Stone IPA Beer (Asda) By @SpectreUK

Stone IPA is a West Coast style India Pale Ale. A 'West Coast style IPA' concentrates mainly on citrus and tropical flavoured hops, rather than the malts. Stone IPA was brewed in Berlin. I've never been there personally, but have seen it in various states in documentaries, travel programmes and movies. I have been to Germany and toured some of its lovely cities in the past though. Stone IPA has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 6.9%. That seems remarkably strong for an IPA. I don't think I've ever tried an IPA with such a high ABV before. Too many of these and I expect I'd be 'Stone drunk'!

On opening the can there was the expected heavy smell of citrus and tropical hops. Breaking it down at a push I'd say this aroma was akin to mainly orange mandarin, a touch of bitter lemon and a little mango for afters. On taste the mango flavour in the hops explodes forth initially. Then there's the heavy lifting mandarin orange flavoured hops that lasts awhile, which is then followed by a shear knife edge bitterness from the lemon hops. The sweet malts of pale and possibly crystal kick in for a lighter spell into the aftertaste. This is a very tasty complex beer. Enjoy one or two yourself. "Prost!" or "Cheers!" if you prefer it. ;-)