Staggeringly successful Stone series of hop-derived India Pale Ales culminates in full-bodied Christmas ’15 model (utilizing twelve lupulin varieties just for fun). Juicy ruby red grapefruit tang and bright navel orange briskness navigate thru light resinous pine bittering. Zesty citrus appeal picks up whiskey tinge as sparkly mango, peach, cantaloupe, nectar and apple subsidy further enlivens well-designed thirst quencher.
On tap at Ambulance, easygoing Imperial IPA retains crisp citric intrigue as grapefruit, orange, tangerine and clementine overtones pick up sugar-spiced pale malting and pine-needled tingle to contrast astringent herbal hop splotch.
On tap at Ambulance, easygoing tropical fruiting rides above light resinous pining. Bright yellow grapefruit, navel orange, pineapple, peach and mango tang picks up latent lemon-seeded bittering over damp vegetal tinge.
Showcasing rare HBC-291 hop variety, approachable medium-bodied India Pale Ale maintains lightly embittered white-peppered citrus spicing as well as soft floral aspect and minor pine resin above biscuit-y rye-toasted bottom. Phenol 8% ABV astringency stays neutral while easygoing lemony grapefruit-orange-pineapple tang lacks emphatic thrust.
Steadfastly ‘hellbent’ West Coast-styled IPA plies resilient hop-oiled grapefruit rind and orange pith bittering above floral-spiced tropicalia. Dry wood tones and herbal tea leaf respite passively inform zesty peach, mango and papaya tang on the back end.
Absolutely ‘re-dank-ulous’ IPA lowers the boom with bold 9.5% ABV and 90 IBU’s. Ruby red grapefruit tang and sweet orange peel luster anchored by cookie dough yeast and toasted caramel malts. Resinous hop oils saturate floral citrus intrigue as well as red cherry, peach, mango, nectarine, pear and apple niceties. Recommended.
On tap at Ambulance, explosive Imperial IPA “detonates” as perfume-hopped grapefruit peel bittering, phenolic alcohol pungency and musky pine resin camouflage pale crystal malt sugaring. Dry grain husk provides strong backbone for floral-spiced citrus capacity and tropical peach-mango conflux. On tap at Growler & Gill, crackling Citra-Mosaic-Sorachi hop fruiting persisted into wax-candied honey sweetness to contrast dank juniper pined bittering.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, juicy mango adjunct repealed by intensely long-lasting habanero pepper burn. Subtle orange, peach and tangerine tang (as well as sugarplum notions) seep inside reluctant pale malt sweetness anchoring the hot chili resonance regaling (10.1% ABV) Imperial IPA.
Refreshingly mellow Imperial IPA features sharp lemondrop hop spree tantalizing less prominent tropical-fruited Mosaic/Sorachi Ace hop splendor and soft piney dalliance. Honeyed lemon juicing leads the way as yellow grapefruit tang, orange pith bittering and caramelized pineapple sweetness vie for space above French-breaded spine. Lemon-peeled tangerine, mango and clementine illusions heighten zesty citric finish.
In conjunction with Florida’s Cigar City, apricot-pureed Imperial IPA brings ginger-spiced tropical fruiting to the fore. Vodka-like alcohol astringency swirls alongside tangy pineapple, mango, lemon and passionfruit tropicalia. Tertiary candied apple, peach and red grape nuances as well as sticky grenadine liqueur syruping further sweeten the iconic hybrid. Recessive spruce-sapped fern, sage, rosemary and basil herbage tingles back end of apricot-lacquered elixir.
Distinguished dry-hopped medium body coalesces simmered down tropical fruiting with crystalline sugar spicing and caramelized Maris Otter malts. Softly lingering hop-oiled citric bittering picks up mild pine resin and fresh-cut grass remnant while floral grapefruit-peeled lemon, orange, mango, peach, pineapple, red grape, tangerine and passionfruit serenity hides heightened 9.2% ABV burn. Enlightened hopheads and seasoned pale ale quaffers rejoice!
On tap at Plank Pizza, murkily wet-hopped Imperial IPA (with 7.1% ABV) contrasts rotted lemony grapefruit pungency with wheat-flaked pilsner malts and sticky sugared spicing. Musky citrus tartness gains light herbal nip, but damp Jersey-hopped acridity may be off-putting to lighter thirsts.