IPA (India Pale Ale) - Stone Brewing Co.

Stingray5

New York

4.03/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden orange with a big white head that lasts and lasts. Beautiful spicy, floral aromas with hints of pine and grapefruit. Taste is all hops but with some nice, sweet malt undertones. Very earthy.

My second Stone experience, the IPA is a different beast than the Bastard, but just as respectable. I've been spoiled, and it's going to be tough to go back!

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2003 19:42:04 | More by Stingray5

OatmattStout

Connecticut

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

Hop head heaven. This beer had more hop flavors than any other IPA I have tasted. To start it poored a nice deep amber coloer and had a nice rich head. From the first sip you get a srucy, and piney and bitter hop taste. Oh yeah there is substantial malt backbone here to even off. This beer for me not being a true hop head yet but enjoying more and more powerful IPA's, started off bitter but by the end i thought it was great and was sad to see the bottle empty. I will have this one again when I can get it.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2003 19:00:32 | More by OatmattStout

powoo19

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tried at AOBF...Certainly different from arrogant bastard ale, but very nice. The light almost peach color is inviting and the head is nice thick white and lasting. The smell is a very fruity/citrus smell.
The taste is smooth, with a hoppy ( though not overpowering) and malty taste. Again , goes down smooth and does an IPA justice.
Happy Drinking!

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2003 06:51:03 | More by powoo19

kmo1030

Massachusetts

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

This is a great beer. I am new to stone brewing company ( i got my first 6 pack yesterday), but this beer was impressive. it is a hazy light orange color with a substantial not quite white head. the smell is awesome, something like citrusy freshly cut grass. the taste had a slight carmel nut malt flavor, that balances more than it first seems. hops dominate the middle and end coating your mouth with a big resinous spicy grapefruit flavor. Medium bodied, with a drinkabilty that, in my opinon is very high. i noticed it was very smooth for a bottled beer. a very, very good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2003 21:05:53 | More by kmo1030

jeffboo

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

It's hop time. This hop monster looks great in a pint glass, and I'm glad that the bottle will top it off for a little while longer, I love the looks of this one: very orange in color with big,puffy foamy top that sticks around for the ride. The bouquet is citrus and flowers, many different kinds, with a good amount of malt in the backround. The flavor follows the nose's lead with a good dose of malt balanced nicely with a floral,citrus hop flavor. A very complex hoppiness about it, the malt could use a bit of complexity, but hey , that's what the Arrogant is about. The texture is nectar-like, which I love but may be thick and chewy for some. A great beer for the hop fix!

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2003 19:45:45 | More by jeffboo

oberon

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -2.6%
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

jcalabre

California

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

This is another world class beer from Stone. Take it out of the fridge, let it sit on the counter for ten minutes or so before opening it, then lavish yourself in the beautiful floral aroma of hops. It's readily available in six packs in my area, so I'm spoiled. It has the hoppy, citrusy flavors one would expect from a west coast IPA. I've used this beer on four occassions to introduce a BMC type to real beer. Each time was successful.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2003 08:01:42 | More by jcalabre

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +4%
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

dwarbi

New York

3.98/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a creamy, white head, that's uneven and thick and provides excellent lacing. The beer itself is a nice golden color. The aroma is strongly hoppy, and it tastes much the same. The mouthfeel is a little odd: somwhat cakey and off. It stils feels good on the palate, and is very drinkable. This is a very strong and imposing beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2003 19:30:08 | More by dwarbi

Reidrover

Oregon

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

Bought in the ubiquitous 22 oz brown bomber..with as always the imformative back panel.
Ok this is simply a marvelous IPA to just look at..a work of art it seems a shame to have to drink it! Hazy light amber colour with a fantatsic large creamy white head..even the carbonation strings seem perfect!
Well the aroma of the hops is also great..its a treat to the nasal passages, quite flowery but yet not sweet smelling.
well what can is ay about the taste but hops, hops,hops yet it alo has a creamy sweetness..that isnt completelly over whelmed by the hops ( this must be a Stone thing, I tasted the same in the 03-03-03 Vertical)..very nice.
Great feel in the mouth with just the right amount of hop aftertatse to keep one coming back for another sip.
Most drinkable IPA I ever had..very good indeed.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2003 23:46:01 | More by Reidrover

TPoling

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Imagine walking through a field of flowers. See the cool colors amid the green. Take in the fresh scents. Now drink it. That is the essence of Stone IPA.

This India pale ale from Stone Brewing Co. is the second of the company's well-respected beer line to make it into Texas. It follows the strong and malty Arrogant Bastard Ale, which endears itself to drinkers by declaring the prospective drinker is not worthy to drink it and probably won't like it.

Stone IPA is a little less heavy on the malt and leaves a crispness that lets the Chinook and Cascade hops shine through. This would stand up great to Mexican food, with the hops cutting through the heat of the chile and is refreshing enough not to add to the heaviness of the abundance of melted cheese, meat and lard-laden refritos. The bad news is they probably don't sell this in the same places you can buy a No. 2 dinner.

The first time I opened this beer -- with great expectations of taste -- it took a full five minutes before it passed my lips because the scent was so intoxicating. Even my wife, who does not drink alcohol, was pleased with the nose. Car air fresheners could be right around the corner.

If I could afford a case of this stuff at $3.79 a bottle, this would be my summer drink of choice and share a special place of honor next to the assortment of hefe weizens that crowd the beerarator when the thermostat gets over 90, usually beginning in March.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2003 13:59:45 | More by TPoling

BierReise

Florida

3.85/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nice IPA but with the high ratings over this one I expected something more than exceptional. Has a nice marriage of malt/hop flavor and only a slight bitterness compared to most other IPA's I've had over the years. I still think the Alesmith beats this one though. I will definately drink it again, but there are many just as good as this one and better.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2003 09:33:34 | More by BierReise

scottum

Vermont

4.22/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours out a beautiful amber with a nice white head. I don't like this quite as much as ruination, but it is still an awesome ipa! The hops pack the punch here, but the grain taste adds its charm too. Sooo smooth and so creamy. Feels so good. Tastes so good. A nice big stone IPA for all of us!

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2003 07:27:17 | More by scottum

MJR

Missouri

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

Appearance: Pours a pale copper with faint gold edges. Good clarity. The head is a sticky, thin cap that leaves lots of lace on the glass.

Smell: The aroma is raw and pungent with hops leaping out of the glass. Pine, grapefruit rind, and a touch of citrus are the strongest scents. There's a decent malt backbone, but it merely serves to hold up the hop profile. I barely pick up on a whisper of caramel.

Taste: Hops, hops, and more hops! No surprise there... This one has a nice firm bitterness that tends to overwhelm the malt base. Is that apple I detect? The grains comes across as a bit fruity and more caramelly than anything else. There's a touch of alcohol on the tail end. Starts bitter, finishes bitter...a well done IPA.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat medium in thickness with a dry, crisp mouthfeel. Small swipe of alcohol on the finish. I really wish Stone would bottle-condition their beers...

Drinkability: Pretty good for the style. Believe it or not, I expected this brew to be bigger and with more hops... I much prefer their Ruination IPA to this. Still a damn good IPA though...

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2003 18:52:24 | More by MJR

dmarch

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Although this is a wonderful beer,this is certainly not the best Stone has to offer. Then again, at the time of this review there are 5 stone beers in the top 50 so that's not really that negative of a comment. It's a golen color with a large white head. The aroma and taste is all hops. No surprise there. In my opinion, this isn't top 50 material. I always expect something big from Stone, but this is just simply a solid IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2003 16:44:39 | More by dmarch

Darkale

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy orange, full hops aroma, a short head with light lacing which revives with a quick shake.

Taste is not surprising. Hops, hops, hops! And just a bit less creamy sweetness than their Ruination IPA. But, still, more than enough malt to keep the hops from overwhelming the beer.

Aftertaste is a shade sharp and bitter from the hops, and lasts longer than the Ruination.

Hoppy, hoppy, joy, joy.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2003 18:36:23 | More by Darkale

BigHead

Arizona

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

I felt like I was strolling along a hop field when I pour this beer and got a hint of the aroma. Hops, hops, hops, the floral bouquet of the hops are awesome!! The beer looks great as well, a good head on top of the golden brew with a slight cloudiness. Oh man, the taste is gooood. The character of the hops just taste fresh and citrus aftertaste with a feeling of hops blossomming on the roof of my mouth. The citrus and floral tones feel like a slight burn but a good one. The beer is very drinkable and a great IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2003 17:46:56 | More by BigHead

johnrobe

Tennessee

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

Outstanding! This brew and SN Celebration are my two favorite IPAs. It pours a light amber in the glass with a thin white head. The aroma is very complex, heavenly! Citrus, pine, grapefruit, and sweet malt wonderfully intermingled. You'd swear you're standing in a Washington hop field during harvest. Layer after layer of hops flavors dominate the taste. Pineapple and grapefruit seem dominant; citrus, pine, and spice mingle in the background. There's a nice malty backbone to this brew as well. Lightly sweet and bready, like hawaiian sweet bread. Hops nirvana in a bottle!

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2003 22:11:17 | More by johnrobe

kbub6f

New York

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

Bought locally (Grapevine refrigerated shelves), a couple of days in my fridge, reviewed 45F-65F.

A conservative pour gives up a medium-sized, dense, cream-colored head. The texture of this head is gorgeous: so creamy. This may be the nicest looking head I've seen. The beer is an amber/gold, with minimal visible carbonation.

Holy grapefruit, Batman! Hops out the wazoo in the nose. There's also a curious, coppery sour smell that isn't unpleasant. Strange. The front is grapefruit. The middle is full and surprisingly balanced against the extreme hoppiness. There's sweet caramel and cream. It gets almost a little chocolatey at temperature. The finish is hoppy, of course, but there are also some very nice roasty grains and a fresh, bready aftertaste.

This is absolutely outstanding. The malty balance puts it ahead of Ruination for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2003 09:31:52 | More by kbub6f

IrishRedRock

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Quite the interesting IPA, and not what I expected. Being a Stone beer, I expected a whole load of walloping hops. Instead this is a fruitier, sweeter IPA. Definitely an exceptional brew though. It's light orange in color, with a perfectly even balance between hops and a very sweet citrus aroma.

The most notable comparison of another IPA I can draw to this is Samuel Smith's, due to its toned-down character, lack of a biting hoppy finish, and the sweetness. Flavors of hops, grapefruit, and tangerines all come to mind. Mildly carbonated mouthfeel. This is hoppy, but not nearly as hoppy as others are. The fruitiness gives it a more unique character as well, and I certainly love that. This is a damn tasty brew!

Thanks to NeroFiddled for the 2 bottles!!

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2003 16:40:55 | More by IrishRedRock

RBorsato

Virginia

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

Golden with a full light tan/beige head, decent carbonation, and leaves nice rings of lace. HUGE citrusy grapefruit hop aroma and a huge citrusy grapefruit hop taste ! Full bodied, smooth, and creamy. Well worth buying again.

Much better than Stone Ruination IPA. Stone's standard IPA is much better balanced than Ruination.

(22 oz. bottle / $3.77)

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2003 12:26:34 | More by RBorsato

cretemixer

Indiana

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

Slightly cloudy honey gold colored brew with a thick white head. The head fades to a thick layer leaving a solid, clingy lace.
Crisp, clean hop aroma that smells like a pine forest with pleasant floral notes.
Hop bitterness bites the tounge and an oily resin coats the roof of my mouth. Very nice. Aggressive hops, yet balanced with a sweetness too. Very crisp & clean like the aroma. A lingering bitter aftertaste reminds you that you've just had a "real" beer.
Full bodied, nicely carbonated, and very drinkable for the true hophead. I can't wait to try the Ruination. Thanks again Gusler for the great sampler pack.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2003 19:52:53 | More by cretemixer

Maestro

Pennsylvania

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

The head on this IPA pours a little thin. The nose is amazing. There is a pineapple hint and an overall fruitiness to the aroma. The first taste is very floral and hoppy. There is a wonderful hop presence throughout the beer. The is an ever so slight dryness to the beer but overall it is quite complex. As you move to the middle of the beer you notice quite a lacing on the glass as well as a sweet maltiness holding its own. There is a good amount of carbonation in this beer and it has some refreshing characteristics that would make it great on a hot summer day. The alcohol content is rather high but the beer doesn't seem to taste high in alcohol. The beer finishes smoothly and has a nice, floral hoppy aftertaste. Well done, Stone!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2003 09:23:16 | More by Maestro

goz

Massachusetts

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

Light amber pour, with a thick white head that laces very nicely. First pour from the bomber had some large carb bubbles that trickled to the top pretty quickly. Aroma had a strong pine smell to it, like sniffing a freshly fallen pine cone. Taste followed the smell quite nicely, with lots of hops and a long trailing aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2003 09:24:51 | More by goz

nomad

Kansas

4.88/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Thank you to Stone and the Blind Tiger for making this twist on this beer happen:

Poured a softly opaque orange with a slight gold tone, real nice to look at. No lace but a soft tiny bubbled head. Nose was extremely fruity, yeasty, and grassy, but calmly so, as these scents were much more well blended than the bottled version. Fabulously brilliant smells, truly. Taste was perfectly grapefruity, even a little sweet fruity, and was paired with the most well-toned hops I’ve ever tasted. The biscuit flavor was perfectly between real chewy and real thin.

The cask conditioning took away the salty tastes, made the sour more complex (yeah for the magic of wood), and rounded all the other flavors and scents together. This casking brought the classic IPA characteristics to an astounding height and smoother blend, and turned my highly unfavorable view of IPAs around. This beer floored me like none other - this is what happens when you take a top (the top?) IPA and cask condition (oooh, aaah) it. BRAVO.

Serving type: cask

03-24-2003 13:53:57 | More by nomad