Stone Brewing Company: Sublimely Self Righteous Ale (America: Black IPA : 8.7% ABV)

Visual: Black body with a lasting brown head that remains resolutely present throughout.

Nose: Sweet and hops, treacle, black cherries.

Body: Creamy and thick, whipped egg whites, liquorice, condensed milk, roasted nuts. Whipped crème, coffee notes. Very heavy duty but not sickly.

Finish: Bitter; burnt sugar, aniseed but not unpleasant as such. Peated grain, another dose of liquorice, I could be here all day.

Conclusion: Whilst the proud declaration that covers the back of the bottle may seem overdone, it adds a wondrous pleasure to this beer with its boastfulness that is fully backed up by the ale itself.

This beer tastes different with every sip, sweet and gorgeous on the front, longing lasting bitter on the back and everything else in-between, not a moment passes without new flavours adding in to the mix. In fact at moments in its range it could be justifiable viewed as porter like, but as it proceeds it adds so much more.

A justifiably self righteous beer.