Tag Archives: Double India Pale Ale

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Ruination IPA (Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels) 2013 Series Batch #6

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69490_10101119931405450_1421400816_n 10200_10101119931430400_386104468_nRating: 5.5/5

Quingenti Millilitre Series Stone Ruination IPA (Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels) 2013 Series Batch #6 is a 7.8%ABV Imperial India Pale Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels

Label: 
Brewed September 17th, 2011
Our “Liquid poem to the glory of the hop,” Stone Ruination IPA has been assaulting palates for 11 years with over 100 IBUs of deliciously intense bitterness and vibrant hop flavors

In the mash
Pale & Crystal malt

In the boil 
Columbus Hops

In the whirlpool
Columbus hops

Unfiltered and aged
16 months in American Oak Kentucky Bourbon Barrels

IBUs 59 ABV: 7.8% 
Bottled February 2013 

Cellar Notes: Intense hop flavors still shine brightly despite the lengthy aging time. The barrels lend a pleasantly astringent aftertaste with plentiful walnut and almond tones. Despite an expected loss of IBUs from aging, a robust hop bitterness lingers to meld effortlessly with the oak tannins.
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I first had the honer to try this with my friend Rich at the Stone Company Store in Pasadena California. We were able to pour a bottle at the cafe area to taste it. It was then that I realize this was something very special. Even if it was 500ml, which I wish they sold if for less than what I got this for or atleast had it on tap, regardless it was good, unique and quite the different Gold Ruination. I have tried the Gold IPA standard, Ruination IPA and the 10th Ruination IPA before and I realize that these beers are very good so I wanted to see how epic this beer was true to the original. Upon opening the beer, there was an aggressive yet tamed rush of grassy, piney, grapefruit hops which I am used to but then they were immediately followed by bourbon whiskey, vanilla, citrus, caramel, flan, herbs, wine grapes, flowers, honey, almost like an expensive wine cheese, apples, raspberries, peach, mango, oak, almost like a champagne and tamarind. The flavors are of rich oak, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, non-over-powering whiskey, expensive wine cheese, rich grassy and piney bitterness, grapefruit, coconuts, citrus, mango, tangerines, kumquats, Italian herbs, spices, Sweetened condensed milk, maple, crème brulee, flan, burnt sugar, hazelnut nectar, walnuts, pecan pie, mint, flowers, peppercorns, tamarind, raspberries, champagne, bready banana and vanilla cake. As the beer gets warmer that is where you start to get more like a berry taste. While yes it is not the the usual IPA that is best drunk fresh, this is is like taking that same Epic Gold standard and equipping it with golden armor ready to take on years of aging. Almost like sending a man to the moon, this beer explores for the first time (at least to my knowledge) the idea that India Pale Ales CAN be aged… give the right preparation… Go on golden hop warrior and evolve into a heavenly knight of justice ready to strike all the evil beers with less flavors… YES!!!! Just remember, I came into this beer with a very open mind considering the IPA loss vs the Bourbon gain. So if you go into this believing in pure IPA, it may not fit you really. Many IPA lovers might find this one a bit not right but those that love both IPAs and Bourbon beers will ascend into a new realm of nirvana. Enjoy this one if you find it…

The Maharaja from the Dictator Series by Avery Brewing

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527753_10101113024262420_123263704_n 530107_10101113025709520_69014882_nRating: 5/5

The Maharaja from the Dictator Series by Avery Brewing is a 10.4%ABV Double India Pale Ale

Label: 
Maharaja is derived from the sanskrit words mahat, – “great” and rajan – “king”. Much like its namesake, this imperial IPA is regal, intense and mighty. With hops and malts as his servants, he rules both with a heavy hand. The Maharaja flaunts his authority over a deranged amount of hops: tangy, vibrant and pungent along with an insane amount of malted barley – fashioning a dark amber hue and exquisite malt essence. This newest Avery Dictator completes the “Dictator Series” joining the likes of The Kaiser & The Czar. Be aware that The Maharaja is a limited release only available for the summer. Welcome to his kingdom! 
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This is considered a world class IPA according to a lot of Reviews standing at 102 IBUs. Upon opening the bottle, there was very nice tropical fruit fragrance that overwhelmed. The aromas have a more sweet tropical fruits like pineapple, mango, peach, orange juice, and rich caramel base coming forward followed by the floral, grassy, piney and grapefruit hops, garlic and onion bread scent, but very nice along with some herbs and spices. The flavors are similar to the fragrance of this one which are of caramel, grassy, piney, floral, and grapefruit hops, some peach, pineapple, garlic and sweet onion bread, biscuit bread, toffee, strawberries, flowers, some peppers, herbs and other nice spices. It surely quite the DIPA. While it doesn’t focus all the way into the regions of tropics, it has enough to balance the other herbs, spices and strong hops allowing for a very bitter but extra sweet beer. It leaves off pretty dry which is interesting for 102 IBUs. Doesn’t leave a lot of bitterness so it allows you to take even more sweetness next time around. Surely a great DIPA to get and one that is best fresh!

Rampant by New Belgium brewing

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24295_10101103619175290_1126130040_nRating: 3.8/5

Rampant by New Belgium brewing is an 8.5%ABV Double India Pale Ale

Label: 
It starts to take over. That craving for hops. The hoppier the happier. The happier the higher the IBU. The higher the IBU the higher the ABV. The larger the ABV the more we’re going to have to keep an eye on this Rampant Imperial IPA proliferating with heavy peach notes, herbal sweetness and aromatic complexity.
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Upon opening this beer, out came out the nice hoppy grassy fragrances with essence of tropical fruits like a peach or a mango. There was also some herbal, floral and almost like a basil or Italian spice coming out too. The flavors were more grassy and piney but there was an absence of strong tropical fruits. Peach and mango are very slight. It has some notes of citrus and some grapefruit. However, I think with this beer, it’s main focus is the hops. There are some herbal, spicy, flowery and plant like flavors. Almost like a green tea bitterness with honey and lemon. I can sense some lemon grass as well. This one ends pretty dry and leaves more of a grassy herbal and plant after taste. It is not a bad beer. The fragrance sure was nice with tropics thought. In fact it is the kind of hoppy beer that leans not into the realm of tropical fruits in terms of flavor but more into the deep zone of herbal, spicy and flowery hops. If you enjoy IPAs and are into mainly hop side without tropics, then give this one a shot and let me know what you think.

Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute

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576232_10101102354464780_1791536487_nRating: 5/5

Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute is an 7.85% ABV Double India Pale Ale

Description: 
AKA Holiday Ale
AKA Holiday Leftover Ale
AKA Brown Sugar Substitute 

This sad holiday season we didn’t have the brewing capacity to make our favorite seasonal brew, the widely feared BrownShugga’ Ale. You see we had a couple of really good years (thank you very much) and so heading into this season while we are awaiting the January delivery of a new brewhouse we are jammin’ along brewing 80 barrels of IPA and PILS and such every 3 hours. A couple of months back we realized that since we can only brew a mere 60 barrels of Shugga’ every 5 hours, that we were seriously screwed. For every case of Shugga’ brewed, we’d short 3 cases of our favorite daily beers. It’s a drag. This year, we brewed something that we think is also cool and brews more like our daily brews. The new brewhouse will help insure this kind of failure never happens again. It’s a mess that we can not brew our BrownShugga’ this year and we suck for not doing it. There is nothing cool about screwing this up this badly and we know it. Maybe we can sue our own sorry selves. There is no joy in our hearts this holiday and the best we can hope for is a quick and merciful end. F*@& us. This totally blows. Whatever. We freaking munch moldy donkey butt and we just want it to be all over… 
So this substitute beer is a ‘Cereal Medley’ of Barley, Rye, Wheat, and Oats…. Full of complexishness from the 4 grains, and weighing in at 7.85% abv, Then joyously dry-hopped for that big aroma and resinous hop flavor.
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Many have advised that this one was a highly acclaimed IPA. I was able to find some which it is strange as some of these beers go by quick. It is seasonal and some places like Bevmo and Total Wine should have it. The aromas are really nice. Fragrances of rich tropical fruits, like mango, papaya, mandarins, pineapple, rich peach, grapes, honey, caramel, lychees, prickly pears, grapefruits, grassy, piney, floral, oily hoppy goodness, herbs and cherries. The flavors are of grapefruit, grassy and piney hops with a rich tropical sweetness like pineapples, mango, peach, lychees, dragon fruit, oranges, lemon, honey, slight bready and floral notes and some brown sugar notes. As humble as Lagunitas tries to talk about the beer, they really struck gold. This is a very fantastic IPA. One that would probably be over the top on tap and well, maybe to the pliny the younger realms? Well, regardless, it is easier to get at least for now. Also, you don’t have to stay up at 3 to 5 in the morning just to stand in line to try Pliny the Younger. Not sure if I will ever review that beer, but I have had plenty of IPAs including Heady Topper to find it hard to find a difference. Nevertheless, who knows?

Life and Limb series Rhizing Bines collaboration by Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada

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733906_10101099854175380_1884044036_nRating: 4/5

Life and Limb series Rhizing Bines collaboration by Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada is an 8%ABV Double India Pale Ale with Bravo and #644 hops.

Label: 
Rhizing Bines is a collaborative IPA using the best of both coasts: Carolina-grown red fife wheat and Dogfish Head’s continual-hopping from the East and Sierra Nevada’s estate-grown caramel malt and Torpedo dry-hopping from the west.
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This is the second beer of the Life and Limb series I have the honor to try. The first collaboration I had was a dark ale. This one is an IPA. Upon opening this beers there was a nice honey rich and grassy hop fragrance. Some very slight breadiness, citrus, grapefruit, caramel and biscuit aromas. There are flavors of hop oil and honey. Reminds me of 120 min IPA but not as ABV strong or complex. Flavors of grapefruit, orange, coriander, lemon grass, grapes, caramel, maple, berries, slight flowers, some honey and toast bread flavor, somewhat of a barley wine note and butterscotch. Not the typical IPA. The flavor says it all. While still hoppy, it is not like a typical grassy IPA. It goes more along the lines of like an amber. There seems to be more malts in this. Not a bad thing in my opinion as I think this beer is delicious and refreshing. Just do not expect much of the bitterness or tropical flavors you would from an IPA or DIPA in this case. Still, worth getting as it is nice to taste those hops without the bitterness. Although bitterness is part of what hops are all about.

Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA

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Rating: 5/5* 

*NOTE: Not recommended for those who cannot tolerate a supremely bitter beer, if that is the case, then IGNORE THIS RATING all together. Hop heads and Beer enthusiast will enjoy this better.

The Golden standard of Supreme Ruinations of all IPA has raised the levels of true palete ruination for all to enjoy. The liquid poem to the glory of the hop raised to the level of gods!!. Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA has come!! A 10.8 % ABV Double IPA brewed with the abnormal amount of 5 pounds of hops per barrel. A rating of 110 International Bitterness Units in this from the original 105. For those that do not know what this means, it basically means that anything above 90-100 IBUs is extremely bitter. So much it will linger in the tongue and stay there for a while. Hence the name, so bitter it ruins the palette. Yet, there is so much that comes with those who are trained with the arts of IPAs such that we can see past the strongest of bitterness to find something incredible!! The year was 2002 and at the time the first Ruination came out, they believed a beer so friggin’ bitter no one would want, became an international favorite. Tribute is payed to the original “Blind Pig” IPA which invented the DIPA style in the bottle which is awesome. Meaning, California is where DIPA style was born…..California LOVE B-\ F– Yeah!!!

While many may not agree as to what is listed here, be forewarned as this is is only a guide. I have tried many IPAs on my travels into these realms and have found so many good beers. Ruination is a golden standard of all IPAs. So since this was the case, the guys at Stone took it over board. The usual batch of super bitter beer starts at 2.5 per barrel. This special edition 10th anniversary IPA is brewed with 5 pounds of hops per barrel basically double. It is true that not only do they say that the previous beer’s bitterness lasted for about 30 minutes or so, this one is lasting even more. THIS BEER IS VERY BITTER..so much that the bitterness actually is burning all the way down even into the stomach. WOW!!!! The most you will find upfront is an extreme rush of grass, pine and citrus but at an extra strength. LOL maybe those with heart burnt might want to be careful >:). Past the bitterness is some mango, pineapple, caramel, kiwi. However, this is immediately gone and you are back into a hop heave. So much is the change in flavor that you start to experience something well….awesome. Could just the alcohol though…LOL but sure even that is helpful to forget that your insides and taste buds still burn with bitterness and well, that hoppy goodness…maybe to the point that….it will intrigue your hoppy head soul…A true HOPiphany in brewing because after your done you will see…..the truth @.@If you don’t? Then at least you had one of the best DIPAs in the world… yeah Pliny come get some >:D