So, Stone Mocha IPA. What the hell is that? I’ve seen lots of Mocha (read: coffee and chocolate) beers before, but I don’t think I’ve seen that combination in an IPA. Recently, I did enjoy Red Hare Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed IPA, which I think was the first IPA I have ever had with coffee. It didn’t have chocolate, though. So OK, Stone, you might just have something original here. Definitely so for me.

I’m pretty sure I saw six-packs of this at Target, though I can’t recall for sure. It was on the draft menu at Taco Mac, though, so I ordered a glass there. Curious about it, I hopped on over to Stone’s website:

Clearly, style lines have been crossed. Is it half-IPA, half-stout? Not quite. It’s definitely all IPA, but it’s also the best of both styles, making this love child of a beer simply just a beautiful, pleasure-seeking meld of imperial IPA and mocha indulgence. How did we come up with this inexplicably delicious creation? Well, that doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it exists and that it’s here for you now, thanks to our deliberate disregard for brewing norms. Some things are not meant to be known, just enjoyed...thoroughly.

Hmmm, OK. What’s more, I discovered that Stone Mocha IPA has an alcohol content of 9% by volume with 80 IBUs. I paid $6.50 for a glass at Taco Mac, which did not seem so bad.

Ingredients from the website:

Featured Hops Cascade, Citra® & Amarillo

Special Ingredients Ryan Bros. Coffee Espresso Gold, cacao & milk sugar

Hey! Where are the malts used?

My glass of Stone Mocha IPA arrived a murky brownish orange in color, one of the weirdest colors I’ve ever seen in a beer. The nose offers grapefruit resin and a hint of chocolate. Taking a sip, I got medium malt, cocoa and coffee mixed with grapefruit and resiny bitterness. The beer finished quite bitter.

I’m on the fence on this one. While I enjoyed it and would drink it again, it didn’t *totally* blow me away either. Something different to say the least. This is the second coffee infused brew I have enjoyed from Stone after Stone Coffee Milk Stout.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

 



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