IPA (India Pale Ale) - Stone Brewing Co.

Connormick

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The IPA from Stone Brewing Co. was poured from the bottle into a clean pint glass. It had a smaller head (1-1.5 inches) but it was nicely shaped.

The part of this IPA that bothered me the most was the appearance. It seems like a plain looking IPA, kind of a copper colored cloudy color. But it looked like there were solid particles hanging around. It may not be a big deal, but it bothered me just a bit.

The smell was my favorite part of the beer. It was incredible, an intensely strong hops smell, it practically cleared my sinuses.

The taste was a lot like the smell. A strong hoppy taste but refined with a citrus and pine-like backround. I am not really a fan of IPAs but I feel that for what this drink does, it does really really well.

Mouthfeel was fine. I could feel the carbonation but it wasn't crazy.

Overall, I'm not really a fan of IPAs. But this IPA makes such a strong identity for itself that I have to like it even if I wouldn't drink it regularly. If you REALLY like hops, it will make you happy.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 03:25:59 | More by Connormick

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

4.4/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A- Poured from 12oz bottle into a Speigelau IPA glass. Pours a copper color with a nice 1-1.5 finger white head. Average retention with sticky lacing. Nothing special, just looks like an IPA

S- Citrus with some floral, pine and grassy hops. Orange and grapefruit rind lead the charge to the charge to the olfactory sensors. Sweet base on the back end

T- Dynamite. Hop forward with the citrus the nose caught from the 3 Cs of hops. Maybe even a little more intense than the nose led me to believe. Just a touch of bready malts to keep the hop profile honest. It's not super balanced...and it's not trying to be. Delightfully bitter finish with a slight hint of acidity.

M- Mid body with nice carbonation. A lil slick with an oh so dry finish. Crisp, drinkable and refreshing.

O- The way an IPA should be. If I had to drink 1 IPA for the rest of my life, I certainly wouldn't be upset if this were the one. An overlooked classic here. Can't believe it took me this long to try it.

No bottled on date even though i know Stone is relentless with their dating.
Relatively inexpensive. Dont' remember what i paid for the 12oz, but i remember the bombers were only $3.99.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 21:40:10 | More by Bosoxfan20

pkalix

California

4.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

hazy gold with some head on top.
nice hop aroma, interesting nose impression.
lemon-y, slightly pine-y hop dominant taste. the lemon is something different than what i am accustomed to.
overall, this is a great hppy kind of brew. i get the malt that's in it, i like the abv volume, and i can do the hop flavor. the grassy kind of lemon-y is refreshing and perfect in its own right. a little bit of scotch this evening kind of pronounces the flavors a bit more, too . . . . . .

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 04:35:49 | More by pkalix

DenverHopHead

Colorado

4.41/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Very solid Cali IPA. This one makes me want to run out and get a Ruination; not sure what I'm waiting for. Stone has been consistently good for me and this IPA stamps high quality! For the price, drink this one on the beach or on the slopes, really can't go wrong!

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 22:01:06 | More by DenverHopHead

SanDNigel

California

4.28/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

What a great beer.
A- Fresh/clean looking SanDiegoIPA. Creamy off white head/bright golden body
S-Everything you want from the 3 C's absolutely mouthwatering straightforward piney/citrusy with just the right alcohol punch
T- Great. Perfect beer to drink any time/day/week/month/year in sunny San Diego. Crisp/clean/refreshing (yeah it's someone else's motto, but it is much more true of this selection)
Perfect bitter/sweet
M- Its good. Goes down easy. Pretty bubbly
This is such an undeniably good beer. Bottom line

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 01:02:04 | More by SanDNigel

EagleTalon

Arkansas

4.41/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours out to a creamy white head, concentric rings of lace, and hazy golden color. Aroma is "c" hops and sticky Carapils malt with notes of pine, citrus and cilantro. Flavor is a world class blend of pungent hops in your face, pale malt backdrop and lingering alpha acid bite. Mouthfeel is light to medium and carries the flavors well. On the whole, a damn fine American IPA made by people who stake thier rep on quality and craftsmanship.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2013 18:49:30 | More by EagleTalon

JackMcAwesome

Florida

4.28/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Dated: 06/04/13

Poured into a mug.

Look: A hazy light gold is poured with a one finger head. The lacing is quite minimal, so I'm wondering if it's the glass. I'll edit if that changes. A constant flow of bubbles from the bottom keep feeding the head throughout.

Smell: HOPS. That's almost it for my nose. A bit of citrus. Perhaps on the grapefruit side. Everything I expected, and it lingered quite nicely.

Taste: Follows the nose completely. Upfront is all hops, which turns into citrus, and it seems to end on a honey note. Very interesting, and smooth.

Feel: Medium light carbonation. Mildly slick, but not a tipping point for me. (I'm personally not a fan of slick beers, but this one is balanced well enough, so it's not an issue.)

Overall: A great buy as pretty much everyone seems to already know, and well worth visiting again. For anyone who wants a punch in face with a hop glove, give this one a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 19:18:51 | More by JackMcAwesome

Hendry

Vermont

4.1/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Minimally hazy honey color that pours a two inch foamy head that is truly nice and hangs out for a good spell. The nose is that of a well crafted California IPA, which is hop forward and has an average citrus aroma for the style. Lacing is quite good.

Flavors are that of a well crafted West Coast IPA: punguent, piney, and slightly bitter. The aftertaste is on the bitter side and pleasant. Stone is widely available as I picked up mine at the local supermarket for a $5 bomber.

Overall, no letdowns here: a nice solid example of a Cali IPA, yet for an extra $1.50 AleSmith IPA scratches my itch in the pronounced citrus aromas/ lingering aftertaste arena for pocket change.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 03:46:25 | More by Hendry

dar482

New York

4.38/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The color is a light hazy orange.

The aroma has big hops, citrus, and grapefruit. Very expected from Stone.

The taste has a good upfront orange, then grapefruit, lemon juice, and then a big bitter dry finish that actually turns into huge tart grapefruit peel and sticks there. I wish there was more citrus punch in the front. It's a bit away from Ruination to my surprise.

The wonderful bitterness and fruity pop is great, but I don't care too much for the grassy lingering finish. Exceptional IPA, but I prefer Centennial and Union Jack. A good dry hoppy IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 02:45:46 | More by dar482

Dope

Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Best by 5/29/13, so quite fresh.

A: A clear medium amber pour. Big fluffy white head. Head fades very slowly.

S: Grapefruit with a little resin and caramel.

T: Lots of grapefruit and resin. Resinous hops quite strong in fact. A little bit of caramel sweetness but it gets overrun by the hops pretty easily. Waves of bitterness in the finish. Resinous, piney hops linger in the aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied, drying in the finish. Almost a little soapy in the finish too.

O: It's a pretty simple IPA but very nice. Huge on the hops with little malt backing it up - truly a west coast IPA and a standard of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 02:20:25 | More by Dope

GossageBrewery

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured this 22 oz bottle into a pint glass. This American IPA poured a hazy golden color, produced a thick creamy head, excellent retention and excellent lacing. The aroma consisted of malted grain, citrus and pine. Medium in body, this AIPA has a foundation of malted grain, biscuit, fruity easter and dominant piney hops. Bitter and well balanced- Nice example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 20:42:38 | More by GossageBrewery

dougbassett

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

One of the "1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die" -- #20 of the ones I've reviewed here.

The paradigmatic American IPA. There are others I like better, but if I wanted to introduce a newcomer to the style, this is probably the one I would give them. It hits all the classic notes.

Pours an impressive golden brown/bronze color. The head disappears quickly but it's nice to see it while it's here. Classic nose of orange peel, lemon and dry Xmas spice -- flavors more or less the same with a terrific finish at the end -- the bitterness lasts a long, long time.

Like some other beers I've tried of it's type, I think it's only real fault is that the body/mouthfeel is really too light to support the flavors contained therein. This would've been even better at a heavier concentration.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 23:30:59 | More by dougbassett

gr0g

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Amber in color, slightly hazy. Solid two-finger head that leaves a nice sudsy ring around the crown of my pint glass. Plentiful hop aromas, primarily of grapefruity citrus with a touch of pine. When I first got into IPAs, the aroma score would've been higher, but Stone's IPA lacks the tropical fruit notes present in other top-notch IPAs. Still, pleasantly floral and yet pungent, letting you know the hops are in charge of this beer.

Flavor is bitter from start to finish, and while it isn't balanced by any definition, there's still a solid malt profile. Grapefruit on the palate as in the nose, some resin follows, and some slightly sweet caramel notes finish it off. Spritzy carbonation and slightly oily texture give it a mouthfeel that's an ideal match for the flavor.

Overall score gets a bump because of ubiquity and consistent quality. For "old-school" C-hop IPAs, Stone's is hard to beat.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 22:42:48 | More by gr0g

capnamerica

Arkansas

4.93/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Stone Brewing IPA from San Diego

A - Hazy light golden with a nice white head.

S - Excessively hoppy with strong pine notes. Dank/pungent herbal aroma.

T - Extreme hops right away. Moderate bitterness with a dry yet refreshing finish.

O - One of the best beers I've had. Very anxious to try more Stone Brewing products.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 02:01:19 | More by capnamerica

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

TastyAdventure

Kentucky

3.61/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A- very cloudy light orange. 1 1/2 finger head, frothy. clings to glass.

S - citrus like hops, more bitter hops, pine?

T - unlike most IPAs (IMO), the bitterness in this one is not overwhelming, which def. scores it points. The grassy flavor in the middle, does not. The hint of pine helps out the grass. Somewhere in the middle of all that hops, there's a subtle sweetness that tastes a little like sweet orange juice.

M - thick and nice for an IPA. good level of carb.

O - I'm not a fan of IPAs, and this one did not convert me, but still good for the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 22:18:13 | More by TastyAdventure

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4.24/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: It has a nice clear golden/orange color to it. It has a nice off-white head that dies down moderately slow and leaves very nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of resiny pine, citrusy hops, bready malts and caramel.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a some delicious pine resins, citrusy hops, some grapefruit and sweet bready/caramelly malts blancing it out.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a very nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with great flavors and aromas. Solid IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 21:21:56 | More by SebD

Badger72

Louisiana

4.91/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

To me this beer is the benchmark for any good IPA. When I drink an IPA I always compare it to Stone because it is my favorite beer to drink. It's the beer that I always seem to come back to and always enjoy. It has a good ABV, but it is hidden well. The smell is fantastic and you can really smell the hops. The taste is very in your face like any IPA, but in a good way. The taste is very hoppy and with a hint of pine. This is a great beer and a staple for any craft beer drinker.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 13:52:03 | More by Badger72

Roman5150

Michigan

4.66/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

All I can say is, wow. Another amazing beer by Stone. I've only had Arrogant Bastard, Oaked Arrogant Bastard (holy shit), and Double Bastard.

Appearance: 1.5 Finger thick off white head, VERY appealing looking cloudy ipa, dark orange

Aroma: One of the best smelling beers i've encountered, only 2nd to Hopslam by Bells. You can instantly smell the west coast piney ipa signature smell, very citrusy and smells of ripe grapefruit.

Taste: Bottle was 6 months old, so im taking into account a possible perceived lack of hop bite. However, I don't know if I should as this is just an amazing all around IPA. Scratch that, this is now one of my favorite IPAs. Not traditionally an IPA guy, but after going to school in Kalamazoo, MI for 4 years sort of changed that, drinking Two-Hearted on draft every weekend. But wow, just wow, out of all the west coast IPAs i've had this one takes the cake. Very citrusy initial taste, sort of tastes like grapefruit. Has a decent hop bitterness, but the citrusy flavorful taste counteracts this as it is a VERY drinkable beer. I drank this very fast, not intentionally. It just goes down really, really smooth.

Overall: One of my favorite IPAs, this is what I think all west coast IPAs should measure up to. The aroma and taste are out of this world and I will be buying this over and over again. As sort of a noob to the whole IPA craze, this may have fully converted me. While it won't beat Hopslam in my book, it is a VERY well balanced and beautiful IPA that everyone should try.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 03:03:05 | More by Roman5150

Burkbom23

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

goldon ale slightyly hazy with really nice rocky white head with great retention and leaves clumps of sticky lacing all over the place. Sweet caramel, malty aroma. Of course lots of amazing smelling hops there as well. Ripe citrus flavors amazing floral aromas. Creamy mouthfeel on a medium body, really feels good in the mouth. Good ammount of biterness in the finish, leaves a dry aftertaste in your mouth. Really a well balanced ale. This is a really great bear. One of my go to IPA's for sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 11:22:49 | More by Burkbom23

bondjedi

Washington

4.09/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

This will sneak up on you. Overpowering and citrusy at first, within a few moments it's all gone. Then you order another one, then another, and another, soon you're barking at the moon. Instead of "Stone" why not call it "Stoned" because that's how it makes you.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2013 16:04:39 | More by bondjedi

mwilbur

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22oz bottle into pint glass.
A: Pours a clear golden hue with a thin white head that quickly dissipates.
S: Citrus and pine hops... hint of sweet caramel malt.
T: Citrus, astringent herbal, and pine resin hop notes. Faint backbone of mild caramel malt. With warming, a note of honey emerges.
M: Light body. Faint sweetness is overpowered by strong hop elements (dry, bitter, astringent).
D: Good sessionability. Fairly straightforward and hop-strong. Would best be enjoyed with food.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 03:07:31 | More by mwilbur

JoeyD

Florida

4.08/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Beautiful, clean, smooth. What I imagine an IPA should be, though to be honest an IPA is not my first choice of beers. Maybe it's just the fact that I drank this beer after a short run, but damn this is a good drink.

ST - I enjoyed this beer straight from the bottle.

A - I can't really comment on this considering that I drank it straight from the bottle

S - Refreshingly dank...in a good way. If I was having this beer on 4/20 with eyes closed I might grab for the wrong intoxicant is what I'm saying. Very pleasant smell.

T - MMM. Well balanced. I don't have the ability to discern pine, citrus, grapefruit etc., but if I did they'd probably all be there.

M - Again, well balanced carbonation. Just enough to let you know it's there and not so much that it gets in the way of a smooth drinking experience.

Overall I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have a feeling it's one of the best representations of an IPA that I'll ever drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 22:09:07 | More by JoeyD

RyFikes

New York

2.25/5  rDev -47.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

It makes me feel like a pussy because Stone prides themselves on having aggressive tasting beers, but this one is not for me. It has no balance whatsoever. It seems like Stone purposefully made it unbalanced so that it would be as hoppy and bitter as possible.

Maybe I got a bad batch, or maybe everyone else is playing follow the leader with this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 16:45:23 | More by RyFikes

jmutoml757

Virginia

3.84/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured from a 1 pint 6 oz bottle into into pint glass.
A- dark amber, hazy, some carbonation bubbles rising entire time. nice, off-white two finger head that slowly dissipated leaving partial lacing throughout.
S- earthy, pine smell dominates, but there are hints of grapefruit as well.
T- hops comes through in a wonderful bitterness that IPA's should have; it finishes with a lemon/honey note that I find interestingly complex.
M-The hops sits on the back of your tongue. It is not too heavy, but it is there as it should be.
O- Above average in my opinion- it has the bite and bitterness I want in an IPA, but it is not overbearing or hard to drink. This is a beer to be savored and enjoyed slowly.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 22:37:52 | More by jmutoml757