IPA (India Pale Ale) - Stone Brewing Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A bit dry aftertaste a surprise but otherwise a nice drink. Can be session starter or go with food. Pine and citrus grapefruit. Prominent bitterness.

This is a new IPA, sporting a gargoyle emblem. A transparent bottle that really shows big bubbles in there.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2005 02:11:28 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.63/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Stone IPA is a real looker. Gauzy medium amber with a large, eggshell colored, slightly lumpy head that has good retention and leaves copious rings and sheets of lace.

This is the most amazingly fragrant beer that I've ever smelled; it hit with both barrels as soon as I popped the cap. Its room-filling bouquet even elicited a comment from my wife. The nose is abundantly citrusy, with grapefruit zest leading the charge. So this is what hops smell like!

The flavor is out of this world. Is this what people mean by a 'wow' beer? Grapefruit, lemon and pine, with a tantalizing hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is ultra-smooth and is full and rich without being heavy. Drinkability is superb. Oh how I wish that I had easier access to this amazing IPA.

It was with some trepidation that I popped the cap on this bomber of Stone IPA today. I've been reading on this site about how it's an incredibly hoppy, bitter beer and that beginners (namely me) should tread carefully, perhaps starting with more gentle, less hoppy styles. I think of bitterness as something unpleasant. Well if this is bitterness, give me all you've got.

Far from being unpleasant, this is the best beer of any style that I've had yet. I struggled with whether to assign such high scores since there aren't too many craft beers under my belt at this stage of the game. In the end, though, I have to go with what I feel. I can't imagine that anyone brews a better IPA, or that there are many other beers (of any style) that are better than this. And so.... a hophead is born.

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I'm not going to re-review, but I am going to re-score now that I have quite a bit of IPA experience to reference. The taste score--I really hate to do this--falls to 4.5. (5/21/04)

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2003 16:29:06 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured a hazy bright orange with a big frothy pillow like white head. Very slow fade and nice retention left a good bit of lace on the top.

S - Smell was initially very sweet with lots of citrus hops. Light but not overly so that it would be a detrimentalal factor. Smell was not overly bitter and had no hint of any alcohol whatsoever. As it warmed a slight grain or bread like feel started to come out. Not bad, not over the top.

M & T - Very smooth crisp, clean and refreshing. Nice carbonation. The hop profile on this one is very sweet. Lots of orange, tangerine, creamy like flavors. Not your typical super bitter west coast hop bomb. Very drinkable and overall very enjoyable. Much balance to this as the malt character was really brought out to the fore front

D - Overall extremely enjoyable and totally sessionable IPA. This could be a staple everynight drinker and would love to see this in a keg in my kitchen!

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2007 00:13:34 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden straw color with a small, very small, amount of white foam that dissipates quickly. Not much carbonation to speak of.

S: Lots of citrus, most notable is lemon. There is also a mild pine scent. Not much malt to speak of.

T: A wonderful and powerful bitterness. Very piney, but also slight lemony notes. Again, not much malt shining through.

M: Very crisp beer with a lingering bitterness.

D: Highly drinkable, but watch out for this one, it will bite when you're not looking at 6.9%.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2009 00:34:38 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark gold with a nice, fluffy white head. Nose is of citrus and floral hops. Taste is quite bitter along with citrus and floral notes blending together quite well, with the floral notes taking the lead--very nice in the sense that it's different from many of the better IPA's, which are typically loaded solely with citrus. Great carbonation and excellent drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2010 21:13:22 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a light orange body with a medium white head.

Smell: Profusely fruity hop aroma, with brilliant notes of grapefruit and golden raisins.

Taste: Generous amounts of fresh hop flavors, none of which are overpowering. Grapefruit, pine needles, and juicy orange slices progress to a light caramel maltiness. It all leads to a short-lived, subtly bitter dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, with a fine, resiny texture.

Drinkability: Unsurpassed drinkability! An excellent IPA charged with great hop flavors and enough malt to remain well-balanced.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2006 04:08:22 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy honey colored body with a huge head that sticks around forever and leaves lacing all over the glass

Smell: Smells like a bag of cascade hops; grapefruit, piney and resinous

Taste: Taste is overwhelmed by the piney, bitter hop flavors but there is a surprising amount of malt sweetness that lingers throughout; quite a bit of alcoholic flavor as well

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, almost syrupy with a moderate amount of carbonation

Drinkability: Astoundingly drinkable!

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2005 00:44:56 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Schooners Patio Grille in Santa Clarita, CA.

Pours a murky copper color with a 1 inch puffy white head that fades to an island of foam sitting on the top of the beer. Thin foamy rings of lace mark the drink down on the sides of the glass. Smell is of pungent pine and herbal hops and a slight malt aroma. Taste is of the pine and herbal hops up front with a malt backbone coming through on the finish. A medium level of bitterness sticks to the palate after each sip. This beer has a good carbonation level making for a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good hop-forward IPA from Stone (what do you expect, right?). I have had this one in the bottle but I prefer this one on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2011 20:27:42 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a orangey color ale with a medium head with standard retention. The hops and their nice floral aspect overpower aroma. Taste is quite bitter with some lingering sweetness in the back of the palate. Good body and alcohol level does a good job of keeping this beer together. Not my favourite style to begin with but this was very enjoyable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2006 14:53:00 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

...and that's how I like my IPA's. In my opinion, an IPA should be out of balance with the hops way up top and with a moderate malt base. Smells nicely piney and perfumey. Floral and estery. Fruity and spicy. And it's all done with the hops in the driving seat. Malts provide enough sweetness, body, and smoothness to keep the beer from becoming a tea or hop soup. The flavors of malt and hops combined create peach, pear, mango, and appricot flavors--all muted by hop bittering. The grassey, piney aromas transfer to flavor nicely. Finishes mildly alcoholic, dry, and crisp. I could drink this beer everyday.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2005 16:16:30 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a really nice peach color with small but rocky head that stuck to the glass,wow the smell,first whiff is freshly mowed grass it hits ur nasal passages like a freight train.Very citruisy taste hits u first but the maltiness in the background really balances this out nicely.Iam sometimes leery about getting west coast IPA's but this one is nicely balanced.Stone has to be a world renown brewery by now their beers are just so world class.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2003 11:42:04 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The body is a hazy deep peach in color, topped by a frothy white head that holds well and leaves some excellent "sticky" lace. The aroma is of a fruity, sweet (almost sugary) malt, and bold floral & citrus hops (that combine with the sweetness to offer alot of pineapple - but also some lemon). The body is medium/full with a very fine, moderate carbonation that gives a light zest on the tongue and then becomes quite creamy in the mouth. The flavor offers a blend of rich, sweet, fruity, and lightly caramel & bready malt, and loads of citrusy, floral, piney & grassy hops backed by a solid bitterness. It finishes with a lingering combination of sweet floral malt flavor and dry bitterness. Although the bitterness is hefty, it's not overwhelming, and the sweet malt remains evident throughout the glass. The alcohol is beautifully cloaked, revealing only a light touch of "spiciness" in the flavor. This is a really unique and exceptional beer that's well worth seeking out. Well brewed. Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2002 19:22:15 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Devil's Backbone willibecher.

We'll see how long it takes me to die during the Leaving Falls Church uber-bender. My guess is not much longer. This co-defendant pours a clear golden straw topped by a finger of white foam, complete with a decent amount of etch-style lacing. The nose comprises plenty o' pine, grapefruit, honeydew, and rich toffee. The taste dilutes the pine up front in a wash of grapefruit, followed by a nice smattering of toffee, but then, in the finish, the pine returns for some always-enjoyed vengeance. The body is fairly light, with a moderate carbonation and a pretty dry and crisp finish. Overall, a very nice, easy-drinkin' IPA. Get some!

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2010 22:57:46 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The grim, growling gargoyle glares at you from the label, both offering protection from all things bland and dire, and also daring those not ready to indulge in a torrent of flavor to begone, and be untroubled by these blissful beers.
Appearance: a perfect, peachy hue, and a good, frothy white head.
Nose: somethin' else! A panoply of fruit, a citric cornucopia! Peaches and apricot, grapefruit, pineapple, melon, berries, and more, all in one little aroma!
Alert and lively, zesty, generous, and gorgeous!
Taste: superb! Fantastic flavor, yet none too bitter. A huge blast of hops jumps on the tongue, but not so severely. A firm body, also, excellent balance and malt backbone.
More of a piney feel comes through as we drink, but it's a minor note among so many others. Finish is medium, but tasty and satisfactory.
This is an IPA the way they are supposed to be!
If these excellent ales were available in my area, you can be sure that my fridge would be stocked well with these! Tasty, and drinkable, and rewarding!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2003 20:16:29 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.2/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a nice golden color with a thick frothy white head that fades to lacing. The aroma is exceptional! It has a beautiful array of floral hops which penetrate along with a solid malt scent. The taste is good. It has an intense hop flavor overpowering it's malt core. It goes down smooth and finishes quite bitter. The mouthfeel is good. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a great IPA. The aroma is awesome along with a really good hop and malt flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2004 02:24:00 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.6/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Stone IPA is one of, well, it is my favorite beer. I can drink a Stone IPA and completely change my mood. Stone is probably the best example of an American IPA available. I've made IPAs a focus of my beer drinking and sampling and I can say without hyperbole, this is a great beer. Of course it is better on draught than in the bottle, but I had a 12 oz bottle of it served in my Stone IPA glass. Medium head, strong aroma of cascade hops, dark yellow, clear (although sometimes the bottles are cloudy). Excellent mouthfeel, a great amount of hops but the bitterness is not overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2009 16:42:18 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a hazy light amber color with a white head. The aroma is a mix of various hops, but is a little bit faint. I get some orange citrus, pine and flowery notes. The flavor is more assertive, with notes of pithy oranges and some caramel malt. The bitterness is about medium and just about right for a regular American IPA. Medium carbonation and medium mouthfeel. A very good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 22:22:02 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a cloudy, burnt orange hue with a foamy, bubbly, white, two finger head. It left sticky patches of lace on my New Belgium goblet.

S - Aroma was fantastic! It was an assault on your senses of citrus and floral notes. There was an underlying roasted malt nose, too.

T - It tasted of citrusy hops that provided a mild bitterness. The roasted malt brought a caramel sweetness to balance out the hops.

M - It was crisp and sharp. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is an outstanding IPA. It really is masterfully balanced for a great taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2008 12:53:16 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is yellowish amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense off white head that quickly died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of floral and grapefruit hops in the nose.
T: Like the smell, grapefruit flavors from the hops stand out in the taste, but these are very well balanced by the underlying malts, which have some notes of caramel. There is a moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels a tad below medium-bodied on the palate and is smooth with a moderate amount of carbonation. The finish has a little bit of dryness.
O: The beer is extremely drinkable because the alcohol is well hidden from the taste and the hops do not overpower your palate. I could easily drink a few of these in one sitting.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 00:50:07 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewing an all-time great here. I'm admittedly biased, as the first time I had this was on my honeymoon in Cabo San Lucas. Picked up a single at Discount Liquor on a recent trip and poured into Stein.

A - Pours liquid gold. One finger of creamy head that dissipates quickly to a complex lace. I was hoping for a little more head, but perhaps the bottle was old.

S - A delicious combination of hops, grapefruit, mandarin orange, pine, and the tiniest bit of malt. My only knock is that it may be a bit pedantic when compared to all the other IPAs created since.

T - Sweeter than it smells - starts off like tangerine citrus candy, then fades into a slightly bitter hop aftertaste. There's also some floral notes in there a well.

M - Just thin enough to be eminently refreshing, just creamy enough to match the depth of flavor. A bit of carbonation to tickle the mouth.

D - Highly sessionable, even at 6.9%. I wish this could be my staple beer like it is in so many other parts of the country. Whither art though, Stone?

Awesome, cheap, and available (outside Illinois) - what more do you want from a brew?

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 23:10:35 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear copper color and is topped by a off white head. An immediate big hop aroma jumps from my glass and overpowers any malt presence that this beer might have. The aroma is grassy, herbal, citrusy, & it has a sweet hop nectar character. Quite simply, as I take my first sip, I know this is a hoppy bitter brew. The hops explode on your tongue. There is a balancing malt sweetness here that is required to carry this hop bomb. The hop character has strong notes of bergemot as well as some resiny overtones; this is just pure hop nectar. A very fruity beer, made more so by the citrusy hop character. Quite over the top in it's hoppiness. This beer is just damn good & I am so happy to get this on tap on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2004 06:31:57 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.58/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 22oz. bottle into a pint glass.

A: The beer is a light and mildly hazy amber color with a thick white head, which doesn’t fade too quickly and a thick lace.

S: Nice hops smell, but not too strong, with a little bit of citrus.

T: Good hops bite to start out, then gives way to an orange/grapefruit sweetness. Then the hops come back to stay in the after-taste with a slight hint of the alcohol. Although the flavors are distinct, no single one overpowers you. An excellently balanced taste.

M: Very crisp and very smooth (Stone Brewing Co. tends to put both of those qualities into their beer very well.) with a medium body and light carbonation.

D: This beer has all of the qualities that it needs to make it drinkable. It’s very tasty, smooth, not-filling, well-balanced and goes down VERY easy.

This is the 4th beer that I’ve had from Stone Brewing Co. and each beer that I try expands the respect that I have for them. This beer is an excellent representation of the style and while maintaining the Stone signature.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2006 02:54:33 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at Mt. Dragon in snowmass, co last weekend. Very nice

Poured amber to bronze in color with a tight/white 1 finger deep head that stuck around most of the pint, bubbles cling to the side of the glass and dance of the head with every pour. Good lacing

Smell: Fruitiness/biscuitty smells and piney hop odors

Taste: Fruitinesss and citrus and pine hops war for your attention, but in dignified manner. Not as in you face as most stone ales I've had & I appreciated the subtle yet powerful tastes showcased. Dry sweet/piney finish with hints of alcohol as it warms

MF: Extemely well balanced with good carbonation. Smooth and moreish

Extremely quaffable, drinks about 2abv lower than listed. Will get some bottles soon to compare, don't remember it being as tasty. I usually like draft better most of the time

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2006 03:48:16 | More by russpowell

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good brew here, this poured out as a nice looking copper color with a white thick head on top. The smell of this brew gives off a good blend of malts and hops, the hops are strong on the nose like they should be. The taste is really nice here, just a really drinkable IPA. The mouthfeel was medium bodied and has a good carbonation to it. Overall, it's a beer that you can have multiple of in a sitting if you want too.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 04:23:07 | More by Knapp85

Halcyondays

California

4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle, poured into a tumbler,

A: Orange-yellow, with a white head and rings of lace around the glass as the beer is consumed.

S: Hops upfront, with some malt bringing up the rear.

T: Piney hops form the first attack, with grapefruit and citrus coming second, malts taste of freshly baked bread. Slightly sweet in the end, with some ethanol character.

M: Creamy, full-bodied, resiny, very enjoyable.

D: Very good for an IPA, and easily available at almost every corner liquor store in Huntington.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2007 06:00:30 | More by Halcyondays