Stone Brewing release homebrewing contest winning coconut IPA

Whoa. It’s a mouthful just to say Stone Brewing Co.’s new collaboration. Take a drink of it and this tropically inspired ale will fill your mouth with something else — 1) the strong aroma and distinct flavor of coconut beer and 2) innovative homebrewing goodness. Yesterday, Stone Brewing Co. released (here we go) Robert Masterson & Ryan Reschan/Rip Current/Stone R&R Coconut IPA. It’s a tropically inspired ale brewed in collaboration with San Diego homebrewers and Society of Barley Engineers duo, Robert Masterson and Ryan Reschan, as well as San Marcos, CA-based Rip Current Brewing Co.

Earlier this year, Masterson and Reschan’s homebrewed Coconut IPA was entered into Stone’s 2013 Homebrew Competition & AHA Rally at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens — Escondido. Thirty participants entered the competition with hopes of winning the opportunity to have their recipe professionally brewed at Stone and distributed across the United States. After attendees submitted votes to narrow the field, an esteemed judging panel, consisting of Stone Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder Greg Koch, President and Co-founder Steve Wagner, Brewmaster Mitch Steele, Craft Beer Ambassador “Dr.” Bill Sysak and several Stone brewers, selected Masterson and Reschan’s beer.

Expect a strong coconut aroma and distinct coconut flavor from the beer. Three pounds of lightly toasted coconut per barrel was added to the whirlpool and post dry hop – 280 lbs total. To achieve the final glorious result, collaborators Paul Sangster and Guy Shobe of Rip Current Brewing Co. offered alternatively creative hopping suggestions and their pilot system to experiment on. The team was able to brew test batches utilizing proposed hop combinations and finally dialed in a combination that met the satisfaction of all five collaborators.

Ultimately, six hop varieties were used to attain the bright flavors of tropical fruit that the homebrew version originally delivered. Overall, Robert Masterson & Ryan Reschan/Rip Current/ Stone R&R Coconut IPA is the perfect beer to enjoy in the summer sun, providing a refreshing balance of coconut and tropical fruit with a smooth, dry, hoppy, bitter finish. The beer should be enjoyed before the, well, “Enjoy By” date on the bottle to maximize the coconut and hop aromas and flavors.