Two Roads Road 2 Ruin DIPA
1 log on Brewskipotatoes
Tasting Notes
Road 2 Ruin opens with a loud, resinous hop aroma — think pine, grapefruit pith, and a little tropical fruit underneath. On the palate it delivers firm bitterness alongside citrus and stone fruit flavors, with enough malt backbone to keep things from going hollow. The body is medium-full, which is typical for the style, and the finish is long and drying with a lingering resinous bite. At 8% it sits on the more restrained end of the double IPA range, making the hop character the clear focus rather than the alcohol.
About the Brewery
Two Roads is based in Stratford, Connecticut, operating out of a converted industrial building that opened around 2012. They built their reputation on approachable, well-made craft beers with a slight irreverent streak in their branding, and Road 2 Ruin has been one of their flagship offerings since early in the brewery's run. They also operate a barrel-aging and specialty program under the Nos. 4, 5 & 6 label, and their production scale puts them among the larger independent craft operations in New England.
Food Pairings
The assertive bitterness and resinous hop character here work well against rich, fatty foods that can stand up to it. A double IPA like this cuts through the fat in a sharp aged cheddar or a blue cheese, where the bitterness mirrors the cheese's intensity. Spicy Thai or Indian dishes benefit from the fruity hop notes, which provide a counterpoint without backing down from the heat. Grilled or charred meats — burgers, lamb chops — match the beer's resinous quality through complementary caramelized flavors. Even a dark chocolate dessert can work, since the bitterness runs in the same direction.
Style Guide
American Double or Imperial IPA is essentially a bigger, more aggressive version of the American IPA — more hops, more malt to balance them, and higher alcohol, typically ranging from around 7.5% to well over 10%. The style was popularized in the early 2000s by West Coast breweries pushing hop intensity to its limits, and it distinguishes itself from a standard IPA primarily through its sheer scale: more bitterness, more aroma, and a fuller body. Unlike Imperial Stouts, which foreground malt, the double IPA keeps hops as the dominant force even as the malt bill grows to support them.