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Stone Brewing Ruination IPA

This is the 10th anniversary of Stone’s Ruination IPA.  Since I bought a bottle of the 10th Anniversary edition, I thought I’d start from scratch and review the everyday version of this beer.  According to Stone’s research, they believe that Ruination was the first commercially produced, year round double IPA.  Vinnie Cilurzo is credited with creating the “Double IPA” style with his Pliny the Elder, but Ruination was the first available all the time.  Ruination boasts an IBU rating of 100+.  Now, I’ve always been pretty open about my general lack of enthusiasm for hop monsters, but this beer is the exception for me.

Appearance: Hazy orange with a nice white head.

Aroma: Aggressive piney and citrus hop nose.

Taste: Big, hoppy mouth-feel with a long bitter finish.  The malt base is pretty neutral, but provides a nice balancing sweetness that allows the beer to showcase the hops.  The finish seems to stick around forever, but in this case that’s a good thing.  It’s a very pleasant aftertaste.  Sometimes with aggressively hopped beers, that aftertaste can be pretty distracting.  With Ruination, it brought me back to  the glass for another sip.

Overall Impression: I’m not a fan of double and imperial ipas as a general category.  I AM a fan of Stone’s Ruination.  It’s well built.  The hoppiness encompasses the very best aspects of high hopping while cutting out the worst parts.  You’ll love this beer if you’re a hop-head.  I’d also recommend it to the casual IPA drinker who is looking for the next step up.

Availability: Nationally in better beer stores.

7.7% ABV

(It’s finally up! My review of the Stone Brewing Ruination IPA Tenth Anniversary).

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