Stone Brewing Company Go To IPA

**Aroma:** “Citrus and pine is subdued. Candied lemon peel, evergreen, herbal. Very mild nose. Fresh grapefruit yumminess from the hops. Some clean light malt in background.” **Flavor:** “Nice citrus flavor with some pine, mild bitterness, and strong carbonation. Lemongrass, wet earth, pineapple, and honey over a light but silky malt body. Clean and crisp—hops dominate the flavor profile.” **Overall:** “Nicely balanced flavor and aroma. This beer gets much better as it warms. The honey-like malt character supports an interesting array of hops notes that are unique and deliver something apart from your typical session IPA. This is a fairly light, refreshing beer. Some astringency in the aftertaste, but still refreshing and balanced. Where most of the others are trying to emphasize the ‘IPA,’ this one is going for ‘session’ and succeeding.”

“Light, fruity aromatics of orange, strawberry, mango with a subtle pine note in the background. Subtle whisp of crackery background creates the canvas for the hops. Aromatics outweigh the flavor. Balanced bitterness is gentle. The finish is clean and crisp.”

**Aroma:** “Spicy hops character—some wet earth notes. Pine needles and grape must. A touch of funk and a bit of honey. Herbal/grassy hops aroma with some earthy elements. There’s a touch of candy sweetness and fruity esters (light bubblegum).” **Flavor:** “Hops flavor is resinous and tongue tingling. Medium malt backbone suf ciently supports hops. Notes of pine, earth, damp leaves, some must, and grass. The touch of light caramel sweetness is nice. A bit of pucker in the dry, bitter finish. Subsequent sips yield more hops tastes—grassy, woody—but the bitterness grows with each sip. Moderate fruity esters and a touch of malt sweetness, but mostly buried under the hops.” **Overall:** “Lots of flavor without being overwhelming. If I didn’t know it was a session IPA, it could pass as a full-strength IPA. Concentrates on the earthy and grassy more than the fruity and citrusy. A bit of funk both in the flavor and aroma adds complexity and interest.”