Stone Enjoy By IPA
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Tasting Notes
The aroma hits with a dense wave of tropical fruit — mango, pineapple, papaya — layered over resinous pine and a faint citrus zest. On the palate, the hops are assertive but not abrasive, with a soft malt backbone that keeps the bitterness from turning harsh. The body is full and slightly oily, which is characteristic of the style and helps carry the hop oils through to the finish. That finish lingers with a dry, resinous bitterness and a faint warmth from the elevated ABV.
About the Brewery
Stone Brewing is based in Escondido, California, founded in 1996, and is one of the foundational names in the American craft beer movement. They built their reputation on aggressively hopped, boldly bitter beers at a time when that was a genuinely countercultural move. Their Arrogant Bastard Ale and Stone IPA remain flagship reference points, and Stone has long operated one of the larger independent craft brewery footprints in the country.
Food Pairings
The beer's resinous bitterness and tropical hop character make it a strong match for spicy Thai curry, where the fruit notes mirror the dish's aromatics and the bitterness cuts through coconut fat. A well-charred burger works because the caramelized crust has enough weight to stand up to the bold hops. Strong, aged cheddar pairs naturally since the sharpness of the cheese echoes the beer's bitterness rather than fighting it. Carnitas or other slow-roasted pork benefit from the hop oils cutting through rendered fat, and a mango habanero salsa alongside amplifies the tropical hop notes already present in the glass.
Style Guide
American Double or Imperial IPA is essentially a scaled-up version of the American IPA — more hops, more malt to balance them, and a higher ABV typically ranging from 7.5% to 10% or above. The style originated in the American craft brewing scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as brewers pushed hop character to its logical extreme. Unlike its English IPA ancestor, which emphasizes earthy and floral hops with a firmer malt presence, the American Double IPA leans on New World hop varieties for tropical, citrus, and resinous notes, with malt serving as a supporting player rather than a co-star.