Stone RuinTen IPA
California’s Stone Brewing announced the release of RuinTen IPA back in mid-June. I was lucky enough to find the big Imperial IPA at the Outer Banks shortly after it’s release, but it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I finally crossed paths with it in Virginia. This 10.8% ABV and 110 IBU hoppy monster is packed with tropical fruits and a solid smack of bitterness strong enough to wake the dead.
While RuinTen IPA is a big beer, it’s not simply a mindless hop bomb. Yes, it does present more hops that most folks will know what to do with, but there’s also just enough of a malt character in the background to smooth things out. That said, there’s still a ton of sticky hop goodness flowing within this beer’s veins.
Appearance
Stone RuinTen IPA pours with a frothy cap of tawny colored foam that stands defiantly above the deep amber brew.
Aroma
Uh, hops? There is a ton of tropical citrus, a solid amount of resin, a touch of malt sweetness and a hint of caramel within the aroma. It definitely smells like a big IPA.
Taste
Wow. This brew as one hell of a late forming and building bitterness that hangs around for a good long while in the sweet and warming finish. Grapefruit, pineapple, orange, pine resin and a latent leafy character combine with the malt sweetness and a touch of caramel for a full flavored experience. RuinTen IPA is a massive beer in every sense of the word.
Overall
I think this beer might be the most arrogant of Stone’s IPAs. RuinTen IPA is big, boozy and damn bitter. If you’re a fan of big IPAs that are driven by more hops in one bottle than should be legal, this is the one for you.
Rating: 4/5
