Stone Brewing began in the mid-1990s when Greg Koch and Steve Wagner formed a lasting friendship built on beer. They got themselves a warehouse in 1996 and the rest is history. They are now found across the country and have eight year-round offerings. Up for review today is one of their year-round releases, Go To IPA.
Go To IPA is, as you might imagine, an India Pale Ale with a more than manageable 4.8% ABV. The beer pours a golden straw color. The aroma is hops with both pine and other earth tones playing a major role in the nose. There wasn’t much head but what head did pour was white, thick, and foamy and stood about one finger at its height. The head dissipated fairly quickly but a thin layer remained on top, not quite covering the whole beer but it was adequate.
The first sip was actually a bit of a surprise. The hops in the nose were very strong so I expected the hops to be strong in the taste. That wasn’t the case. Make no mistake, the hops are certainly there offering pine and earthy notes with a touch of citrus. There is some malt on the finish which is actually pretty nice. The ale has a light mouthfeel with moderate carbonation and finishes dry. It actually is pretty pleasant all around with just enough hops to let you know this is an IPA but not enough to overwhelm.
Overall, this is a pretty good IPA. It is smooth with just enough bite from the hops. The glass laced well for having such a small head. This is a beer you can drink anywhere, at the ballpark, at the beach, in the winter, at the football stadium, on your couch. It is just a flavorful, hoppy IPA and the dry finish leaves you wanting another sip before you put your glass down. A nice, solid offering.