Stone Brewing Go To IPA
Stone Brewing’s Go To IPA isn’t the first beer the company has released as “sessionable.” Their amber ale, Levitation, is another low alcohol (4.4% ABV) option that delivers an assertive hop character with a solid bitterness. This 4.5% ABV IPA, however, isn’t nearly as biting and brings one of the more unique hop profiles you’ll encounter in any beer.
Much like New Belgium’s French Aramis IPA, Go To IPA is very much a hop-forward beer, but not in the usual fashion. At 65 IBU, the beer certainly has a level of bitterness to it, but that’s not the focus of the beer. Flavors of peach, melon and citrus all come into play and are all elements of the hop bill (Mosaic, Citra, Ahtanum, Cascade, Crystal, El Dorado, Magnum, Sterling and 06300 varieties) and not any adjuncts.
The result is a beer that is not only nicely balanced, but also still packed with an intriguing hop character.
Appearance
Go To IPA pours a golden in color with a large, frothy stack of white foam that left behind good lacing as it dropped.
Aroma
A smooth wave of citrus and melon arrive immediately with with grassy and piney notes bringing up the rear along with a soft malt sweetness.
Taste
Well, this is definitely one of the most fruit-forward IPAs that I’ve encountered. Loads of peach, melon, soft grapefruit and orange notes dominate wonderfully as pine and resin cover the back end. For 65 IBU, this this is defiantly smooth with what I would describe as a low-to-moderate level of hop bitterness. There’s a light malt sweetness and hints of bread to help balance out everything before it all fades smoothly through the clean finish.
Overall
While there is a load of hops in this beer, the flavors they bring to the table are at the opposite end of the hop spectrum when compared to the company’s Levitation. Go To IPA focuses on the unique fruit characteristics — almost too fruity — that this beer delivers. The lower bitterness and low level of alcohol certainly make this beer quaffable and one of the more uniquely flavored IPAs that I’ve run across in a while.
Rating: 4/5
This is a review of a promotional sample from the brewery.
