Stone and Ska

Beer Review by Alex Young

The Stone (8.7% alc) is advertised as an IPA, but to me is a "hoppy" double pale ale... cuz there's a hell of a lot of dark malt in here. There's a toasty maltiness, and the beer is almost black... But there is still a huge amount of hops, even giving a fruity flavor... from what looks like a DARK beer. Overall, quite good.

The first thing that you notice about the Ska (10% alc.) is that it is beautiful in the glass; gorgeous almost orange color, and TONS of tiny bubbles. It is a more "traditional" IPA. The hops have an almost equal bitter/floral/fruity balance, the flavor is quite hoppy, not really crisp (but definitely crisper than the Stone!), very smooth and balanced as well. You would actually guess the alcohol content on these beers to be reversed... the Stone actually tastes quite a bit stronger.

Bottom Line: Both of these beers are wonderful... BUT comparing them is very tough. Both are advertised as IPAs, but are TOTALLY different... Personally, I prefer the Ska. It is the better balanced ale of the 2, BUT I REALLY like the Stone. It's kinda like a Lagunitas Maximus on steroids... plus more dark roasted goodness. It's really a toss-up. Which of these you prefer will say a lot about you as a beer drinker...