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And also 2025 as Stone Brewing will be releasing three new IPA’s starting this month and continuing into 2026.
The “three-part series includes Stone Green Buds IPA, Stone Live Current IPA (May) and Stone Chill Villain IPA (September). Each represents their own track in an album of West Coast IPAs.”
It is human nature to look ahead and I bet that the 30th Anniversary Stone Brewing beer will be at least a triple IPA if not a quad. For now we have the 29th Anniversary Double IPA. Let’s get this purple can poured.
#29 has a bunch of hops led by Superdelic hops (a new variety from New Zealand) with three other NZ buds (Riwaka, Motueka and Nelson Sauvin). This celebratory beer pours a dark orange color and the aroma is quite grassy but fairly muted. Some DIPAs hide the abv but this one does not. It shows up in strength.
Even April is not immune to SoCal heat so it is good to hear news of a new Stone Brewing lager brewed with hibiscus and orange peel. Garden Crusher crashes in at a low 4.9% ABV and should chill a craft beer fan down.
Picked up a crowler of She’s the Brewer, the new Stone Brewing IPA since I both hadn’t had a crowler in a bit and because of the Pink Boots connection.
This is the 8th year of a Pink Boots hop blend and when I popped the tab, instantly pine scents sprung out. It is labeled a West Coast IPA but it is a DIPA for sure. Pine and tropical notes are the first to show but they yield the stage to a heavier alcohol and woodsy bitterness. There is still some tropical hanging around but it moves more towards papaya than the lighter, brighter fruits.
SoCal has had a tiny not cold spell which has allowed me to thoroughly enjoy darker, heartier beers like Lifeblurred, an imperial brown ale from Stone Brewing.
Per Stone, this is a biggie. 11% to be exact and though at first it doesn’t seem alcohol heavy, by sip three, you feel it. I would describe this as British ale seen through a Black IPA glass, then bulked up. Very woodsy and oaky with an ever so slight citrus hop note. It is a russet and brown colored ale with a hint of a dark caramel taste to it.
She’s The Brewer is a new collaborative IPA brew with “bold flavors for bold women.” from the combined force of Stone Brewing and the Pink Boots Society using the 2024 editions of the Pink Boots Malt (Odyssey Barley) and Pink Boots Hop Blend (Mosaic, Simcoe, Chinook and Krush).
I am a big proponent of zagging instead of zigging when it comes to brewery merchandise. There is enough shirts, hats and glasses out there.
And for a while, when bottles of glass were in vogue, there was a definite uptick in candles in sawed off bottles. Most were not beer scented so I did not have much interest.
But maybe this candle from Stone Brewing might make a good gift alongside some Old Guardian barleywine as a pairing idea…
You could also check out the apple tinged candles at Benny Boy Brewing and Cider right here in Los Angeles. They have actual dried apples in them and they have them in various cider “flavors”.
The second batch of Stone Arrogant Bastard Whiskey (made with Foundry Distilling) is now out. “this version was aged even longer (4+ years) in new charred oak barrels. Made with 100% malted barley, it’s truly an American Malt Whiskey worthy of the Arrogant Bastard name.”
The limited supply will be available in California, Iowa and Texas but NOT at Stone Brewing locations. You can thank our nations patchwork liquor laws for that.
Stone Brewing has two options for you if you want to got to their 28th Anniversary party in November. One, you can get Main Festival tickets and sample dozens of amazing beers from Stone and our friends in the industry. Or two, get the Rare Beer ticket so that you can access your own special private festival area on the Stone campus in Escondido.
Head HERE to choose.
The Stone Brewing One Batch Dispatch series is back with the new Schoolmates Hazy Double IPA.
Here is the beer description from he brewery: “This particular hazy double IPA features a unique new hop called Anchovy. Don’t panic – despite the name, you can expect ripe watermelon flavors combined with dankness and orange cream character from “new classic” Citra.”