taste a hint of pineapple?
I give this a 3.75 here and on untapped. As for hammer references, Thor, hammer jacks, Pete Seeger... Take your pick.
I had this guy after a Bourbon County Stout from 2018. I enjoyed the stout much more. I am actually surprised that this is only 56 IBU because I thought it was so aggressively hopped. Maybe I just don't like too dank then because it was dank tasting. 3.25 out 5 and one I am not likely to go back for. Dank IPA's like these are not good for beer miles either 2.75 out of 5 for Beer Mile Chugability. I would take the Budweiser before this one in a beer mile.
ReplyDeleteExcellent beer, as I recall. It was beer #2 in a pretty long night beer. I remember a satisfying bitterness, but well balanced and drinkable. I definitely got a hint of sweetness. Not sure if it was pineapple, but definitely a nice hint of something. 3 our of 4 Mjölnirs.
ReplyDeleteGood description. Maybe it was pineapple. Whatever it was, I'm liking it.
DeleteAh, now that is more like it! What a great beer. Stone did not disappoint. Great aroma, flavor, and backend bitterness. Actually pretty well balanced for an IPA. A little fruitiness too? I don't know, but I know I like it.
ReplyDelete