Downunderstruck IPA
Stone Brewing

This seems like the classic Stone IPA of yore. Too big, too hopped up, too bitter, but Australian style, apparently. This one is actually fairly sippable, though it gets to the "you are not worthy" stage after a few sips. Hugely over-hopped with the interesting varieties mentioned. Massive and relentless bitter aftertaste. Rather sweet as well.

Pleasant aroma of fruit and pine. Tastes of canned peaches and passion fruit with melon. By then your tongue is under attack and the flag of surrender is flying. "You had me and then you lost me." From the 12 oz can which seems to lack any kind of California warning of unhealthy levels of hop residue.

 

 

 

Poured into pint glass, good head that dissipates nicely to a finger. Darker golden look, a bit darker than most Stone fares. I approached this one figuring it would have the usual Stone 'taste' (Stone is a favorite of mine, so this isn't a slight) but it really does have a different hop attack. Still aggressively hop-forward, tropical/citrus-y with less of the bitter lingering on the tongue than other Stone offerings. Of all their west-coast, high-hop iterations I've had, this one is stands out different... their Jindia Pale Ale was an obvious 'different' and I think this is, too. Quite good.

 

 

 

 

 

Grabbing suds at a place called Bee-Gee’s
Strong beers with strong ABV
I found a strange brew, I never heard of
With Aussie hops and rock band reference
And I said

Should I buy cans of Down Under?
Stone Brewing makes some wonders
Drink too much too much and you’ll chunder
Of course I buy cause I'm a beer lover

 

Poured into a wide mouth, grip shaped goblet: color is gold, transparent, head is off white with mixed bubbles and presents 1 finger thick and dissipates to nothing.

Smell is citrus pith, herbal hops, pine, earth, moderate malt with hint of caramel.

Taste is big west coast DIPA, like an actual west coast ipa - big citrus and pine, earth, herbal notes, moderate malt with light toast and caramel, hint of booze and minerals.

Mouthfeel is moderate carbonation, moderate sweetness, high bitterness and to style.

Overall a slap in the tongue DIPA that provides slow growing aroma, big hop flavors and high bitter feel.

 

 

 

On tap at The Sheffield in Brighton, NY.

This one pours a clear golden orange color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

This smells extremely, extremely bitter, like just burnt ashy pine and aspirin, with some grapefruit.

I love bitterness in IPAs – this is excessive. It’s tongue-splittingly bitter, like my tongue just got hit by lightning. There’s a lightly sweet malt backbone, and some very light citrusy/lemony hop character.

This has very little drinkability to it – the bitterness is just so chalky, medicinal, and astringent.

This was not enjoyable for me at all.

 

12 oz can served in a tulip glass. Packaged 04/19/23. Enjoy by 08/17/23. 20:52R

Appearance: Translucent golden yellow, 1/4" thick white head, lots of islands and strands of persistent lacing.

Smell: Lots of tropical fruit notes along with some citrus rind (grapefruit mostly). Strong aroma. The peaches show up more as the beer warms up.

Taste: Powerfully bitter - lots of fresh cut tropical fruit but even stronger citrus rind and definite grapefruit bitterness / tartness. Some underlying bready malt, but not a lot to counter the hops. Bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Sticky on the teeth, good thickness - smooth at first and then the hop oils attack and linger leaving some spiciness on the tongue.

Overall / Drinkability: A very powerful and hoppy DIPA. Quite the palate wrecker. I found I could only have one per sitting. Interesting, but I feel like the aspects of the Aussie hops they were trying to showcase are getting lost in this beer. Letting it warm up didn't seem to help the hop flavors pop more - it just got more bitter. Unbalanced, unfortunately.