Stone Go To IPA

Stone Brewing Co.

Escondido, CA

To create Stone Go To IPA, Stone Brewing used hop bursting, a technique where a large amount of hops is added during the final phase of the brewing process to coax out extreme flavors and aromas while also imparting a burst of bitterness.

ABV: 4.5

ABW: 3.58

COLOR: NA

BITTERNESS: 65

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: NA

AVAILABLE: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA

Oh, Stone. You unabashedly love your hops. And we love you for it. “Session” (aka lower-alcohol) IPAs are becoming all the rage, and leave it to Stone to prove they don’t have to be insipid. A fruity beginning brings loads of tropical fruit like mango and papaya, before citrusy grapefruit rind and orange pith come into play. A big, bitter ending could use a bit more of a sweet backbone to balance it out. Perhaps because of its low alcohol content, the malt harmonies are a bit lacking. But for serious hopheads, Go To is going to be a winner.
- Lisa Morrison

I’m fascinated to check out Stone’s interpretation of this “new” idea (which England’s been doing for about 15 years now). The beer is pilsner-golden with a slight haze and a shallow white head. The aroma is a great example of the modern West coast hop style—the “allium” notes leap out of the glass; garlic, chives and, of course, weed. The Dank Side, this beer is. It’s light-bodied, shows an expertly tuned bitterness and finishes very cleanly. Whether you’ll enjoy it may depend largely on whether this hop character is your cup of IPA. If so, you have a new best friend.
- Garrett Oliver

Lisa Morrison
Lisa Morrison, aka the Beer Goddess, talks beer every day at her beer store and taproom, Belmont Station, and on a weekly radio show in her hometown of Portland, OR.

Garrett Oliver
Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, the author of The Brewmaster’s Table, and the veteran host of more than 900 beer dinners in 15 countries.