Stone Brewing IPA
Stone IPA is Stone Brewing's flagship West Coast IPA — 6.9% ABV and 71 IBU of citrus, tropical fruit and pine over a lean malt base, sold here as a 6-pack of 12oz from Escondido, California. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 6.9% — verified on stonebrewing.com
- IBU: 71
- Style: West Coast IPA
- Format: 6-pack of 12oz
- Hops (current dry-hop blend): Centennial, Azacca, Calypso, Motueka, Ella and Vic Secret
- Origin: Stone Brewing, Escondido, California
- First released: August 16, 1997
The West Coast IPA That Set the Template
Stone brewed this beer for its first anniversary in 1997, loading it with Centennial, Chinook and Columbus hops at a time when that much bitterness was a provocation. It became the brewery's flagship and one of the defining West Coast IPAs — golden, dry and unapologetically bitter, with the recipe evolving over the years toward a brighter dry-hop blend layered over the same piney backbone. Stone, based up the road in Escondido, remains one of San Diego County's defining breweries. Stock up via the Stone Brewing vendor page or browse the rest of our craft beer cooler.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Clear golden with a white head. Aroma: Intense lemon rind, fruity cereal and piney hops. Palate: Citrusy, tropical and piney, balanced by a subtle malt character; medium body with no perceivable sweetness. Finish: Clean, lingering bitterness.
How to Enjoy
Drink it fresh and cold — hop character is the whole point, and Stone prints drink-fresh windows on this beer for a reason. A tulip or pint glass, straight from the fridge, no garnish required.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bitter is Stone IPA? 71 IBU — firmly bitter by IPA standards, in the classic West Coast style, with the bitterness carried by citrus, tropical and pine hop character rather than malt sweetness.
What hops are in Stone IPA? The current dry-hop blend is Centennial, Azacca, Calypso, Motueka, Ella and Vic Secret, per Stone's sell sheet. The original 1997 recipe leaned on Centennial, Chinook and Columbus.
Is Stone IPA still being brewed? Yes — it is Stone's flagship year-round beer, listed nationwide on the brewery's current site and menus, nearly three decades after its 1997 debut.
San Diego County's original hop bomb, still fresh — order Stone IPA online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.