Found Stone IPA at Cambridge Blue in England on draft. It has been one of my favourites in bottle and it was even better on draft. It’s a great IPA and what I look for in a beer (good standard quality). I sure long for another Stone brewery tour…
My go-to IPA when I can get it fresh. Its. GOOD.
In Indiana, some liquor stores will hold onto Stone for WAYYYY too long. Make sure you’re checking your exp. date!
Stone brewery is where I’m planning on going when I die and go to heaven. ;D
Their IPA pushed me over the edge and made me start the long journey of being a hop-head. Ruination is nectar of the gods too 8)
Finally broke down and tried Stone IPA.
Still a good, solid West Coast IPA. They’ve grown a lot over the years and the quality is still there.
Ya it’s good. Its hard to word these things without stepping on toes. No doubt some consider it stellar. Personal tastes vary I guess. Without intending insult, I’d say it’s a great entry level IPA. If you are a serious hop head, it’s going to leave you wanting.
Funny how things develop over time. I worry for my taste buds sometimes.
I agree Jim, it is a good entry level IPA. I love the huge, fresh hop flavor and aroma of some IPAs, and that’s why I learned to make it. I don’t know how fresh yours is, but fresh at Stone it is still very good.
And actually some of Stone’s other IPAs, like RuinTen, their Anniversary IPAs, and their Enjoy By IPAs, have the huge hop flavor and aroma. Those are great beers.
Oh I have no doubt. No doubt they could brew me under the table too. I guess entry level may sound arrogant, but it’s the definition that came to mind. I think that lately IPA has busted open so much that it’s going to be hard to find consensus on which one is the definition
Stone IPA is a very nice beer, but it’s not nearly as assertive as the current contenders and recipients for the crown. I find it very balanced and fairly approachable. It is where the IPA taste was a decade ago and I like that level of bittering and flavor. I would like to taste more beers in this range, but it’s difficult to stand out in the IPA field if you aren’t stretching the limits.
If you haven’t tasted Stone IPA, you need to.
I think that IPAs have gotten bitter beyond belief, Martin. I prefer a bitterness level that is appropriate for IPA but doesn’t melt my face ! But I do love the big hop flavor and aroma of hop standing and dry hopping, so I guess I’m in the middle.
Oh man, that really cracked me up!
Stone IPA is really good, but as some has mentioned, their other IPAs are great. On a side note, I had SN Celebration for the first time this year…wow!
Man, that is such a good beer ! Even as styles evolve and get more “extreme”, it’s still killer after all this time.
Some of the IPAd I’ve been trying lately, and liking, are not much more bitter than Stone, but they have gobs of hop flavor and aroma.
Variety is the spice of life I guess.
That’s the sweet spot for me.
+1 - Obviously, bitterness is a must for IPA’s, but my preference is for ones that focus on hop flavor and aroma primarily with just enough of a crisp snap to dry out the finish and get you ready for the next sip.