Stone RuinTen IPA released, Brewmaster Mitch Steele: ‘[It’s] obscene. It’s absurd. It’s crazy.’

Last June, Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA was brewed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ground-breaking double IPA, but that wasn’t enough for Stone Brewing Co. and its thirsty fans. Last week, Stone Brewing released Stone RuinTen IPA, a re-brew of 2012’s infamous 10th anniversary IPA, prompted by Stone Co-founders Greg Koch and Steve Wagner, adding the intensely aromatic and unabashedly bitter brew to the Stone special release calendar this year.

“We brewed this beer using the same ingredients as in Stone Ruination IPA, but we jacked up the hops — not just in the boil, but we doubled the dry-hop amount, using a 50/50 blend of Centennial and Citra,” explained Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele. “We also bumped up the malt to achieve its elevated ABV. The combination is obscene. It’s absurd. It’s crazy.”

The special 10th anniversary version clocked in at a staggering 110 International Bittering Units (IBUs), which was accomplished by using twice as many hops as originally used in Stone Ruination IPA — five pounds per barrel to be exact. The beer also cranked up the alcohol-by-volume (ABV) from 7.7 to 10.8 percent.

But why the name change? Wouldn’t it have been simpler to just use the same moniker as before? Of course it would have been. But here’s the deal: When Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA came out last year Team Stone (and some fans) came to affectionately refer to Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA as “Ruin Ten.” The name seems to have stuck and thus the updated ongoing name Stone RuinTen IPA was born.

Stone RuinTen IPA is a stage dive into a mosh pit of hops, and those that dare to dive head first into the mosh pit will notice a myriad of fruity, tropical and citrus characteristics, plus a lusciously long, lingering bitterness on the palate. The elevated ABV brings about a full-bodied maltiness to balance the equation and soften the blow.

For an optimal experience, this beer should be enjoyed before the “Drink By” date on the bottle – in fact, Stone specifically recommends enjoying the beer sooner rather than later to maximize the redolent hop aromas and flavor.