Ruination 2.0 by Stone Brewing Co. is being judged as a Double IPA (category 22A) per the 2015 BJCP guidelines.
This beer pours a medium-gold color with lightly hazy clarity. A slightly off-white head of large bubbles lingers with a visual reminiscent of sourdough bread. A beautiful lacing is left on the edge of the glass as it is consumed. The aroma is first noted as a lightly sweet, grainy malty aroma but a moderately low aroma of powdered sugar-dusted blueberries becomes prominent. The aroma of this beer is extremely pleasant and is reminiscent of a blueberry granola bar. The flavor consists of a moderately low malt sweetness and a low grainy flavor is quickly taken over by a medium-high hop bitterness and medium hop flavors of blueberry, very light bitter orange peel, and very light notes of pine. In the finish, a moderately low ethyl alcohol helps push the bitterness further and allows it to linger well after the sip. This beer finishes lightly sweet but the balance is very much towards the bitter. This beer has a medium body with medium carbonation. There is a low, pleasant alcohol warmth to this beer and no astringency despite its prominent bitterness.
Overall, this is an exceptional beer that showcases unique hop flavor and firm assertive bitterness. It slightly lacked the depth of layered hop flavor and aroma, though it was well done and a very tasty beer. This beer had the bitter presence and malt character to back it up that an American double IPA should have.