Stone Enjoy By Black IPA 05.04.16 Arrives This Week

Stone Brewing announced its newest Enjoy By IPA, this one a Black IPA that is best enjoyed by May 4, also known as Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you). 

Grab a couple of these and drink them quick, as these actually are the beers you're looking for.

Here is the release from Stone:

IN A GALAXY NOT TOO FAR AWAY (A time not too long ago) – The seemingly sinister Stone Enjoy By 05.04.16 Black IPA by Stone Brewing has risen from sources of dark malted barley. Brewed specifically NOT to last, this immensely hopped black IPA refuses to rest until it makes the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs to hopheads in 22-ounce bottles and on draft at select retailers nationwide.

With the balanced support of pleasingly smooth malts, Vic Secret, Ella and (of course!) Galaxy lead the massive hop addition in this predominately Oz system hop profile. When combined and added, the hops produce nuances of dankness and tropical fruit qualities that are evident in the aroma, with a taste that is distinctively hoppy. This devastatingly dark force is out to restore freshness and appreciation to the black IPA subsect in cantinas and lairs across select parts of the known universe.

"Keeping in mind the words of an immensely wise philosopher—'Do. Or do not. There is no try'—we created a recipe that featured the exact traits we wanted our fans to experience from a black IPA," said Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele. "The recipe we landed on really showcases the aromas and flavors of Australian hop varietals, which are balanced beautifully with the delicate back notes of roast and dark malts."

A groundbreaking mission, the Stone Enjoy By IPA series facilitated a paradigm shift in how Stone and its distribution partners work together to deliver the most devastatingly fresh IPAs on the planet to craft beer enthusiasts. Just as on its light-side counterpart, the "Enjoy By" date sends an overt message to its fresh-seeking fans on the bottle, indicating precisely the date by which the black IPA must be consumed to enjoy maximum freshness. In the unlikely event that any Stone Enjoy By 05.04.16 Black IPA remains on the shelves on May 5, the Revenge of the Fifth will strike in the form of empty shelves and draft lines.

Hopheads only have 37 days to get their hands on this black IPA before its whereabouts are completely unknown...

For those social media savvy imbibers, Stone has a dedicated Web page, enjoyby.stonebrewing.com, that captures fans' experiences with the Stone Enjoy By IPA series and all of its variations. Fans are encouraged to share posts using the hashtag #EnjoyBy on Twitter and Instagram or by checking in on Untappd. Tweets, photos and check-ins are then posted on the page's live social feed.

"uughguughhhghghghhhgh wrrhw huuguughghg aarrragghuuhw," said Chewbacca. "hnnnhrrhhh uughguughhhghghghhhgh raaaaaahhgh aguhwwgggghhh awwgggghhh aarrragghuuhw uggguh uughghhhgh uughguughhhghghghhhgh uughguughhhghghghhhgh raaaaaahhgh."

May the fourth be with you. Always.

Quick Facts

Name: Stone Enjoy By 05.04.16 Black IPA

Stats: 9.4% ABV, 80 IBUs

Availability: Limited Limited 22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning March 28

Hop Varieties: Amarillo, Super Galena, Cascade, Centennial, Ella, Galaxy, Vic Secret

National Distribution: AZ, AK, CA, CT, DE, IA, IN, KS, MA, MI, MN, MT, NE, NH, NM, NV, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA and WA

Image Courtesy of Stone Brewing