Ruination IPA - Triple Dry-Hopped
Stone Brewing

 

 

 

 

 

I was hoping to find Pliny the Elder on draft at Hollingshead Deli, but I didn't. Dissapointed, until I located a Ruination tap handle with an "X3" marked on it. I'll take the trade-off given the rarity of this brew. The bartender described it as a Triple IPA, but I think she meant triple-dry hopped. On to the beer:

Poured into a Chimay goblet, it glows a deep orange in the glass with an attractive creamy head. I was expecting a huge bill of raw hops, but that's not the case despite the extra dry-hopping they gave this. I honesty couldn't taste much of a difference between this and their regular Ruination. Despite that, it's a damn good beer. Extremely smooth flavor; not very bitter at all, strong pine and tropical citrus flavors with hints of floral and a creamy feel. The malt becomes more noticable as the beer warms, and the alcohol is nowhere to be found on the palate, but you can feel it in your body.

Notes: Nothing like a strong-ass brew in the afternoon to loosen up stress from schoolwork. It's up to you whether to seek this out, but the standard Ruination doesn't miss the mark. You may want to eat something with this to make it more pleasurable (not that it isn't in the first place).

Pint at Naja's Place

Very, very dry and bitter with strong continental hops

Packs a punch as well, felt a little buzz after first one of these

Dark color with a thick white head

Highly recommended and probably will not find it too many places, so grab it when you see it

Picked up a growler of this specialty fill at the Stone store.
a- Pours a clear, orange/golden hue with a huge three fingers' of creamy, white head and excellent lacing on the glass
s- Nose is of hoppy pine and grapefruit citrus, some subtle caramel malts too, the aroma is more subdued than I would predict for a triple hopped IPA
t- The taste is dominated by grapefruit/citrus hops throughout with some nice pine tones and subtle sweet malts, finish is bitter but short-lasting
m- Medium-bodied that leaves an oily, resiny coating, good carbonation
d- Surprisingly drinkable DIPA that is smooth and easy-to-drink, this is as close to a session DIPA that I can imagine, I would pick up this triple hopped Rui again when available.

On tap at Beachwood BBQ (it didn't last long, as you might imagine).

I've always been a fan of Ruination, but felt some other DIPAs were more to my liking. This, however, took Ruination to that next level. First off, there seems to be a touch more of a caramel malt presence than the Ruination (it also looks a bit darker). Hops are dialed up too, and take on a more piny character. Nice and resiny and rich. Quite hoppy, for sure, but not as bitter as, say, Hopsickle.

Personally, I found the balance to be nice - if you can call a beer like this balanced.

Highly recommended. One truly great DIPA in a sea of good ones.

Fantastic beer. I had it at the brewery with my dinner. It's a big beer, a little low alcohol for a California double IPA, but fantastic. The nose really stands out on this one. I found myself smelling my empty glass when I was done. It's drinkable too. It really held up to my garlic chicken. I could easily have 3 or 4 of them... and then take a cab home.

Thanks goes to slcbrewer for this brew

Shared a 1L growler/swing top from the Stone brewpub.

Pours a nice clean/clear deep golden orange color, nice carbonation, nice one-finger white head, lots of sticky lacing afterwards. The nose is awesome, lots and lots of hops, piney, grapefruit/citrus, slight caramel. The taste is one hop bomb, piney, with a very nice touch of citrus. The finish is very dry and bitter/hoppy. Medium body. Very drinkable, first time I've had a Stone growler and to cap it off a TDH brew. This does a body good, lol Thanks again Steve.