Stone Ruination IPA

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Escondido, California USA

22 oz bomber. My initial thoughts upon drinking ruination is that I’m slightly dissapointed, but not in the sense that I think it’s not a good beer. It’s just a slight let down considering the pedestool that I put stone’s ipa on. The aroma is rather thick, probably as thick as it gets for a beer that’s not even 8% abv. Thick but not bad, as there’s some great hop qualities with notes of tropical citrus, wood, herbs, melon fruit, malted caramel, and light alcohol. Not very much head on the pour, and no real retention, tranlucent, yet still bold looking, and honey orange in color. A lot of heavy hop in the taste, though fairly well balanced. Still, so much hop that too me is some of the most ibu’s I’ve ever gotten from a beer. Not as thick and chewy though even with all this bitter going on. The aroma compliments the flavors well as there’s a good deal of fruitiness, mostly that thick tropical fruit sort, melon, and some sweet frutis, along with some herb, and malted caramel. All good notes, but they could have come together a little bit better. I love the intensity of this beer, but I still can’t help to be slightly dissapointed as I have had better overall double ipas.

Bottled. Bitter, strong. Truly ruins the taste buds - my girlfriend was drinking a Midas Touch and needed to cut the flavor - I gave her a sip of my Ruination. True to its word it certainly dulled the flavor of the Midas. A powerful, hoppy beer.

On tap at Pour 24. Hop and malt in the aroma. Such a sweet taste, lots of hop and bitterness. Savor this one to the last drop.

(Bottle at Sorbon, Bromma, on 2009-07-28) Amber and clear. Small white head. Hoppy and malty aroma. Medium bodied and dry palate with low carbonation. Malts, sweetness, molasses, hops, fruitiness, grass and bitterness in taste. Malty and bitter aftertaste.

Draught, at Rattle & Hum on 28th July 2009, during the East West Challenge. Gold with quickly thinning white head. Exquisitely hoppy, dry and richly flavoursome. Grassy, herby hop from start to a longish finish that is above average duration. Rich and intense, very enjoyable.

22oz. bomber. Slightly hazy golden pour with avreage off-white head. Aroma abudantly floral, with some citrus and pine. Solid malt backbone supports the incredibly complex hop character. Virtually any descriptor that can be applied to hops is in there. Huge hop prescence,yet not stingingly bitter. Sweet, oily, exceptionally pleasant. I am seriously stocking up on this at the next opportunity.

22 oz. bottle. Another beer I have had many times, but failed to rate. Pours a slightly hazy amber color with a medium foamy off white head. The aroma is big floral hops with some citrus and earthy character as well. The flavor has a strong bitter grapefruit with more general citrus as well. Not the most complex of DIPA’s as this one is very hop forward, but a pleasure to drink nonetheless. Medium/full bodied with a nice mouthfeel considering the IBU’s. I will be happy to continue to enjoy these from time to time in the future. Rating 2000 for this beer.

Bomber pour. Huge hops nose, no malt nose at all. Nice puffy white head and a tad lighter in color than expected for such a big IPA. Way too much pucker power here. I love hops and all but this is a little over the top. One + done for me. DFH 90 min smokes this.