You know when a thing is really good and then it goes away? Some of us accept the loss as part of the ebb and flow of life’s inevitable impermanence. Other’s write emails and take to social media. Some even pick up the phone. That’s what fans did when Stone retired their Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA in 2015. The brewing concern lost count, but the number of requests, cajoles, and demands for the return of the beer was well over a thousand.
Originally brewed up as Stone’s 11th Anniversary Ale, Self-Righteous is a black IPA style beer, which is a particularly delicious concoction for the beer lover. While most IPAs stick with their pale malts (that “P” stands for pale, after all) black IPAs add a layer of complexity by brewing with a bit of dark malt. Those darkly kilned grains give the brew a dark, ruby-black color while imparting lovely roasty, chocolatey notes.
A good black IPA is delicately balanced. The hop bomb flavors and aromas are countered not just by the malt sweetness but also by the roasted qualities. Done right, it’s very nice and Sublimely Self-Righteous is done right. So it’s understandable why fans refused to say goodbye.
The beer came back In January, with the same recipe and the same packaging. Get your hands on some and raise a pint to those who don’t let their favorite beers go gentle into that good night. Say cheers to those who rage against the dying of the ruby-black light.
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