Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA
Back in early February of this year, Stone Brewing not-so-secretively announced a new off-brand presence called Stochasticity Project. I believe the mystery of who was behind this new line of beers lasted maybe an hour or so, before word spread that the California brewery was responsible.
Anyways, the first beer from the series is a big Imperial IPA called Grapefruit Slam IPA that weighs in at 8.2% ABV and 95 IBU. The beer, which I enjoyed a couple of weeks after its initial announcement, is quite tasty, though I don’t think the mystery angle was all that necessary — it’s a good beer, but not that good.
Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA is definitely a West Coast style IPA with a solid amount of citrusy impact (thanks to grapefruit peel) as well as an attention-grabbing hop bite. It’s got good balance despite the bitterness and refreshes as it should.
Appearance
The beer pours a bright golden amber in color with a dense stack of tawny foam that fell slowly, leaving behind a good amount of lacing.
Aroma
Well, you can certainly pick up the grapefruit peel used in the recipe. A tone of grapefruit, orange, honey, pine, grain and a soft sweetness combine for a welcoming aroma.
Taste
As expected based on the name alone, this beer is driven by a strong grapefruit flavor. A good amount of the earthy fruit fills the mouth quickly with notes of pine resin, grass and a spicy hop trait. At 95 IBU, the beer grabs your tongue fairly aggressively before slowly relinquishing its hold, lingering for a long while in the warming and dry finish. This is a big IPA, but it’s not just all hops. There is a decent bit of malt, bread and honey notes to help round out the flavors.
Overall
I’m not going to question the method behind this beers release — Stone Brewing has never really been all that traditional in their marketing tactics. What I will say is that Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA is a solid beer. It’s not the best product the company makes, but as far as a fun, experimental release goes it’s a welcome change of pace.
I wouldn’t recommend it to those who are not huge fans of grapefruit as the flavors it brings to the table certainly dominate the palate. But, if you’re looking for a refreshing beer that’s also packed to the brim with the fruit and a pile of bitterness, then this one is for you.
Rating: 4/5
