IPA (India Pale Ale) - Stone Brewing Co.

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Yellow orange in color with hazy color.
S - Grapefruit and piney hops.
T - Oh man wow! One of the greatest hop bite beers of the night!
M - Harsh yet drinkable and crisp.
D - It would have to be my go to IPA but now I have to try Arrogant Bastard to see which one is more hoppy!

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2010 08:16:29 | More by DrDemento456

Borgs

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours with a 1-finger head that dissipates rather quickly, leaving a light layer on top & a nice lacing throughout drinking. Golden color with a slight haze

Smell: This beer smells amazing. The hops aroma flows right through you.

Taste: Tastes better than it smells.

Mouthfeel: Goes down clean with a nice hoppy finish, leaving your mouth watering after every drink.

Drinkability: Yes!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 01:10:04 | More by Borgs

thebrood1987

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

My favorite all around regular IPA hands down. I'd buy this one every single time if it wasn't so expensive for a 6 pack. I understand though why it costs so much because its really top notch, top quality beer. Many IPA's use a lot of the similar American hops but for some reason the way this is brewed it comes out very unique in its smell and flavor. I can't compare this to any other beer really. The smell is just fantastic it has a huge smell of pine and this pungent perfume citrus, floral, flowery smell. Others have said this could be a cologne for hop heads and really it could. It has that sort of a thick quality hop perfume smell to it underneath the upfront pine smell.

The taste is just like the smell hitting you with crisp refreshing hops up front a surprising bready malt quality and that famous long bitter citrus/ pine finish. It's very drinkable and probably the most refreshing IPA I've ever had without being too light bodied. If you are looking for hop bitterness this one is it. This IPA has a higher bitterness than most double/imperial IPA's... not to mention a ridiculous amount of hop flavor. I just can't say enough good things about this beer.

The hop bitterness, the bready malt and the hop pine flavor is everything you could ever ask for in this style of beer. West coast IPA's usually have this sort of pungent different smelling and tasting IPA but this one nails that unique quality of a west coast beer. The only one that I've tried that comes close is Sierra Nevada's Torpedo ale but I'd say this has a richer taste to it plus more hoppy bitterness. Thank you Greg Koch for my favorite IPA to date.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 04:29:19 | More by thebrood1987

FARGO619

California

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Pours a clear bright straw pale with some caramel tones and a nice 1 finger frothy white head with clinging lace.

S: Smells of fruity citrus hops and a nice clean yeast profile.

T: Nice hoppy punch of citrus and pine. Well balanced with a decent caramel maltiness that carries a residual sweetness throughout each drink. Dries out the mouth with some pucker and gives off just a tad of heat.

M: Overall a light medium body and probably the only beer I can drink straight from the bottle. This is one of my favorite beers from Stone.

D: An excellent bold IPA that is incredibly smooth and quite sessionable.

Probably a standard in the American IPA category. A showcase of a very well balanced brew. Hoppy but not offensive to the palate in any way with a solid malt base to balance it out.

Serving type: bottle/ straight from the bottle and favorite flute Stone IPA glass.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 00:32:29 | More by FARGO619

cbonham

Colorado

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Jesus what an incredible beer. After having tried (and enjoyed on several occasions) some Arrogant Bastard Ale (in a bomber no less) I purchased a 6 pack of Stone IPA for $9 today. My immediate reaction? Jesus. The pour is nothing short of beautiful. A foam head at least 1" thick comes up as soon as the beer hits the glass. The color of the beer itself appears to be the same color as honey is. The smell is definitely a lot of hops, with a strong scent of pine as well. Very, very hoppy. Taste-wise, between the intense amount of hops being present in the beer and the taste of pine and a tiny bit of grapefruit, it's one of a few beers that is actively kicking my ass. All in all, this is a beer that is automatically on my top five list.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 01:07:41 | More by cbonham

mreffuss

California

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I liked this beer a lot. Looking for a good beer I'm glad I happened upon this one. I give it an A.

Appearance is a beautiful amber, nice and cloudy with a good head of foam. A robust citrus smell with a bitter taste. Not too hoppy. A fine IPA, a very enjoyable experience. I will be getting more of this asap.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 05:25:19 | More by mreffuss

Intrinsic

Quebec (Canada)

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'd like to start off by saying this is my favourite beer in the world, so if you're looking for an objective opinion, keep looking.

Stone IPA pours a golden straw colour, almost perfectly clear with a healthy head and very respectable lacing. The smell is completely dominated by the hops, but its so much more than that. Citrus and pine tones are mixed with an ever-so-slight maltiness to form the perfect bouquet. The taste is, well, incredible. The most intensely piney hops I've ever tasted in a beer (not including Ruination of course) are somehow balanced up front with the malt they've chosen. The aftertaste is almost just as intense and it's quite dry. Overall, I've already said it. A perfect example of an American IPA, and a perfect beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 02:32:02 | More by Intrinsic

RppIII

District of Columbia

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: This beer was served in a 16-ounce pint glass. When poured from the tap a handsome, ivory white head formed the width of two fingers and held steadfast for a delightfully pleasant amount of time, which allowed me to fully immerse myself in the consumption of this divine nectar.

Smell: At first, one might assume that the aroma emanating from the beer is just like every other IPA they have ever had and they would be utterly and completely correct! There is so much complexity in the odour of this beer but it still has been crafted with an uncanny sense of refinement. These guys knew what they were doing; so much so that they bottled it and sold it and the rest is history.

At first you get hops, beautiful hops, spicy hops, earthy hops, piney hops, fruity hops. Mostly, hops….

Taste: The taste of this beer is utterly and perfectly sublime. The hops, much like greed in the politics of today, been ubiquitous throughout every aspect of this beer and the flavour factor is no different (77 IBUs!). Think of this beer as a massive earthquake formed deep in the ocean that generates a tsunami with each subsequent after-shock continuing to create wave after wave for a significant period of time.

Immediately, your mouth puckers and is slammed with a tidal wall of spicy hop flavours (thank God for the colonization of India and the invention of dry-hopping). After the initial onslaught, the aftershocks, while not quite as intense, come in waves of varied hop flavour for several minutes after the first drink. As the spice begins to give way, there is a sense of floral earthy flavours, and a hint of citrus, a beautiful creation, indeed.

Let’s not forget the little guys who make this whole process possible, our yeast or Saccharomyces cerevisiae give a tremendous finale, imparting their own unique flavours amongst the hop invasion. The malt is in perfect harmony with the hop characteristic, moderately sweet in comparison to the hops.

Mouth-feel: The feel of this beer as it is consumed should not be compared to a tsunami nor an earthquake but to that of a baby’s bottom. While I have never actually felt the aforesaid, I have heard tale of the unequaled smoothness of such and this beer is no different, smooth. In fact, it is absolutely the smoothest liquid I have ever consumed. The finish leaves your feeling like you just spent the day wandering in the desert but at 6.9 ABV that is expected.

Drinkability: Many a night I have slumbered yearning for just such a beer and, seemingly as a phantom, this beer, doesn’t seem real. The Holy Grail, seemingly something not quite attainable for any brewmaster, those Arrogant Bastards at Stone must have found the chalice and used it in the crafiting of this beer. It is addictive and their creation continues to haunt my palate every second I deny myself of it. Simply put, once consumed it will consume you.

Served on tap from Kilted Mermaid of Vero Beach, FL for a price of $4

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2012 02:58:11 | More by RppIII

acevenom

Louisiana

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a pint glass. Pours hazy golden with an abundant, fluffy white head that retains well. As the beer was consumed, there was still plenty of head left on top as well as abundant lacing down the glass. The aroma is of sweet malts as well as plenty of pine and citrus from the hops. It's a very bright and inviting smell. The flavor is fantastic. The big malty sweetness is balanced by big hop flavors. The citrus flavors accompany the sweetness into the mouth while the piney bitterness hits the back end. It's incredibly well balanced. The body of this beer is medium to full and the carbonation is adequate. The beer coats the mouth really well. Overall, this is an incredible beer. This should be the gold standard for this style. Stone hit a home run with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 16:43:10 | More by acevenom

Stevebo

Alabama

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I thought I had drank beer, but then I had a Stone IPA. Now it is the staple beer in my refrigerator. The beer has the perfect amount of hop bitterness that I was missing in regular beers. When you open the bottle the pine smell and aroma makes you know your drinking something special. Definitely my favorite beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 21:34:32 | More by Stevebo

mevett89

Colorado

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: clear golden body with a nice-sized fluffy white head. The head has nice retention and decent lacing.

Smell: crisp; of bitter hops but with some sweetness in there too.

Taste: quite bitter, with a bit of a metallic taste to it. Citrus, but more pine profile. The crackery malt is almost an afterthought, but manages to balance out the hops well.

Mouth Feel: crisp and refreshing, with lower carbonation. Sticks to your tongue.

Overall: No doubt about it, this is a well-made IPA. It is on the bitter side of the style, and is a tasty and refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 23:37:28 | More by mevett89

Bernardkowalski

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Absolutely one of my favorite beers!! honestly can go good with anything, but you are better off enjoying this beer by itself. it has so much too offer, such great combination between the yeast and malt's making this an outstanding brew. you can put this on my list of top beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 00:40:19 | More by Bernardkowalski

CorvetteMike

Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

IPA has been my beer of choice for any years. I live close to Boston and have sampled many local IPS's. One local Eastcoast beer has been my favorite until now. This Stone IPA has received a 5 star rating because it is a superior beer.

a: Wonderful honey color.
s: Light hop/citrus smell.
t: Well balanced smooth taste.
m: Medium body with no after taste, smooth.
o: Best Westcoast IPA.

This beer does not need any improvement.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 19:24:34 | More by CorvetteMike

thegodfather1076

Ohio

4.98/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer was served out of a 12oz. bottle dispensed into a glass....

Presentation - Stone label and artwork are just the coolest. Label is painted or embossed not sure which. Gives it top notch feel and look.

Appearance - Pours out a golden yellow/orange color with surprisingly dense 2 finger white foam head. Head retention is about average, sticking around for about a minute before dissipating into an airy foam covering. Leaves excellent lacing.

Smell - Smell is truly amazing. A HUGE aroma! Smells of strong citrus hops with hints of tropical fruit. IMO, falls more on the Piney hop side than the floral hop side. Very faint hints of malt scent throughout.

Taste - Taste is just as amazing as the smell. A malty start gives way to intense hop flavors. The combination of citrus/piney/sweet tropical fruit-like hop bitterness is amazing!

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Starts off very crisp before turning smooth slightly creamy on the back end.

Drinkability - Smell/taste/mouthfeel combo make this extremely drinkable. Cant just have one!

Best IPA that I have ever had and one of the best beer I have ever had PERIOD! One of the few beer that made me say "Oh MY" when I had the pleasure of trying it. As good as this is out of the bottle, I had the joy of trying this fresh when I visited Stone while out in San Diego in the Summer of 2011 and its even better!!! A real treat! Worth the little extra $$$$ IMO!!!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 21:43:09 | More by thegodfather1076

GreenWBush

Oregon

4.97/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A beautiful frickin' beer no matter how you slice it, on tap this absolutely kills.

Above most any Stone beer I've experienced the maltiness is damned divine: doughy, gooey, in the forefront.

But the malt isn't what makes this beer so sublime: its the hops, man. Citrusy nose only hints at the spectacular overload you'll get on the first sip. Wicked hop burps like this was pulled out of the tanks yesterday.

Wow. I forgot how damned good this beer is. Blew SNCA out of the water in a side-by-side tasting.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2004 19:12:11 | More by GreenWBush

TheBungyo

Washington

4.97/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pablo Piccaso would have trouble crafting a masterpiece such as this. The stiff white cream head finishes off this brew as you'd imagine a master chef with a perfect garnish would. Nose is massive pine, followed by a mix of grapefruit and caramel. I have to be honest, the smell is as devine as any beer lover could hope. Taste is a tour of hops ...pine, graprefruit, lemon, peach and finally caramel. This is probably the perfect IPA. Mouthfeel is suitably creamy and drinkablility is near perfect. A rugged yet sessionable beer that everyone with any sense will respect. Thank you Stone!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2006 05:30:02 | More by TheBungyo

TheDeuce

New York

4.97/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow...

Appearance-big headed goodness comes out of the bottle, light color head booms up but remarkably settles afterwards into the glass, good looking beer.

Smell-hoppy as all get out, alcohol is totally hidden by hoppiness no other aromas to speak of, smells like it was just brewed a second ago.

Taste/Mouthfeel-amazing, easy drinking, substantial hop flavor but no burn or rashness, balanced with a dash of malt, maintains a light texture but still substantial. Even those who don't like hoppy beers or are just starting on them would probably like this.


Drinkability-easy to drink, clean finish except for a small trace of hops, just how you would want to do it, 7% alcohol for those who don't know.

Overall-Simply put one of the best IPAs I've ever had, it's taken me forever to try Stone beers and now that I've had one I can't wait to try more. Astoundingly good.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2007 21:30:25 | More by TheDeuce

pwoods

Ohio

4.97/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On-Tap at Dilly Deli poured into a pint. Reviews based off notes.

A: Pours golden orange and coppery. 1+ finger head that reduces and stays at about a 1/4 inch. Patchy lacing.

S: Strong floral hops and fresh piney scent. Makes my mouth water thinking about whats coming. Alcohol stays hidden nicely. Slight nutty malt aroma peeks through toward the end.

T/M: Strong peppery spices and amazing hop bitterness. I love this in bottles but its AMAZING on top. Getting a piney/sappy bite. Nutty, buttery malts show their face just before the end. Medium body that turns slightly creamy at the malts and finishes bone dry.

D: If I hadn't had a big lunch, I would probably have to stop after 2 or so, but I could really drink this for quite awhile before experiencing palate fatigue. Extremely tasty and easy to drink. Without a doubt one of my favor brews.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2007 20:32:31 | More by pwoods

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Another brilliant brew from Stone. Pours a hazy amber color with a frothy white head. This beer is dominated by hops but is balanced out by a sweetness that doesn't make it too bitter. Not as good as their Ruination IPA but excellent for a single IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 08:24:23 | More by corby112

charliedango

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Stone IPA is by far one of the finest india pale ales that I have ever had. It has the heavy hops one comes to expect from an IPA, but it's smooth and far less abrasive than other brewers takes on IPA. It's a drag that you can't get Stone in Illinois, but well worth the drive to pick up a few bombers.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2009 02:08:48 | More by charliedango

bobhits

Kentucky

4.97/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

In most styles of beer I take a standard somewhat generic beer and I hold all others to it. The APA for example is best shown by seirra nevada. I'd never call that a great beer, it's average in most of its efforts. With IPA's I used ot judge them to dogfish head 60 minute but stone ipa honestly is easier to get and all IPAs end up being graded down because they aren't stone.

The nose is other worldly, served in a stone iPA glass the nose is just breath taking. Floral, fruity, spicy, piny, and hell if I could have this as a perfume I'd buy it for all the ladies. This is the best smelling beer I've ever been with.

The appearance is cloudy off yellow/copper, an unimpressive head on this pour but normally it does far better. Leaves a decent but not amazing lacing. Not much carbonation.

I'm an atheist, but this beer makes me want to thank god for the taste. It's citrus, crispy, with malt COMPLETELY in the back seat but at the same time perfectly complementing the hops.

Look, I've given beers 5's before. This beer is the best beer I've ever had when I really truly sit back and judge fairly. I can't give the appearance a 5 though...again a flaw in the bro's scores. Many beers have exceptional qualities. This beer in many places is perfection...and there is no 6 to give.

In the quest to try every beer on the planet one often forgets about the easy to find and cheaper offerings. Well IPA lovers...there is no better staple. There is no beer I come back to as often and trust me I've got about 40 different beers in the fridge...this one will be bought again before all of those are even sampled.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 11:20:09 | More by bobhits

rmwtsou

California

4.97/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is the best IPA in a bottle that I have tasted so far. It is very hoppy, simply delicious. I am happy to report that now it is available at Costcos for $25.99 a case (at least in the Torrance, CA Costco.) Bought 2 cases and now I'm happy.(9-10-2011)

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 21:59:04 | More by rmwtsou

Wildman

Ohio

4.95/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer poured out a nice copperish gold color and formed a nice fairly white head, that when subsiding, left some nice lace. Aroma had elements of hops and some citrus. The taste had a substantial amount of hops and slightly bitter aspect to it, which is good in an IPA. Good beer

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2002 16:12:14 | More by Wildman

hyuga

North Carolina

4.95/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a big, impressive froth that almost refuses to settle (which, of course, is a good thing). Leaves nearly enough lace to make it look like it didn't even settle! Copper to orange color. Absolutely beautiful hoppy aroma. Tons of floral and citrus character. In fact, it jumps out at you before you even finish opening the bottle. More citrus-like hop bitterness in the flavor, with some hints of spiciness and great malty undertones. Hops make it very smooth and crisp, and the bread-like maltiness underneath rounds it out quite well. Great balance of bitterness and sweetness as well. Dangerously drinkable! This is one wonderful brew. I'm loving every Stone brew I try with a passion! If you're just starting to love hops, this is a great step up from their pale ale if you're not quite ready for "ruination". And for the seasoned hophead, this is a wonderful treat and an exceptional brew all around! No matter who you are, try this! It will not fail to impress.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2002 00:56:42 | More by hyuga

aaronh

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy orange-amber with an off white head. Good head retention for an IPA. The head fades to a thin film of foam on the surface of the beer. This is usually a good indicator of a malty beer. The aroma may be the sweetest floral smells I've ever experienced in a beer. I have a fragrant rose in my garden called "Seattle Scentsation". It may be the best rose aroma I've ever experienced. This beer reminds me of that scent. Wow!

The hop florals carry over into the taste as well. Very bitter, very good. And there is a substantial malt base to support all the hops. A hint of sweetness slides in the finsh, possibly caramel notes. Also a bit of ale "fruitiness", which I only noticed later in the glass. But the hops just blow me away. I'll revisit this beer at a later date when I'm slightly less in awe.

The mouthfeel is also very full for an IPA. The beer seems to expand to fill your mouth, and gets silkier the longer it's on your tongue. Mmmmmm, goooood. It finishes rather cleanly, with a good hop kick to cleanse the palate.

6.9% ABV? You have got to be kidding me! I could tatste no alcohol notes, and could drink this beer for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and supper and still want a few that evening.

I can't believe I waited a couple of weeks to try this beer after I bought it. I'm buying more on my next beer run. This beer could temper my desire to try new beers somewhat. It is one of the best I've ever experienced flavor-wise, and is very drinkable. Not just a hop-head's IPA. It's a beer lover's IPA. Dare I say it's my new IPA? It will be when I can get it.

** 7-8-03** This beer is still awe inspiring. One of my favorties. Greg is a Beer God**

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2003 21:30:58 | More by aaronh