Stone Coast 420 India Pale Ale

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This beer looks great--pours a red-orange with a thick, long-lasting head. Unfortunately, that is the high point. Aroma is weak, slightly hoppy and sweet. Taste is bitter and earthy. An okay IPA but nothing to write home about.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Pours a clear reddish orange with a white head. Aroma is well balance. It is hoppy, but has a great malt presense. Flavor is similar, but a bit too green for me. Not a big fan, but it was okay.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottle. Poured a cloudy orange color with a medium, white head. Pleasant aroma of fresh hops and oranges. Full mouthfeel. Flavor was very strong, and luckily very good. Nice hoppiness to it with almost like a grapefruit/orange hint to it. Great bitter aftertaste. Really good. I'm pleasantly surprised.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

This IPA pours an orange gold color from a 12oz bottle. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is minimal, some hops and wood, touch of fruitiness. A medium bodied IPA. Malts are caramel, fruity and sweet. Hops are piney and floral. Sort of a west coast IPA in its intensity, but not quite. A medium bitter IPA. Carbonation is perhaps a little flat. Nice balance. There is a small touch of wood at the finish. A very drinkable IPA, would possibly work as a session beer. . Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Poured from a bottle with a nice dark orange color. Had a nice clean floral aroma with a touch of malt to it. The hops really came out in the flavor and had a very nice balance with the malt as well. I really enjoy this brew and was pleasantly surprised.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Had a pint of this at the Beale Street BBQ Grill, in Downtown Bath. I was happy to see that Stone Coast is still putting out this beer (since I assumed they were in trouble, after closing down their massive Old Port facility in Downtown Portland).

While I enjoy many different types of Mainer beers, I often find myself thinking "Jeez, just once wouldn't it be nice if they used a yeast strain that wasn't so buttery and estery?". Well, this particular beer meets that wish, and then some. Probably the closest thing to a "dry & bitter PacNW IPA" to be had in New England, seemingly.

Peachy/orangish body, with thick foaming on top. Hops immediately in the forefront of the aroma department -- unussual for these part, seemingly. Perhaps not too complex, but appealing, nontheless.

But where this beer really comes into it's own is in the flavor profile. Quite clean and mildly fruity -- but making sure that the hops are front-stage-center. Not citrusy, so not much in the way of Cascade, Centennial, and/or Goldings, but still with enough of a fruity twang to give this beer some interesting highlights. I'm thinking more along the lines of Fuggles, or perhaps their Americanized cousins (Willamettes). No matter. This is damn tasty off-the-tap, that's for sure.

Interesting note: I noticed that this beer (when bottled in 12-oz bottles) has a label different than that's posted here. Namely, the addition of the word "BATCH" above the "420". Perhaps they're trying to imply that this beer has nothing to do with a certian cousin-of-the-hop, and certian ritual smokings of said herb at 4:20pm every day across the country..? ;^)

Either way, this remains one of my favorite East Coast IPA's -- if, for no other reason, than the fact that it isn't soft, mushy, and buttery...! Recommended.
//TB

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

Golden amber body topped with a medium thick creamy head and a fair amount of lace. Sweet hoppy aroma with a hint of bitterness and lemons. Strong hoppy flavor witha touch of smoked flavor. Medium bodied and dry.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Nice clear dark copper color, generous head and decent lace. Some floral hints in the nose, nice malt tones also noticed. A touch malt sweet at the start, a moderate middle, and a nice refreshing hop bite at the finish. A darn good IPA I'd say