Stone Brewing

We're gonna need a bigger box.

It’s August, and that means, just as surely as you can expect your favorite beach to be overrun by tourists from Arizona, you can also anticipate an anniversary release from Stone Brewery. And if we’re being honest, sometimes a high-octane local beer is the only way to mentally prepare yourself for the rigors of navigating through crowds of beached out-of-towners.

This year’s concoction, Stone 27th Anniversary Lemon Shark Double IPA, is a 9.6% ABV that hits shelves and taps on August 21. Steve Gonzales, Stone’s Senior Manager of Brewing and Innovation, divulges, “This beer was originally brewed as part of our Smiling Shark series of Double IPA Pilot Brews. Named after the lemon shark, an apex predator that is uniquely social, the lemon shark works well with the rest of its school — just like all the flavors come together in this beer.” 

The hop profile is largely responsible for both the taste and nose of the ale. Riwaka, Magnum, and Mosaic hops combine with Peacharine, a new experimental hop strain from Freestyle Hops that its nectarine and citrus character. Lemon Shark features a hazy, deep gold hue and a yields a tight white foam when poured. It offers an aroma of lemons, herbs, and peaches, and a sip brings a barrage of citrus flavors — lemon, orange, and pineapple — along with passionfruit, peach, and mango. A mild dankness lingers throughout, followed by a dry, bitter finish. 

There are some white wine notes to be found in the beer as well, and if this seems like a familiar phenomenon to Stone fans, Gonzales explains why, “Like Stone Patio Magic IPA, this beer is also brewed with a unique ingredient, Phantasm, a dried grape skin from New Zealand that transforms over the course of fermentation to add intense tropical and white grape flavors to the beer.”

Stone's 27th Anniversay Celebration will be a nighttime affair.

Stone Brewing

In addition to its nationwide availability later this month, Lemon Shark will be featured at the Stone Brewing 27th Anniversary Celebration on September 23. This year, the festival returns to Stone’s World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido and, for the first time, will be held in the evening to avoid the late summer heat. Pours of other Stone favorites as well as beers from more than 40 other breweries will be available.

Tickets are on sale now for the anniversary celebration. A standard $55 ticket gets 20 2-oz. tasters from 6 to 10 pm. Those who are willing to splurge to indulge their yearning for hard-to-find beers can buy a $130 Rare Beer ticket which provides access to a private area in the Bistro. There, they’ll find snacks from the kitchen and exclusive beers not available elsewhere in the event. The Rare Beer ticket also allows early entry to the festival (at 5 pm) and 35 tasters rather than 20. A final note on the event’s end: if you can convince a friend to come to provide a non-rideshare safe way home in exchange for the opportunity to simply enjoy the ambience and live music, designated driver tickets are available for $15.