Let us begin by saying Stone Brewing Company’s Ruination IPA is better than you. Behind the crouching Stone Gargoyle painted on the bottle lies a blistering “liquid poem to the glory of the hop” You are not prepared for, nor do you deserve, the immaculate taste that is Ruination. Even to a beer drinker that may not be a professed “hop head,” this IPA is more accessible then your sister’s bedroom. Despite it’s unbelievable 100+ IBUs, we don’t find it to be overbearing. Ruination is perfectly balanced in a world of over-hopped swill. Don’t be mistaken – Stone brews have the swagger of Neon Deon and Dennis Rodman combined with the class of Robert DeNiro and Hugh Hefner.

Just because you have six bucks in your wallet, it does not make you worthy. At first glance an orange, apricot color and rich white head invite you in for a drink. Lacing is kept to a minimum but lacks nothing in body. When aroma can be keenly present in IPAs such as Weyerbacher’s Double Simcoe and Lagunitas’ Hop Stoopid, this one is moderate and citrusy. With a conservative malt backbone and relatively big body registering a 5 on our BeerBody Scale, Stone has created a canvas upon which the beauty of the hop can shine. Using Columbus and Centennial hops this brew features a crisp clean taste that is perfect for mowing the lawn all the way to celebrating your impending nuptials at Deja Vu. Any time is a great time for a masterfully crafted brew such as this. Stone has once again created a beer benchmark for others of the style.

Getting Stoned,

-The Sultans