This IPA from San Diego’s Stone Brewing Co. pours amber with a thin head that quickly dissipates. Lacing comes and goes even quicker than the head. Huge citrus notes off the top with hints of lemon drop hard candy. Lemon verbena and lemon oil (ingredients inspired by brewmaster Mitch Steele’s encounter with a lemon verbena bush at Stone Farms) clearly help cut the bitterness of the 85 IBUs contained in this bottle of beer. Not as resinous as one would expect from a hopbomb; there’s an underlying sweetness to the mouthfeel. It has a clean, dry finish with just a touch of heat – a very unassuming 10%’er. They’ll be no doubting this is a West Coast DIPA. It’s big, tasty and smells wonderful. This is a beer I’d reach for again and again.
Available August 13th in limited 22 oz. bottles where Stone Brewing Co. is distributed.