Stone IPA
Recently on the BeerCast we quoted BrewDog co-founder James Watt’s opinion that British brewers had lost the sense of tradition when it comes to India Pale Ales. Modern mass-marketed IPA’s from this side of the Atlantic do tend to be session strength and lacking the hop bite of the old-fashioned versions of the past. The reasons for this could be many and varied, but the suggestion that the drinking public seek less challenging IPA’s is countered by the huge array of strong dark IPA’s that are generated in North America. Drinkers there certainly seem to demand India Pale Ale that packs a punch, and the BeerCast are also unashamedly in that camp. While not quite reaching the 8.5% magnitude of BrewDog’s Atlantic IPA, popular American IPA’s such as Anchor’s Liberty Ale and Goose Island IPA are still stronger and give more hop bite than the likes of Greene King IPA or Deuchars IPA.
Another American craft brewer with the desire to mix things up at every opportunity are California’s Stone Brewery. As you can see from our lengthy beer ratings column, they are currently topping our table with their peerless Ruination IPA. But aside from this double IPA they also produce a standard American west-coast IPA (if anything Stone do can be considered standard). Brewed at 6.9%, Stone IPA pours a golden lager colour with a pale long-lasting half inch head. The nose is beautifully flowery and hoppy, perfectly weighted towards each, and this continues in the taste. As you’d expect there are hops immediately up front, but surprisingly not much initial alcohol – however as the taste develops the alcohol comes through and warms, but without being overpowering. It’s more refreshing than Ruination IPA, and is a shrinking violet when compared to their other beers such as Arrogant Bastard. Gently numbing but not overwhelming, the Magnum and Centennial hops give Stone IPA a tremendous flavour – it’s quite wonderful. Forget Greene King IPA or Deuchars IPA. While you’re at it, forget Anchor Liberty Ale and Goose Island IPA. This is better.
