Stone Ruination IPA

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

WOW! This is by far the most bitter beer i’ve ever come across... and I’ve had quite a few DIPA’s. The hops here are quite impressive. Not as much malt as I would have hoped, but still pretty balanced. They ain’t lying when they say it’s "Bracingly bitter". It really is. You have to try it to really understand what they have achieved here. The only downside is that it’s a touch weak compared to other DIPA’s at only 7.7% alcohol/vol.

aroma is awesome and full of grapefruit and orange from the hops. nose fades quickly. app ia hazt dark gold, almost tawny. ouch, what the heck did this do to my mouth? immediately bitter but transitions to a sweet orange (candy like organe) taste. more tolerable and smooth as you drink it (or maybe your taste buds are just gone). still finishes sweet - like a candy. definitely a beer to drink, bu not pound.

Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy orange gold with a small, and quickly deflating, white head. Hops arrive at the nose while opening the bottle, and the aroma lingers as one gets closer. Depth is provided in a light toasted malt fragrance with a slight undercurrents of citrus. Starts off soft, thick, and velvety with remarkably fine carbonation. Finishes strong with a warming bitterness reminiscent of heavily oaked wines. All of this bitterness is nicely balanced though, and clearly not as ruinous as Stone would claim, as I’m certainly thinking of following it up with another…

12 oz. bottle - Pours a murky copper color with small off white head. Aroma is incredible... I get so excited when I first crack open a bottle and smell it instantly. A resin hop aroma that can’t be beat. Flavor is bitter which I love also som citrus, grapefruit and pungent aged cheese aftertaste. This is the best IPA I have had, this brew rocks and highly recomend if you love HOPS !!!!! I am adding to my rating due to the fact that this beer is perfection. I recently have had 4 or 5 6 pacs over the course of a few weeks and enjoy each beer more than the last !! I have had Hop Wallop and many other IPA’s but none compare to the Ruination !!! rerate 8/11/09 - I bought a six pac from different liqour store 3 months ago and this Ruination poured clear and not cloudy like I was accustomed to. It tasted strange and did not care for. I then bought a 6 pac from my usual place and it poured cloudy and tasted awesome like I remember. So if you get Ruination and it pours clear its probably going to suck!!

Bottle. Pours amber, smells citrus and piney. Intense hoppiness does ruin the palate just as promised once consumed. The sort of beer that must be consumed with no other beers. Not my favorite but still a solid brew.

Poured from a 22oz bottle. Poured an Amber almost Caramel color - nice head and long lacing. Scents of pine and grapefruit. Very hoppy and great aftertaste. Extremely drinkable!

intense pine aromas. Pours a clear golden blonde with a thick white head. Intense piney hop flavors, sticky, resiny flavors with hints of bitter citrus peels and some sweet malts lurking beneath the pine sap. It reminds me of Double Simcoe.

This is one of my favorite beers.......quite possibaly the most bitter beer I have ever had. I dont think its as good as Hopslam but its close.