San Marcos, CA --- June 2nd is the highly anticipated release date for the Stone Imperial Stout 2003 edition. Stone Brewing is known for big, aggressive beers, but not necessarily for stouts. That is, unless you're a visitor to two of the most popular online beer rating websites. Then you would know that Stone Imperial Stout is one of the highest rated beers in the country. BeerAdvocate.com ranks it in the top five in the world and Ratebeer.com ranks it in the top ten. Considering that the latter site has ratings of over 22,234 beers, that is an amazing feat! "Stone Imperial Stout is revered among enthusiasts for its intensity," states Stone CEO Greg Koch. "An attribute I gravitate towards myself!" Some may think that a late Spring release for a special brew of this sort is an odd time for it to come out onto the market. Koch justifies this with the rationalization "What better than a warm time of year to come out with a brew that tastes great as it warms up?" Unquestionably, "ice cold" is not the appropriate way to serve this beer. Nearly without exception, the darker, richer and more alcoholic a brew is, the warmer the serving temperature should be. To wit, the Stone Imperial Stout label describes the brew as being "intensely aromatic (notes of anise, black currants, coffee, roastiness and alcohol) and heavy on the palate... expect this mysterious brew to pour like used motor oil and taste even heavier! Serve at 55 degrees." Also due to the brew's intense character, high alcohol level and bottle conditioning, it can easily be aged for a year or more. Koch suggests that collectors open a bottle from their cellars every six months or so to experience the various stages of the brew's maturation over time. "The very best way to enjoy archives of the Stone Imperial Stout is to taste various years of the brew side by side." Of course, only the most serious collectors with the strongest will power are able to keep themselves from enjoying their archives before they even have a chance to age – so get in the breadlines now to ensure you and your komrades get some before it's too late! Stone Imperial Stout is available in 22oz bottles. A list of regions and retailers can be found at <http://www.stonebrewing.com/tasting/special/STOUT2003/distrib.html>. Draft will also be available by special arrangement at a handful of select pubs in limited areas. Stone Brewing will celebrate its 7th Anniversary with an open house celebration on August 23rd, 2003. Stone Brewing is one of the fastest growing companies in the United States and was awarded placement on the 2002 INC 500 list. Stone is located in San Marcos in the north part of San Diego County, CA.
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