IPA (India Pale Ale) - Stone Brewing Co.

Jables

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a light, clear copper colour, with a decent head. A little more clear than what I had expected.

Smells, well like an IPA should, clean and crisp of citric hops.

Taste is strong of citric hops with a lightly sweet malt background continuing throughout.

Mouthfeel I found disturbingly thin, not because it is really thin but because it was thnner than a well built pale ale, and I expect an IPA to have a heavier mouthfeel than an APA.

Overall this is a good, well-built beer, just not as good as expectation and hype. I'd drink again, most definitely, but I won't hold this up as the best IPA I've ever had, it's not.

Special thanks to Bditty for this bottle I got on trade.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2004 00:30:49 | More by Jables

Billolick

New York

4.4/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

tried this one on tap at the Blind Tiger in NYC, wow, awesome brew..minimal head, nice lacing .nice nutty malt center,very hoppy, alot of citrus and a snappy hop nose and finish, tiny bubbles, pleasantly low carbonation, soft mouthfeel, a pleasure on the toungue. IPA lovers should get to know this one!

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2004 12:00:15 | More by Billolick

Suds

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The aroma: “Wow….there’s some hops in here.” Floral, fresh, spicy, musty…shove a hop flower up your nose. It’s really something. The hops hit you as soon as you crack open the bottle.
It’s a very attractive beer: pale golden-orange color, with small bubbles of carbonation throughout. Big white head that quickly settles into lace-producing wisps and rings.
Taste is dominant hops. At times it’s tongue numbing…maybe the slick oiliness of the hops? However, there’s an underneath sweetness and malt backbone. It’s not what I’d call achieving balance, but it adds a nice smoothness to the experience. Just enough to take the edge off the hops. The finish is moderately dry, subtle and floral…this is not an overly bitter beer. Well done.
Full, heavy, substantial mouthfeel.
Gotta have another…

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2004 02:54:30 | More by Suds

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured a crystal clear golden color. The head was white, compact, but lasting and laced the glass.

The aroma is pure heaven. Malty aromas in the background, hop aromas in the front. The hop aromas are floral and citrusy.

The flavor is bitter yet balanced with malt so as not to be too agressive. The hop flavor is spicy and citrusy.

The finish is crisp and dry bitter, the aftertaste is a pleasant hop dryness. The body is medium.

Very nice beer, great drinkability.

12 ounce bottle (stenciled).

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2004 00:53:58 | More by GCBrewingCo

palliko

California

4.83/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a complex beer! A lovely copper-red color, a cream colored head, a lasting lace work on the glass, great humor on the bottle, massive grapefruit-rind hops, aromatic esters, a medium-light bodied ale, rich flavor, nicely malted, slightly sweet toasty flavors, followed by a dry knockout perfect bitter finish. Perhaps too strong for some, maybe not a session beer, but MAN! is this fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2004 18:44:22 | More by palliko

John1985

Tennessee

4.6/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Deep golden color with a white fluffy head. Detailed lacing goes down the glass as you enjoy this fabulous ale. Spicy hopped aroma hits your senses like a sledgehammer. The flavor hits the perfect balance between rich malt and bitter hop flavor. The flavor has you by the throat but the funny part is that this is the most drinkable IPA I have EVER tasted. You could drink this for hours contently except for the manly 6.9% ABV. Wow! This may be the most awesome ale ever except for SN Celebration Ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2004 02:03:02 | More by John1985

waughbrew

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A light gold color with some haze floats a very impressive, creamy, sticky, retentive head. The aroma makes me giggle like a schoolgirl. Huge grapefruit with noticeable peach and some resiny pine. Flavor is all about the hops. Sure, there is some breadiness, very light caramel flavor, and a certain sugariness, but the hops are clearly the focus. Very fruity in a citrusy way. The bitterness is surprisingly not harsh in any way, rather well balanced. Feel is extremely smooth, a bit creamy, and a hint of slickness. Alcohol is present mostly in its warming sensation. In the end it feels like sugary hops are stuck to your teeth. As with most hoppy beers, I enjoy this beer much more when served rather warm.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2004 18:54:38 | More by waughbrew

canoehornpoint

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good looking painted (probably stamped) bottle. Pours with a slight haziness, golden amber but more golden. rich head. Aroma reminds me of raisins and citrusy mix. Tastes of a floral plum currant hoppiness finishing with a bit more maltiness. This is very close to Arrogant Bastard with less taste of alcohol. Very full bodied hitting hardest toward the back of the tongue. more drinkable than the arrogant bastard.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2004 02:26:43 | More by canoehornpoint

bditty187

Nebraska

3.78/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gold-copper-bronze hue with amber highlights, there is a slight haze to the color; the off-white head is creamy, about a finger in height. When the head collapsed a bubbly collar developed around the edges, sparser in the middle. As I sipped away, lace was created in good amounts. The nose casts no doubt as to the style of this beer, IPA. Hoppiness reigns supreme, grapefruit flesh up-front, rinds in the middle, flowers at the back, juicy throughout. Good potency. For those who enjoy hops you really want to take a drink, so I do. Hop smacking good palate, upfront it is very lightly floral but that quickly is dispelled but spicy hot hop bitterness with biting alcohol and citrus notes. The palate is plenty raw, a bit too much for my tastes because any attempt at balance is obliterated by the hops. I do realize that balance is not the goal of Stone. It seems to lack a little crafting, I’m not complaining; as this is a very tasty beverage but a boatload of hops with little else doesn’t really impress me. The hop burps don’t let me forget what I’m drinking, which is cool. The lack of malt characteristics are depressing, the hoppiness is so strong, so powerful it makes for a one-dimensional beer. The aftertaste is dry and cleansing, typical of many hoppy beers, this one is really well done. Stone IPA is very appetizing and “more-ish.” The high alcohol induces a pleasant belly warming sensation. All a whole this is very good IPA, plenty bitter, it freaking sticks to your lips(!), I’d like to feel a heartier body, this one is hovers around medium, low and perfect carbonation, slightly slick mouthfeel. A solid IPA, it didn’t blow me away however. I’m glad I tried it.

12-ounce bottle, acquired via trade, thank you francisweizen!

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2004 19:49:51 | More by bditty187

Crosling

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Stone IPA pours much clearer and lighter than the Stone Pale Ale. Pours a light golden peach with a fine tantalizing white head that just coats the entire glass with sheets of beautiful lacing. Fuck, this is amazing.

Aroma is dry, crisp, spicy and fruity with pancake batter, citrus flavor and peaches. Obvious dry hopping (I hope) with some other tropical scents.

Honey, lemon, wheat grass, grapefruit with a sweet cedarlike finish. This is fantastic! I had never known what wonderful flavors that little hop flower could bring to beer until I tried this. I really enjoyed this!

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2004 18:33:07 | More by Crosling

pio

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

i usually don't review beer that i know i'd hate and on the other side of the coin, i don't usually review beer that has claimed a little piece in my heart. can you pick a favorite daughter? if you do, keep it to yourself. after reviewing or attempting to review some beer that i was let down by it's come to this. i digress. i like english style pales on the large better but thanks to these brewers i waver more and more.
helpful bubbles hold a finely foamed head that is whiter than a very wise man's wisping coiffure. perfect (what is perfect?) orangish color. sheets of lace with ridges from where i took some volume away.
a big thick book could be written about the scent of this beer. it'd be filled with adventure, romance, action, science fiction, death and beat ennui. a little something for everyone. evergreen, candy, citrus fruit, cheese, summer lawn, some (hazel) nut and woody tones and rounding out the bottom an astounding barley malt scent. wow! there is just so much to the scent.
the flavor is just more bitter than people should be able to handle. a host of flavors. alot of evergreen and citrus, apricot notable. the main player here is the hop profile, it's staggering. i am, too, driven to the poetic. thou hops not a mystery such is the glass key but like a mad man comming to blast me. humulus, humulus are you not of the hemp family? run with me, i can love a bitter woman. sorry. the mouthfeel is right on, awesome. and i have to say i get this very often, so the drinkability in my opinion is very high.
thanks for reading my review.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2004 03:40:25 | More by pio

merlin48

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear amber pour with a persistent beige head and sheets of lacing. Aroma of pine and lemon zest. Mouthfeel seems light to medium bodied, with plenty of hops bite. Taste is well mannered, quality hops with grapefruit and lemongrass jumping out of the glass. Well bittered without being offensive, and there is a solid malt background. Finishes crisp and dry, very pleasant aftertaste. If I had any more of these, I could drink them all day. I don't recall a more drinkable IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2004 17:01:35 | More by merlin48

rkhaze

California

4.38/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a golden honey color with a bubbly dense off white head. Left sheets of sticky lace. Fresh smelling. Citrusy, almost soapy, clean hop aroma. There was a mild sweet character but not a lot of malt presence.
The malts really come through in the flavor. Sweet and grainy with hints of caramel and fruit. Followed of course by the hops. Fresh and resinous with a grapefruit peel bitterness.
Tangy mouthfeel with a medium, if not a bit oily, mouthfeel. Alcohol is stashed away rather well making this a very drinkable beer. Good job Stone!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2003 01:46:42 | More by rkhaze

filabrazilia

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear golden with a white head that retains its form throughout. Excellent lacing.

Aroma - Good hop and balance although not as rich as I would prefer.

Taste - Light malt flavor with a hint of grapefruit. A great hop finish that leaves the tongue satisfied.

Mouthfeel - Nice body and depth. Pretty darn full. The hops dance on the tongue and leave their mark after the last sip is taken.

Drinkability - This can be consumed all day long without any problems.

Not as good as the Ruination but a good offering from Stone.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2003 05:12:34 | More by filabrazilia

benmiliron

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Paid $3.99 for 22 oz. Good smell, good taste, maltyness washed away by the dominating hops. You could drink a lot of this, but I'd spend your money on a cheaper IPA as this isn't anything terribly special. A great brew from Stone, but they've got many other far better beers than this.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2003 23:17:22 | More by benmiliron

Stubbie1

Connecticut

4.83/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beauty from Stone pours a deep orange color. A white head reached the top and left spotty lacing to the end of my beer. The aroma is a mixture of pine and citrus. Neither one overpowering the other, but making a nice mixture of the two. It is a fresh, crisp aroma with a hint of malt in the back ground. The taste is the aroma to a “T”. A floral rush of hops and a slight hint of malt, then a bitter after taste. A good bitter not a bad one, got to love that dry hopping thing! The hops cover any hint of alcohol in this brew, which makes it very drinkable and enjoyable to boot! Another great product from stone.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2003 18:16:18 | More by Stubbie1

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.63/5  rDev +8.7%
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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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

ithacabaron

California

4.05/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out a a somewhat hazy butterscotch orange in color, with a quickly rising and falling head. A thin layer of bubbles sticks around, and the high ABV allows this to leave excellent lacing.

The aroma is dried hops (think of smelling dried herbs as opposed to fresh herbs), light pine sap (including the light tar-like smell), and unidentified floral notes.

The mouthfeel is very light for an IPA, but this is not a bad thing. Rather, this makes it rather dry in character, and eminently drinkable (putting a bomber away is not a hard task). Additionally, for a thinner-bodied beer, the alcoholic content is incredibly masked.

Taste is much of the same tarred hops, a bit down and dirty, but with a delicate dried floral finish. Hops are just slightly more aggressive than I think they need be, but this is an IPA, and this is Stone, so, why the helll not?

All in all, very drinkable. I prefer the pure juiciness of HopDevil, but hey, if you give me a bomber of this, I certainly wouldn't say no.

I will certainly purchase this again if and when I see it.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2003 04:36:20 | More by ithacabaron

mschofield

Massachusetts

4.7/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a reddish amber with a thick rocky white head. The head lasts forever, and the lacing rings are thick and full.
Citrus and floral aroma
The hops hit you in the taste right away taking over from an initial malt flavor, very citrusy a lot of grapefruit, and some pine. The malt never goes away, but you have to look for it.
Medium feel, very easy to drink, a little too easy given the ABV - I have drank 6's of this. It is bitter but very smooth.

HopDevil and this are right there with each other, I can't even say which one I like more.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2003 20:26:08 | More by mschofield

Imbiber

New York

4.45/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pale amber, with a bit of yeast/protein in suspension in this example. Flowery, hoppy aroma; white head which soon dissipates, but not entirely. Very hoppy taste - like an IPA should be - but not astringent on the palate; a nice, clean-drinking, flavoursome brew. Hops linger on the tongue for some time. To sum it up in one word: 'Yummy'!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2003 20:25:07 | More by Imbiber

WaltTrombone

New York

4.33/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Yeah, Baby!!! Another awesome beer from Mr. Koch and the boys!

It poured with a coppery-orange body, and white head. Good staying power, and wispy lace.

The aroma was that grapefruit-y hops, and just a hint of malty sweetness. The first taste has you saying, "Hey, I thought this was supposed to be one of those hop monsters!?" About 10 seconds later, those hops sneak up on you, grab hold of your tastebuds and say "Who's your Daddy?" The hint of malt is just enough to take the edge of the hops.

The mouthfeel is just right, enough body to slosh around your happy tongue, it's almost creamy, and no trace of oiliness. The finish is citrus and hops, with just a faint cardboard and metallic taste that pops up about 10 minutes after your last swallow.

"Please, Sir, may I have some more?"

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2003 02:19:56 | More by WaltTrombone

grynder33

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Took a long time to get a bottle of this to Wisconsin, but it was worth the wait.Cloudy copperish color, not much of a head, inviting hoppy aroma with a beautiful bittersweet aftertaste. Every swallow you got a new fresh bold taste of hops and eventually a nice bitter film coats your tongue. Wish it were easier to get.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2003 22:59:35 | More by grynder33

Dubblebock

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Man, this is really one bruiser of an IPA. I remember back in grade school, there was this kid I knew who liked to go around kicking other kids in the shins just for grins....you knew that kid, too...we all did. Well, that's what this beer is like, a good swift smack on the ol' palate. It gets your attention, it leaves you hurting a bit, it may even stick around after dinner and insult your taste in books and music, but it sure as hell livens up the day.

It poured a wonderfully cloudy orangeish-amber color. The massive head was a wonder to behold. It didn't overwhelm me with it's nose, and I found that to be surprising. I expected to be bowled over, but instead it merely hinted at the taste to come.

It tasted sweet at first, but that was only a malty ruse. The real kick hit me when the hops took over. Hard to understate how hoppy this beer is, and this is only Stone's entry-level IPA. Citrus and other fruit flavors mixed to leave my tastebuds stunned. It hit my throat with a real bitter twang. I had to stare at it for a minute or two after I had the first swallow. It was just like when that kid kicked me in the shins....I was a little shocked at first, a little amazed that someone would have the nads to come up out of the blue and do something like that. But you know, after I chased that kid down and kicked him back, it was all cool. We were pals. We had bonded. That's how this beer was for me.

Good mouthfeel. Not overwhelmingly thick or anything. Very drinkable for a beer this big, but I wouldn't recommend slamming back too many of these in one sitting. One bomber on a Sunday afternoon was enough for me, but I think I'll chase this guy down again one day for another kick in the tastebuds.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2003 17:18:33 | More by Dubblebock

DarthMalt

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Have I reviewed this one yet?....NO!
Have I drank multiple cases of it?...YESSSS!!!

Ahhh! But where do these hops come from, which so beautifully meld with the succulent, honey malts? North County, San Diego, apparently. So pefectly cogniscent of the American gourmand palette these days, this nasty, emasculated gargoyle commands a great deal of respect from both beer belly and wine connessiuer alike.

The perfumy nose, along with strong alcohol wafts of fermentation, ensure all potential imbibers that satisfaction is at hand. Crisp, yet secluded, carbonation gives yield to a honey-sweet foretaste, before rich, sappy hops jump out and start tugging at the dextrine jugular.

A bit rich at the end (like a high-powered, chocolate torte, after a seven-course meal), but then again, what did you expect?

Gourmet beer has a name.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2003 08:08:44 | More by DarthMalt

byrd

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Medium sized off white head with a yellowish hue. Tons and tons of carbonation streaming like mad from the bottom of the glass. Small frothy bubbles form a sticky head which holds onto the sides of the glass all the way to the last drop. The head remains for a very long time, and eventually recedes to a thick lace. Some particles (hops?) can be seen settled on the bottom of the glass. The aroma is citric with considerable juicy grapefruit notes and a subtle backing of malts. Stone IPA is wonderfully smooth from start to finish. The malt backbone is ever-present despite the tendency for this brew to lean towards the direction of the hops. The hops are always well in hand and are never overbearing. There’s a slight bitterness that lingers in the aftertaste. Medium bodied with a finely carbonated mouthfeel. Great IPA that is incredibly drinkable. I could drink this one all evening.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2003 21:54:51 | More by byrd