Stone RuinTen

Stone RUINTEN IPA (2013)

Yearly Special Release *NEW* (June)

22 fl. oz. / $7.99 USD / 10.8% ABV

About: "We first released this decidedly indelicate beer in 2012, as Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our belovedly bitter Stone Ruination IPA. Stone RuinTen IPA uses the same recklessly hoppy recipe as the 2012 release; only the name has changed, as we plan to unleash this belligerently delicious hop monster upon the public annually from now on. We packed a whopping five pounds of hops into each barrel, and cranked up the ABV to stand up to the hop onslaught. The results are glorious, and we know you'll rejoice in tasting this audacious gem of hoppy splendor once again. You're welcome."

Thoughts: Just released. Drank 6/23/13 with a Drink by date of 8/28/13. Posting the review 8/11/13 due to pure laziness and other recent technical problems, overworking and life outside the computer. What a beautiful bottle huh? I don't really get how they abbreviated it to "RuinTen" but whatever... I mean, I get it, but it's still just weird to me.

I never actually got a chance to try Stone's Tenth Anniversary Ale which upset me quite a bit since literally everyone was drinking the stuff and bragging about it online, posting photos and even thugged out selfies for some reason or another. Sure, that kind of thing shouldn't matter but it would be nice to always get a chance to buy a release I've been waiting for or hearing about that's all.

RuinTen poured a beautiful shade of orange. Man... what a nice looking brew this one is. The beer is slightly hazy but transparent enough to read these words through. It's got a light slightly cream colored head that looks very white in the photo above.

The scent of immense hops invade the brain. Lingering sweetness ensues. Tons of pine, mango, grapefruit, sweet juicy orange, lemony zest, drizzled caramel, and oily resin. Little bits of peppery spiciness crawl up the nostrils, tickling away and leaving a slight burn.

Onto the taste: heavy on the leafy hops, drenched in resin, drowned in oils, with a big splash of heat, a little burning haze right behind it and a bitter citrusy finish. This stuff is seriously dank. A toasty breaded malt rests firmly as the fiery assault of hops blister the tongue. Hang on - I just offered some to my woman. She smelt it, then plugged her nose and took a sip. Afterwards she made her way to the bathroom sink and told me that it tastes "like shit!" Nice. This is brutal and blistering. I love it. Booze is present, which I tend to enjoy. This bottle is a meal in itself, and I'm hungry so it's a good thing I bought two.

Smooth and creamy with an oily finish.The beer isn't all too thick, but the flavor lays the smack-down in such a way that it seems like it. It's not super overly bitter, but the bitterness hits strong and violently. It lingers for a long while but when it falls back a little bit of that sweetness limps in. There isn't a great balance on this one, but hell, it was never meant to be. Final thoughts: You want a beer smack to the face, here ya go. Afterthoughts: I still like "Enjoy By" better.