Stone Ruination IPAFour out of four mugs

The only warnings on beer bottles generally pertain to pregnancy, driving and operating machinery. Stone Ruination IPA has a warning for your tongue. Ruination falls into the category of Double India Pale Ale, a style championed by beer-geeks and known for its overwhelming bitterness.

There’s been an explosion of microbreweries producing increasingly bitter styles and pushing the boundaries of drinkable-beer. And although more than one brewer has bottled a taste-bud train wreck, today’s massive pale ales are absolutely delicious.

Properly served in a pint glass, Ruination has an orange body with a fluffy head of fine bubbles. You’re first met with a powerful, pungent aroma of sweet fruits and earthy, floral hops. Caramel and toasted malt open the flavor, but are quickly overrun by bitter, mixed-citrus juice and lemon peel, with tangerine and pine flavor fading out before the long-lingering herbal bitterness kicks in. For such bitterness, Ruination actually feels rich and smooth, inviting another sip. The bottle’s warning doesn’t lie, however. This is not a beer for everyone. But for those looking to expand their palate, this beer is epic.

Ruination is available at P&C, the Party Source and Galeville Grocery in 22-ounce bottles for about $5. Anyone who can’t get enough bitter ale can look to our local brewer, Middle Ages, which produces two comparable beers, the Wailing Wench and Middle Ages Double IPA (formerly 10th Anniversary Ale).

Beer-ucation

Blue Laws

Blue laws are stuffy laws and regulations concerning the sale of beer, wine and alcohol, typically made by people who don’t drink. Differing state to state, they can be as ridiculous as Alabama’s statutes outlawing beer over 6 percent alcohol by volume and in containers larger than 16 ounces. Other states like Minnesota don’t allow any alcohol sales on Sundays or in grocery stores unless it’s 3.2 percent abv or less. On Nov. 7, for the good of America, please vote against any blue laws you may find on your ballot and support candidates who oppose them.

Where to Buy Good Beer

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

605 West State St. Ithaca

Simply the best selection in Central N.Y., with more than 600 different imports and micros available one bottle at a time.

The Party Source

2646 Erie Blvd. Syracuse

Now filling growlers of craft beer, the Party Source also sells single bottles of the Mid-Atlantic’s finest beer.

Gailville Grocery

412 Old Liverpool Rd. Liverpool

Slightly better prices and Belgian beer selection than the Party Source, but most beer comes a 6-pack at a time.

Lancaster Market

1007 Lancaster Ave. Syracuse

The Skytop P&C does have a better selection, but there’s plenty of good beer and you can easily walk here.

Published on October 31, 2006 at 12:00 pm