Ruination IPA - Stone Brewing Co.

gradergator

Ohio

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bomber at about room temperature.

A - Pours nice 2 finger head with some lace finish. A very nice golden orange.

S - A beautiful hop aroma of mango and grapefruit. some nice pine and floral notes.

T - Fantastic. Tons of fruity and piney hops. A light caramel sweetness to balance things out. A great finish with a lasting taste.

M - A well bodied beer with perfect carbonation and refreshing dry finish.

O - This is a World class beer at the pinnacle of it's class. I am totally blessed to be able to enjoy this when ever I want, which will be quite frequent.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 18:19:43 | More by gradergator

Beerlover

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Stones "smoked porter" was my favorite of Stone's beers, then i tried Ruination. a double ipa even though it doesn't say it on the bottle, how could a beer with this high of i.b.u.s not be a double! this is my favorite double ipa out there heck this is probably even my favorite ipa period. there is not one thing lacking or wrong with this beer, the PERFECT example of a double ipa. GLORIOUS. very VERY hoppy but still balanced in an amazing way...pours golden yellow with slight haziness and reeks of bitter/sweet hops. immediate shock to the palate with an overabundance of hoppiness yet still as i said perfectly balanced... i cant come close to describing how great this beer is so just TRY IT 4 YOURSELF!

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 04:43:17 | More by Beerlover

threeviews

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 22oz bottle (Best Before date: 08-06-12) into a long stemmed, 12oz tulip glass

A- Pours a very clear golden yellow/orange with about a 1-1/2 finger of white, frothy head with minimal lacing.

S- Oh, glorious hops - sweet, sugar coated citrus (tangerine, orange and grapefruit) along with fleshy, tropical fruit (peach, mango, and pineapple) mingle with copious amounts of pine resin....wow!

T- Sweet tropical fruit is met with a blast of white grapefruit rind bitterness. It is with this last dose of hop bitterness that I can surmise where the name of the beer is derived. However, the hop astringency is supported (but not dominated) by the malt backbone.

M- Ample, but not overwhelming carbonation is provided by THE very, very transparent Chico ale yeast. Perfect.

O- What is there left to document that hasn't already been stated? Ruination IPA has set the standard for an entire wave of IPA's (specifically, Imperial IPA's) flooding the American craft beer market. Although it might seem 'pedestrian' at this juncture, Ruinaition IPA is a testament to Stone's influence in the US craft brewing industry and are confirmed trendsetters. Ruination IPA still ranks with high marks as one of the beers which defined the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 23:01:35 | More by threeviews

GMB

Japan

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A perfect score is not something to be given indiscriminately. Despite my attempts to be overscrupulous in my critique, and despite reading critical comments by BeerAdvocate reviewers whom I admire, I failed to find an imperfection in this hop-focused beer. This beer deserves each perfect score that I gave it.

The beautiful hazy golden body of Stone Brewery's Ruination IPA supports the kind of thick, frothy head that one frequently hopes for but almost never finds. The viscosity and cling of this head are enough to put most beers to shame. Indeed, it stuck around so long that I lost hope it would ever fall. And so I pressed the glass to my lips, and took my first sip of hoppy glory.

But before I took my first sip, I made sure to take in a few a deep breaths of this beer's bouquet, which comprises floral, citrusy, piney, and resinous fragrances. The absolutely clean aroma of American floral hops (Centennial and Columbus) fills my olfactory organs. Malts are barely detectable, as they should be.

The taste of this beer is even more balanced than I expected. The American bittering and aroma hops are showcased, of course, and there is just enough malt to provide some sweetness. But the hops' aromas are not at all muddled, nor is are their bitter qualities overpowering. The flavor of this beer is not only balanced, but utterly clean. There are no indiscernible flavors here. Both the aroma and flavor of the beer make me feel as if I were sticking my nose in a sack of fresh hops and taking a few deep breaths. So fresh, so floral, so pleasing...

The hazy appearance of the beer indicated that this is an unfiltered beer. Thank goodness, because the yeast has produced a rich, buttery flavor that pairs deliciously with the hoppy bouquet. The floral tastes of alcohol become palpable as the brew warms, and pick up and accentuate the hops' floral and citrusy flavors. The beautiful pairing of floral and creamy, buttery flavors reminds me of the way that boiled fresh milk and aromatic spices (e.g., cardamom, ginger, and tea leaf) divinely complement each other in a well-made cup of chai. Like a well-made cup of chai, Stone Ruination IPA offers up each of its strong flavors both distinctly and as complements to each other. It is rare indeed to come across a beer whose flavor is at once intense, sophisticated, rich, and clean.

The viscous froth that I observed in the head reemerges each time I swirl the beer around my tongue. A perfect complement to the beer's buttery, rich body and flavors.

Stone tells us that this beer is so named because of its ruinous effect on the palate. It is difficult to imagine how one could consider this beer's fresh, floral taste as anything but advantageous, restorative, and rejuvenating. Still, that the intensity of the beer's taste may "ruin" a few palates is something I can grant. But this beer is equally likely to 'ruin' one's taste for other American Double or Imperial India Pale Ales. I have had hundreds of beers in this style, some of which are excellent. Stone IPA remains a cut above. First class.

First relish the hoppy glory that is Ruination IPA without taking recourse to any accompaniments. Then, try snacking on some dried fruits as you sip the beer. Dates, dark raisins, and currants make excellent pairings.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 01:52:34 | More by GMB

Hopheadjnr

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from 22oz bottle into tall , wide pilsner glass.

A...pours a clear, deep yellow with a perfectly white 2 finger head.

S...lots of pine right up front with some citrus behind it. Smells great.

T...HOPS! If you were to eat pot, I think this is what it might taste like. Very hoppy, bold flavor that cuts out quick with such bitterness giving way to a malt backbone. Not really balanced, more like you get to taste the individual flavors of the beer one at a time. Citrus and bitter hops most present.

M...perfect amount of carbonation. Couldn't be better.

O...this really lived up to the hype. I was worried that I would be dissapointed because I expected too much. I was wrong. This is a perfect example of what an IPA should be. High quality, great flavor. All around great beer. I will look forward to my next Ruination.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 00:16:25 | More by Hopheadjnr

Dirty_chavez

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have been drinking this regularly and is a fav & go to. Visited World of Beer in Columbus, Ohio after it opened and requested it be mixed with Left Hand Milk Stout NITRO. Was an amazing mix, and hope I can get one more before I have to leave town.

* The stout mellows out the bitterness of the Ruination but, if your a real hop head it still has enough bite. I'm not a huge fan of stouts but, this mix has greatly opened my taste...

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2012 05:04:55 | More by Dirty_chavez

Joshpu

California

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a duvel.

A: Pours a golden orange, one finger of white head. Medium amount of carbonation. Not real hazy.

S: Smells like grapefruit and piney hops. Slight malt smell. Smells perfect.

T: Piney hops, grapefruit, lemon. Just a slight amount of malt.

M: Very crisp, dry, drinkable beer. I could easily down this stuff, so its hard for me to just sip on it and enjoy it for a longer amount of time.

Overall, a perfect beer in my opinion, enough said...

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 07:58:34 | More by Joshpu

Dusty6467

Texas

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: poured a hazy copper color with a 2 finger head that dissipates pretty quick but leaves nice lacing.

S: very bold hop smell, citrus pine is overwhelmingly awesome. This smells just like a bag of freshly opened brewing hops

T: slight malty carmel taste that is overtaken with the hoppy bitterness when it hits the taste buds in the back of the mouth, alcohol is almost completely hidden, very floral aftertaste that stays with you a while. Not balanced but doesn't matter when the taste is so rewarding

M: perfect amount of carbonation, not as carbonated as some but more than others, with such a wild flavor it is quite clean and refreshing

O: after a few years of drinking IPAs and pursuing hoppier brews the more I drink them, I feel that I stumbled upon this one at the perfect time. As the bottle says, this shouldn't be someone's 1st IPA, or they'll likely hate it. This is an amazing beer that uses hops to their fullest!

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 03:14:56 | More by Dusty6467

BTFU

Indiana

4.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Pours our like liquid amber and has an off-white head that has decent retention with a little bit of lacing. It's slightly cloudy but looks clean

S - The smell is magnificent and is so full of different hops and roasted grains that you'd be OK with an air-freshener filled with it.

T - For such an intensely smelling beer, I expected the flavor to be different, but I was farrrr from disappointed. Its taste carries all of the same hop notes of the smell along with a great toasted maltiness that has some citrus to brighten it up. It's not as overpowering as the smell would lead on, and this balance is one of the keys to what makes this so wonderful.

M - Really creamy and smooth, but it doesn't coat the mouth like some thick beers can. It feels really cleanly, but leaves behind a strong scent that's not obnoxious or grainy

O - This beer imbodies how you can make an intensely hoppy beer (100+ IBUs) without making the taste overwhelming or too bitter. Easily the top of its class

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 01:27:14 | More by BTFU

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Into a chalice:

A: light caramel colored body that yields a light foamy, one finger head with some spotty lacing trickling around the edges. This head lasts about thirty seconds and then dies, also has some light slowly moving carbonation.

S: grapefruit and other citrus fruits coming out pretty powerful. There is some pine in the background and the malts are intermingled throughout.

T: the hops intertwined very well with the malts and pine.

M:medium, slightly sessionable, well balanced between wet and dry, carbonation is slightly felt

O: right now I'm thinking I didn't know this beast was going to be this good. Holy crap, yes this is a palate wrecker, I don't think I'll have another beer the rest of the night or at least not anything that good! I'm more than impressed and yet pissed because my numbers are going through the roof on this thing. However, the next time I want this thing, I want it next to an awesome East Coast DIPA with both having the same freshness date and we'll see who's standing then. I don't even consider myself a hophead. Is this thing really this good?

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 00:00:58 | More by kangarooAdam59

Cavanaghty

Maine

4.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Served on tap in a sample glass.

Appearance: Darker amber color, with a white head.

Smell: Holy hops! Nothing but citrus/hop smells.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Medium bodied, and smooth. A very hoppy, citrusy beer. Great taste!

Overall: Very enjoyable brew, always heard good things about this one, so I am very glad I tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2012 14:24:22 | More by Cavanaghty

KingEdward

North Carolina

4.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love this beer. It has a wonderful aroma of citrus and pine. The taste is of citrus and its dry and sour like grapefruit. The look of the beer is great with a amber golden color, a little cloudy, and some light lacing. The mouth feel is dry and it has great carbonation. Overall another great stone ipa. In other news i have read some low reviews on this beer that say i don't really like the style ipa...my question is why keep reviewing ipas....your super low reviews just hurt the rating.... does not make sense.. if you don't like curtain styles don't drink or review them... ok i am done with my rant...

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 18:39:54 | More by KingEdward

Jordan

California

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Noble hop profile, rich and full bodied bliss. Delightful vanilla/honey and complex floral aromas. Inviting and well centered A-IPA. The label acts as a intimidator, but dont be fooled. Many like-characteristics with Ruination and Anderson Valley Hop Ottin' IPA. Ruination being slightly superior. My advice to anyone who enjoys the IPA, sample this. First class.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2002 01:25:43 | More by Jordan

Longstaff

Massachusetts

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

WOW. I don't think I can do this one justice or add to what has already been said, but this is one big, bad, malty, insanely hoppy, kick-ass beer that has everything I love in beer. When you pour this mother out, you can tell it is thick and malty and will have the mouthfeel of syrup. The grapefruity, floral, earthy, and herbal hop aromas can be smelled from across the room. After I poured my first pint, my roomate asked if I had been brewing earlier, and said he could smell the hops as soon as he walked in the room. The flavor of this beer is the closest I have come to heaven. The hop flavors are demanding of your attention by hitting you in the face as well as exhibiting some complex subleties. I detect some grapefruit flavors, pineapple, and pine needles in the hop profile. The bitterness is there but not as bad as you would think because the ultra sweet malt sure subdues it. The malt background is sweet like molasses with some buttery and butterscotch flavors that seem to melt in your mouth. All in all a greatly complex beer that is so drinkable for all of its bigness. All other beers taste like water in comparison.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2002 11:37:24 | More by Longstaff

sideshowrob

Maryland

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is what a massive IPA should be. This beer is delicious... Heed the bottle's warning label though, this is a beer for the dedicated hop-head only.

Appearance is very, very good - an almost glowing light amber color. Full of promise. The aroma is out of this world. Like Hop perfume! Taste is almost indescribably goood. Unlike other big-hop beers, there is no competition among the hops for taste or character. The hops in this brew are all singing the same, wonderful song. Very well done indeed. Mouthfeel is refreshing, smooth and zesty. As you may have guessed, I had no problems drinking this beer down either. I could easily have several over some pool or darts. (If only distro was a bit better for Stone in my neck of the woods.) A truely exceptional brew!

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2004 15:06:52 | More by sideshowrob

mattcrill

Ohio

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Enjoyed this @ Barley's mini-RAF 5/13/06. Cask-conditoned with Simcoe.

Aroma: A citrus hop slam! Fruity, floral, citrus with a hint of honey. This is the kind of aroma that you get when you put your nose in a bag of fresh hop leaves. Just incredible.

Appearance: Hazy river water orange fading to yellow edging with a sudsy white head. Looks impressive...it has to have a ton of hops infused to have that lovely cloudy color.

Flavor: What an awesome balance of hop resins, bitterness, orange peel, lemon zest, grapefruit rind, a touch fruity and a little sweetness to help temper this hop maelstrom. Just heavenly.

Mouthfeel: oily, slick, resiny, and it leaves a powdery hop coating on the palate.

Overall impression: Pure heaven. This is the nectar of the gods. What an awesome showcase of hop balance. World Class.

Serving type: cask

05-14-2006 15:17:47 | More by mattcrill

budgood1

Minnesota

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

-pours out of the bottle a peach tinged orange and rust colour...hazy and a bit turbid. tight off white head. festive lace. nice citric whif of hops...lemon and grapfruit...orange and tangerine notes. sweet malt in the nose also, and a hint of some yeast, must and smoke. i love the way this smells. gotta love the taste, too. lots of plump juicy fruit notes...very citric, the grapefruit and lemon notes dominate the palate without being just plain bitter and boring. it's a bit yeasty, with a dose of alcohol spice. this bruiser brings the goods for the hophead, honest to god. just enough malt balance without getting in the way of the hop parade. perfectly balanced as far as i'm concerned, meaning the body of this IPA or double IPA is about perfect. then there is the mouthfeel, which is curiously and sublimely velvety for such a high IBU brew. fantastic. and the drinkability....outrageous for a such a plush and ample IPA.

ok, it's my opinion that this one lives up to the hype. a great IPA that caters completely to my taste hop bombs.

a huge thanks to Intiqken for this beauty!

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2007 00:40:11 | More by budgood1

Brad007

Vermont

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a nice pale color with a thick, frothy head (much better pour too!). Aroma is grassy and floral upfront with grapefruit in the nose. I can tell this will be one hell of a hoppy beer! Taste is malty at first and then very citrusy and floral in the middle, towards the back of the throat.This beer feels pretty well-balanced when compared to a few other Imperial IPAs I have had.

There's just enough hoppiness but not enough to overwhelm the palate. The grapefruit/citrus flavor is what I look for in an IIPA and this is no exception. Lots of lacing left behind in the glass.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2007 00:32:03 | More by Brad007

smurphy77

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer might be a best-in-class beer it's so good. It's really an exceptional IPA.

The beer poured a golden color with a medium-sized head that stuck around for awhile before dissipating. The aromas were succulent fresh hops and perhaps a hint of apples. Lovely, bright hop aromas were really perfectly balanced and not at all overpowering, portending the taste to come.

The taste of this beer was textbook IPA. You taste the smell, you taste the bitterness, you taste the freshness. The vortex of hoppiness swirls over the tongue in such a clean, crisp, refreshing way that could just never get old.

Lucky enough to find a sixer of this at bevmo in san jose for 6.99. What a deal. Too bad I'm only here for a week.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2007 01:35:26 | More by smurphy77

boogles

Kansas

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have not tried this in a while, and had a cold last time I tried it (so I couldn't smell it). This beer has me in mind. It's everything I like about beer.

I won't bother talking about the color, lacing, or anything else. This, like all Stone brews, is about perfection. Complex, but simple, and amazingly balanced. Unlike the Stone giants, this one is just right, the baby bear of IPAs. The hops are strong, but without the untasteable blast of bitterness that overpowers all else. And the nose--the nose is out of this world. It's citrus without the sickly sweetness, pine without the sap. It ends up being very floral and fruit punch, papaya, pineapple, passionfruit, blackcurrant.

My new favorite, I think. Time for a serious favorite-off between Ruination, Founder's Red, Hop Rod Rye, and Hop Slam. If I live through that, maybe I'll invite the RIS crowd. But in terms of where my present taste resides, this is it. Stone rules!

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2008 07:05:14 | More by boogles

sublimesipping

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

end of a long day of a long week last night. A number of disaster moments, but in the end catastrophe averted. Sitting around the table eating a very tasty pizza from a nice establishment in the hood. A pie with a tangy sauce and a sausage with a zing to match. Crack out the Ruination to commemorate my survival this week...
I have had this beer before but never reviewed. this beer Rocks! my favorite of the moment of those in the DIPA class.
The smell- piney, citrusy, flowery, all the best characteristics of Stone IPA but jacked up to the nines. This beer did not overpower me and paired great with my pizza pie. Excellent head retention, glass lacing, a pretty honied color to the pour. the taste is out of this world complex, long lingering hops, grapefruit and pine- but soo so balanced and satisfiying. Rolls through your tongue and palate to a long sustained finish. On the contrare, no ruining of my buds occured-it made me clamor for more. Great beer from one the country's premier breweries.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2008 14:34:11 | More by sublimesipping

spittingoutteeth

Vermont

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

In full-disclosure, I am an absolute hop-head. If you're not, don't even bother trying Stone Ruination---at 100+ IBU rating, expect extreme hops, with all the bitterness and flavor that goes along with it.

It's a beer that truly lives up to its name. The first time I tried Ruination, it was my first of three different IPAs I tried that night. While the other two beers were fine out of context, they couldn't come close to comparing to the complexity & sheer hop-bomb goodness of the Ruination.

Definitely in my top three favorite IPAs, slightly beating out Dogfish Head 90min. and just under my all-time fav, The Alchemist's Heady Topper.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2009 23:09:42 | More by spittingoutteeth

BringusKilkenney

Virginia

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into pint glass and had a small head with a neon amber look to it very nice and inviting lightened up a bit in the light.

The smell is of apricots and hops, nice citrusy fruits and floral bouquet very nice smell. Really a great smell thoroughly enjoyed this beer.

the taste is excellent great smooth hoppy flavor with apricots in back ground. Long lasting bitterness after taste. The mouthfeel is great smooth with a little carbonation medium bodied. I could drink this all night very easy to handle and just down right enjoyable this is probably one of my top 10 especially in the IPA or double ipa style.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2009 13:15:25 | More by BringusKilkenney

ledomelor

California

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had on cast at O' Brian's pub in San Diego in a pint glass, July 2nd, 2009 this review is a little overdue

A: A nice thick golden pour, it was noticeably more cloudy on cast then from the bottle. Nice frothy two finger head with good lacing

S: Very aromatic, the cast brings out the melon a lot more, along with this the hops. And more hopes. Very sweet tangy, but not overbearing citrus smell

T: Its hoppiness is first noticeable, and then grapefruit follows and possibly lemon. Definitely characterized by piney hops, however it wasn't over bearing and had a very nice balance with the citrus fruits. The bitterness comes out more in the Cast, which I thought it made it the perfect amount

M: Very nice mouth feel, and very crisp, and less carbonation in the cast, which I greatly preferred over the bottle. Nice lingering in the back of the palette leaving a constant reminder of how enjoyable this beer is

D: I could drink this stuff all day long, but I have to save up for a car...

Overall: I have loved this beer for a long time now, but if you have the chance to get it on cast it makes a huge difference. The flavors pop out even more and the lighter carbonation allows the beer to really linger in your mouth

Serving type: cask

08-24-2009 16:43:38 | More by ledomelor

itfitz

California

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This DIPA hasn't made its way to the top of most expert's taste lists by just being "average." Yes, it's strong. Yes, it's VERY bitter. Yes, it's known as "hophead heroin."

Those who complain about Ruination's lack of maltiness are not familiar with the style, nor with the philosophy of Stone Brewing Company. Stone hit a home run with this liquid gold, and those lucky enough to find it (and fortunate enough to be able to afford it) will surely have a memorable experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 10:39:03 | More by itfitz