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Ventured up to Stone Brewing Company in Escondido yesterday with JDavid to score some special release vintage bottles of Imperial Russian Stout. It was the first time that I have ever been to Stone for a special vintage release, so I really had no idea what to expect. Would there be a line of 100 people already waiting, or would I find no one at all? Would it be like the madness of a swap meet opening as the bargain hunters dash to get the best deals on stolen radios and broken bicycles? Or could I expect a massive, bacchanalian orgy with deaf, mute transvestites masturbating hither and thither? It turned out to be an exceptional experience. I will no longer fear the fabricated fantasies of a Stone special bottle release.

We arrived forty minutes before the bottle shop opened and waited in line where there were about 20 people already ahead of us. The brewery looks great since our last visit, shortly after Stone opened a few years back. The flora and fauna have grown lush and some hop vines were blooming heavily. Greg Koch, the CEO of Stone came by and chatted us up while we were standing in line, then moved the line inside so that we could drink while waiting for the shop to open (I love drinking good beer before noon). My impression of Greg is that he is one of the coolest motherfuckers alive (even though he told us he is taking a break from drinking alcohol while he gingerly sipped a spirulina health shake that looked like doody). All things considered, he manages to keep a hands on approach while being a normal guy even as his beer business skyrockets through the roof. I digress. While in line, I had a fresh Ruination and JDavid had an 8oz. glass of 06 IRS on draft. I can’t believe how much better fresh Ruination is than when it gets a little older and maltier. The bottle shop had 01, 04,05,06,07,08 bottles of Imperial Russian Stout for sale. The oldest bottles were a one per person limit (36 bottles total were released of the 01 and 04), while the 05 and beyond had a limit of three. The amazing thing about this is that the 2001 bottle was only 12.50 and every year after went down a buck. Talk about affordable. I really don’t know why Stone releases these so cheaply, but I’m not going to argue.

Anyhow, after we both luckily got the entire fleet of 01-08, we brought our booty back to the car and went back inside where we sat with a prosecutor from San Diego and his buddy, an LA beer geek who works on the show, The Apprentice. Funny guys who both happened to grow up in the East County. Later, my sister made the drive east from Carlsbad and joined us for some brews on the patio. Much imbibing on the patio: More 06 IRS, Ruination, Gouden Carolus Noel, (Oaked Arrogant Bastard and Cali-Belgique were given to us in error, but still delicious) and probably some more beers that I’m forgetting.

Back home by 3:30, one hour power nap then over to BJR’s for the 5:15 Charger game, mexican food, and, of course, more beer. Tried a bevy of belgian brews at Casa de AshBo: Sawyers Triple, Horny Devil, and Green Flash Grand Cru. After the game, JDavid and I made the three mile stumble home; we even managed to make it by 10:00 pm. The walk really seems to take most of the bite out of the morning hangover. Now if the walk would have also knocked the shitty rotten stout taste out of my mouth the next morning, I would have woken up feeling a whole hell of a lot better. Seriously, I would rather gargle with diarrhea than have morning stout mouth. I wonder what the Russians do about this sort of beer halitosis?

Review of Vertical IRS tasting coming soon.

L’Chaim!

(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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