Stoudts India Pale Ale

Our version of the English classic; Stoudt's India Pale Ale has a rich amber color, a complex malty flavor, and an assertive hop character. This special ale is bottle conditioned and should continue to develop in character as it matures.

3.9

187 reviews

Adamstown, United States

Community reviews

3.9 Labeled Y2k, provided by Dickinsonbeer at Madness@the Moose YEHA. This must be from either 99 or 2000 but it has done very well for an IPA. Pours with a big head and am orange body, sticky lacing. Aroma is a light dusty hoppiness, not strong but pleasantly there. Behind that is some aged maltiness. Taste is aged hops that are light liy sweet combining with a sticky sweetness both from aged hops and a caramel maltiness. Nice stuff, thanks Paul.

3.4 Bottle sampled at stateline. Vintage date 1999 cuvee 3 (1609) Pours a reddish-amber with a small beigh head. Aroma of sweet malt, caramel, and slight oxidation. Flavor of caramel, citrus hops, yeast, and some wood notes with a light bitter finish. thanks robert

3.6 Date: 05/02/2003 Mode: Bottle conditioned, 750ml Source: Whole Foods Market, DC dark amber, big frothy tan head, strong hop aroma, rich malt flawor, lots of hop flavor but with very low bitterness, Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 16/20 Rating: 3.6/5.0 Score: ***/4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

4.1 750 of the 2002 vintage. First thing first - the IPA character after five years of aging has taken a considerable hit. The floral aroma is all but gone and the bitterness has significantly declined to the point where this fails to be an IPA at all anymore. HOWEVER, I’m not rating to style, but to my personal enjoyment of this beer. In that case, I very much enjoyed this. Huge caramelization and subsequent toffee aroma. Some slight oxidation, but barely there. Interesting considering the age. The hops no doubt did their thing in regards to the preservation. Nice body and mouthfeel and just the remnants of a once-significant bitterness. Had to check the label again to see that this was only originally intended to be an IPA. I would think that I would’ve enjoyed this aged rather than fresh as I remain suspect on how a huge floral character and high alpha acid content would played off the marris otter. No matter, as I’m perfectly content, and again prefer, to have had this aged.

4.0 750mL bottle, dated 8/29/02. Poured deep reddish-amber with a short cap of sticky beige head. The aroma was very intriguing, rich caramel and some chocolate with some dark fruits.. some dry floral hoppage and mild oxidation.. very good! Flavor had bunches of toasted caramel at the core.. again the rich dark fruit array.. bitterness was mild and weathered away with time, but the change in character was quite welcome. Heavier-bodied than your average IPA with some spritzy oxidation notes.. I really enjoyed this all around.

3.8 2001 vintage date. i was alittle worried about a 6 year old IPA. I would not have cared if it were a 120 but over all it stayed pretty good. It mellowed out big time.

3.8 2000 750ml bottle of "Stoudt’s Y2K IPA" - I have to admit that I’m a bit apprehensive about trying a 6-7 year old IPA. Maybe a 7 year old DFH 120 would have held up, but a standard IPA? This is a challenge. Sweet, rich aroma that is a bit floral with some almost sweet-potato like essence. Taste starts out sweet - a bit like their Double IPA. There is an interesting grainy, earthy taste that makes it pretty unique. Unfortunately, it gets a bit too thin at the end. There is almost a farmhouse-ish taste in this one. Glad to have tried it, but I really hope they bring it back at some point so I can try a fresh one.

3.2 Bottle. I usually like most Stoudts, but I was actually a little disappointed in this one. Did not have the hoppy aroma or flavor that I was expecting. Seemed to be a lttle watered down...a little bland.

3.0 Cloudy brown pour with a creamy head. A little floral hops in the nose with a some malt among the similarly floral hops.

3.4 This one supposedly had been aged and the hop presence was definitely lacking for an IPA. Murky brown pour. Caramel malts and dark fruit. Some hops but very subdued. Not awful by any means, but this isn’t what I expect in an IPA.

3.1 Plain. A little old maybe? The hop presence was light, far too light for an ipa. Some malt sweetness and faint hops in the flavor.

3.2 The fact that this beer is retired makes sense. The aroma was a little sweet for an IPA, and the floral nature of the aroma barely pokes through on the palate. It was kinda bland and a little too sweet to me. Maybe time was not this beers friend and it just overmellowed it, but I didn’t particularly care for it, as it was pretty pedestrian.

3.0 Poured from a two or three year old 750. Syrupy orange pour that appears as spirit. Huge, strong malts in the aroma with touches of aerosol and pineapple. An anvil weight of caramel and woods flavors. Rich, earthy texture. The hops laid down to sleep long ago, and have slowly, quietly sunk into the soil. Almost no bitterness; slippery oxidation. Rather intriguing. Thanks for sharing, Dan!

4.2 Bottle.. This beer aged very well. 2002 vintage aged almost 5 years. Rich amber in color with a foamy light tan head fading into a heavy sticky lace. I think the extra age added quite a bit to the alcohol flavor, however the beer was so well balanced, it added to the flavor character. The maltiness is almost fruity but a touch of honey. Age it carefully and enjoy.

4.2 The labeling date has been worn off, but I think it says 2002. Drank January 26, 2007 Deep amber brown pour with a light cream head of delicate but heavy lace. Aroma is more of a spicy malt. Earthy and attractive. This beautiful beer has taken on a barleywine-ish character. Complex, rich and easy to drink. Please, bring back this beer.

4.1 This beer has held up pretty well.Had the 03 version.Caramel malts and strong hops in the aroma.Pours a dark amber with a light head.Sweet malts are balanced well with the hops.Medium mouthfeel with a bitter sweet finish.

3.7 02 Courtesy of Styles, Thanks! Was a little bit curious on what this would taste like and how it held up. Pours a dark red, amberish color, with a head which quickly disappeared. Pretty good, tasted smooth and mellow, almost more of an aged barley wine. Glad i got the chance to try it as i probably never will again.

3.9 2002. Hazy amber with a small off-hite head that fades to a cover. The aroma is caramel, citrue and slight oxidation. The flavor is oxidized, toffee and nuts. Medium body with a soft texture.

4.2 This Stoudts IPA is a great beer. I’m drinking a 2003 vintage. The pour is a very dark amber color--even when held up to the light. The smell is a very sweet malt, mixed with the hops of course. The sweetness of the aroma really stuck with me, a very caramel like smell. The taste follows, as you get a very nice mix of sweet malt, and bitter hops. This beer is smooth and incredibly easy to drink. It closely reminds me of Great Divide Hercules, except a little sweeter. "

4.1 2004 750 ml bottle. Pours a darker brownish orange amber with a large bubbly yet creamy light tan head that laced nicely. Head retained the entire hour plus I spent with this one. Last glass poured an apple cider hazy. Really nice looking IPA. First thing I get in the aroma is the nice rich caramel malt but followed closely by orange and floral hop presence. Hops have toned down with the age for sure, but are still present and actually balanced just about right in the aroma. Flavor is also the malty sweet caramel, followed again by the floral, lighter citrus hops. Can also sense a slight bitterness in the end of the taste, but it is considerable toned down. Nice creamy mouthfeel. I cracked this one open on recommendation of some friends that this may have reached it’s prime. While I would have loved to try this baby fresh it was certainly still in great shape. Well worth the $11 I paid for this at the local pizza shop. Stoudt’s needs to start making this one again.

3.7 2003 bottle shared by Styles. Pours a dark copper color with a thick off white foamy head. Nose is light hops, very malty and sweet caramel. Light hops in the body, very malty and sugary. Body is thin with a light bitter finish. Leaves a thin film on tongue and teeth.

3.6 Taster on tap at brewpub. Dark golden. Light sweet hop aroma. Very spicy hop flavor. Well balanced.

3.9 Vintage date: 7/24/03. Poured into a shaker -- mounds of foam that would not stop producing -- came over the side and piled on the table. Finally receded with thick lacing. Dark amber/ruby appearance. Deep spruce/grass notes. Thick. Tastes like an imperial. Well balanced, but caramel is primary- then turning hoppy. Medium bitter finish.

4.0 I wasn’t sure if this one was an IPA or an IIPA. Given it’s ABV, I guess it could have gone either way. 2 year old bottle. Smells of wildflowers and oranges with caramel and dough creeping in. Taste is much sweeter than it probably was fresh with roses and blood oranges dominating on the hop end of the spectrum and lots of caramel and chocolatey elements popping through from the malt end. Mouthfeel is oily, almost like a weaker barleywine. Finish is caramelly with some decent sugary elements. Given how well this one lasted, I’m probably going to lay the other three bottles I still have down for a few more years to see where this one goes.

3.7 750ml - vintage 1/7/04 - Aroma is a bit subduded, it is almost a 2 yr old IPA afterall. Carmel malt, floral hop, and sugar cookie fill the nose. Pours a dark copper with a thick off white head that leaves great lacing. Flavor is also a bit sunduded floral hops and sweet malt. I am amazed at how hoppy this brew still is. Clean smooth palate. A very tasty mature IPA.

4.4 Dark orange, hazey pour with a healthy off-white head. Caramelly and malty on the front end. Mildly hoppy on the finish. This is not your typical IPA....a little less hoppy than most good examples, but the malty taste is great.

4.1 had this at the Kuhnhenns gathering on 6/10 thanks goes to pailhead for this one. poured a cloudly dark amber, with a white head. aroma on this at least 2 year old beer was earthy, hops and malts,citrus, pine, caramel and fruits. the flavor was well balanaced for me the hop and malts were made this nice and smooth, than some yeast came out and just a touch of alcohol. would like to get my taste buds on this one again.

3.5 Pours a hazy murky color, small white head. Aroma is well balanced.. Flavor is also nicely balanced with the hops asserting themselves just slightly.

4.2 Very smooth IPA similar in taste Stones IPA but not as bitter. Grapefruit citrus smell and taste. Amber yellowish color. The malt smoothens out the hop. Not as much bite as I prefer for an IPA but very well balanced.

4.2 [bomber] Pours a dark, cloudy amber with some nice floaters in there. The head is thick and creamy, and it lasted quite a while, with some serious lacing around the glass. Excellent malt flavors, and strong hop content as well. This is a very well balanced IPA- one of the best I’ve tried.