ESCONDIDO, CA – For two decades, Stone Brewing has demonstrated a passion for brewing and an obsession with hops, resulting in two decades of beers that have both challenged traditional styles and rewritten expectations for beer. So it’s only fitting for Stone to commemorate its 20th Anniversary by crafting an awesome new celebratory double IPA: Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA, brewed with avocado flower honey and Citra hops. Beginning this week, the craft beer company will release the beer in 22-ounce bottles and on draft to retailers in markets nationwide where Stone beers are sold.
When brainstorming ways to honor this momentous occasion, the Stone brewing team wanted to craft a hop-forward recipe that would incorporate unconventional and local ingredients. As suggested by the name “Citracado,” Citra – a popular hop variety – was used for the dry hop and “cado” refers to the use of native avocado flower honey. This unique combination was inspired by, and pays homage to the street on which the flagship brewery is located: Citracado Parkway (which itself is a tribute to the citrus and avocado agricultural history of the region). With all the ingredients combined, the beer showcases very dominant orange and floral aromatics that transcend into the overall flavor and are perfectly balanced by avocado flower honey and a strong malt backbone. The result is an incredibly complex, luscious double IPA with intense sweet, citrusy hop character and lingering honey qualities in the background.
“Thanks to the incredible support from our fans, we have been able to do what we do for the last 20 years while upholding our rugged independence and core company philosophies,” said Stone CEO & co-founder Greg Koch. “We’re excited to close in on two full decades of high-quality brewing, and Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA is our special way of saying thank you to all craft beer supporters. Cheers to what the future holds for true craft!”
Further giving thanks to unwavering fans, Stone is rebrewing some of its milestone Stone Anniversary Ales — Stone 5th Anniversary IPA, Stone 10th Anniversary IPA and Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA. Imbibers who may have missed them the first time around now have another opportunity to enjoy these beers über fresh and alongside the brand-new Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA. Each of the throwback anniversary IPAs will be available exclusively in the Stone Anniversary IPA Collection four-pack, which will start arriving on store shelves in select markets nationwide beginning the week of September 12.
“Our 5th, 10th and 15th anniversaries were significant achievements for Stone Brewing, and each year was celebrated with a bold, flavorful IPA that was groundbreaking for that time,” said Koch. “Fans will be able to relive a bit of Stone history with some of our most beloved Stone Anniversary Ales, featured only in the Stone Anniversary IPA Collection. This is the first time we’ve rebrewed these IPAs since their debut. We’re thrilled to provide this very unique opportunity for our fans to relive the past with us. It’s the perfect way to reminisce!”
To fully benefit from the copious addition of Citra hops and avocado flower honey, Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA should be enjoyed fresh. Die-hard supporters are invited to raise a glass and celebrate craft beer’s accomplishments with this special celebratory IPA.
QUICK FACTS: STONE 20TH ANNIVERSARY CITRACADO IPA
- Name: Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA
- Web: stonebrewing.com/anniv/20
- Stats: 9% ABV, 80 IBUs
- Availability: Limited 22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning August 8
- Hop Varieties: Nugget, El Dorado, Centennial, and, of course, lots of Citra!
- National Distribution: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA and Puerto Rico
- International Distribution: Australia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Panama, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand
- Find Beer: find.stonebrewing.com
TASTING NOTES: STONE 20TH ANNIVERSARY CITRACADO IPA
- Appearance: Copper and pale with a tan head of foam.
- Aroma: Orange, citrus and floral dominate upfront with some dankness and a hint of honey in the background.
- Taste: Lots of orange, citrus flavors from the hops, which blend nicely with the floral honey and malt backbone. As it warms, the honey becomes more prevalent.
- Palate: Incredibly smooth for 9% ABV. A hint of sweetness from an otherwise dry and crisp beer unfolds into a bitter finish that makes this beer very complex.
- Overall: Our team came up with the idea for this beer after having the opportunity to taste local avocado flower honey. With its huge floral flavor, we decided it was the perfect ingredient for this special beer. Since the name of our street is Citracado Parkway, combining Citra hops with avocado flower honey in this double IPA seemed like a natural thing to do! A fantastic beer with which to celebrate our 20th anniversary!
About Stone Brewing Co.
Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996, San Diego-based Stone Brewing is the 10th largest craft brewer in the United States. Stone has been listed on the Inc. 500 | 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list 11 times, and has been called the “All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine twice. The multifaceted company is the first American craft brewer to independently build, own and operate their own brewery in Europe (Berlin, Germany), and is also building a production brewery and destination restaurant in Richmond, Virginia. Known for its bold, flavorful and largely hop-centric beers, Stone has earned a reputation for brewing outstanding, unique beers while maintaining an unwavering commitment to sustainability, business ethics, philanthropy and the art of brewing. For more information on Stone Brewing, please visit StoneBrewing.com or the company’s social media sites: Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and The Stone Blog.