C'mon, get hoppy with India pale ale By BARRY SHLACHTER Star-Telegram Staff Writer January 21, 2004 Stone Brewing Co., the company with devilish gargoyles on its bottles, is famous for extremely hopped ales. So it's not surprising that the 7-year-old Southern California outfit should excel in a hop-heavy style like India pale ale. If you're unfamiliar with what is often called IPA, forget the undistinguished lagers you might have tried at Indian restaurants. India pale ales are light-years away. The style was developed in the late 1700s by an enterprising English brewer to withstand the five-month voyage to Calcutta without refrigeration. No one knows exactly what the first IPA tasted like, according to British beer authority Roger Protz. But its originator, George Hodgson of East London's Bow Brewery, concocted a pale beverage that was stronger than most beers at the time -- apparently ratcheting up the alcohol to at least 6 percent and adding easily twice the usual hops, Protz says. Hodgson's brainchild quickly displaced the English beer that had been arriving halfway around the world sour and flat. He ended up controlling a large and thirsty colonial market until the 1830s, when Calcutta merchants revolted over his whimsical pricing and spotty payment. A board member of the governing East India Co., Protz writes, quietly urged rival brewers in Burton-on-Trent to break Hodgson's monopoly by crafting their own India pale ales. And they did. Alas, the style has not survived in its target market. But India's loss is our gain, especially with Stone's distinctive take on this venerable style. It pours a warm, golden peach with a fine, white, bubbly head. The hops aroma hits you well before the glass reaches your mouth. This is a strong brew, with the alcohol by volume 6.9 percent. The hops flavor is so overpowering that you might not notice the malt, but the bitterness is just right. Stone's IPA cuts clean, making it a superb pairing with spicy Mexican or Indian fare. We had it with a keema (ground beef) curry and potatoes. That said, this beer's pronounced flavors might not be to many people's liking. Even those swept away by Stone's take on IPA might want to savor it only on special occasions. My wife found it too astringent, but two dinner guests enjoyed it as much as I did. Stone Brewing, maker of Arrogant Bastard Ale, is not afraid to make bold statements with its beers. It's not trying to please everyone, but the brewery near San Diego has won a loyal following among a growing number of artisan-beer lovers. Two popular beer-rating Internet sites, Beeradvocate.com, with 13,000 members and Ratebeer.com, with 7,200, named Stone the best brewery in America last year. At about $3.75 for a 22-ounce bottle, Stone IPA is available at Hall's, Central Market, Market Street and the larger Kings and Majestic liquor stores. Barry Shlachter, (817) 390-7718 bschlachter@star-telegram.com