263. Stone – Stone IPA India Pale Ale

Stone IPA India Pale Ale
Stone IPA back of the bottle

As I mentioned a few months ago, a friend from San Diego mailed me three Stone beers for my challenge (Thanks again David!).  This one was hiding in the back of the beer fridge, because I was really looking forward to it.  I wanted to make sure it would be enjoyed at a time when I could really savor it.  Especially after having the Ruination, I was excited to get a chance to try this one.

Numbers: 6.9% ABV, 70 IBUs

Appearance & Aroma: It was very clear and golden orange in color with a creamy, bright white head.  There appeared to be plenty of carbonation in it, and there was an obvious citrusy and piney hop aroma.

Taste & Feel: There was a little carbonation snap to it, giving the light bodied beer a crisp mouthfeel.  There was a bit of a honey-like malt flavor in the middle, before a pronounced, but smooth tasting piney citrus flavor kicked in during the finish.  There was a clean aftertaste with only a little bit of citrusy hop flavor.

Food Pairing: There was plenty of hoppiness to it, but it was still light enough it could go with many different foods.  However, it being the middle of winter, my mind kept jumping to some hearty foods.  I believe the honey-like malt flavor would pair nicely with a chicken pot pie, dumplings, or maybe an open-faced turkey sandwich.  The light beer would help to wash these down, leaving you with a nice hap flavor in the finish.

Overall Impression: I really enjoyed the hop flavor of this beer.  The west coast IPA mixes an enjoyable citrus and piney hop flavor that a hop head would love.  However, the hop flavor wasn’t too big, as I never would have guessed that it was as high as 70 IBUs, because I found it to be very, very drinkable.  Overall, I thought this was a very good IPA with a nice hop flavor.

My Rating: ★★★★☆

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