Judge’s Review: 91 Rating – Fear.Movie.Lions Double IPA by Stone Brewing Co.

Specialty IPA | Year-Round | United States

By Michael Heniff

Judges Rating: 91
Aroma: 21
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 37
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 17

Fear.Movie.Lions by Stone Brewing Co. is a East Coast Double IPA and is being evaluated as a Specialty IPA (category 21B in the 2015 BJCP Beer Style Guidelines). The focus of the Double IPA style is hops, hops and more hops. Additionally, despite being a high-alcohol content style, Double IPAs are fairly drinkable and lack a heavy malty body, which are more typical traits of beers of these strengths. New England IPAs are known for their juicy/tropical fruit/citrusy hop-forward character, hazy appearance and lighter-than-typical American IPA bitterness. Fear.Movie.Lions is hopped with Loral and Mosaic hops and measures in at 8.5% ABV and 60 IBUs.
Fear.Movie.Lions pours dark golden in color with a slight haze and a big, fluffy off-white head. The aroma is of prominent hops, tropical fruit and pine with a hint of pineapple and lime; the malt takes a far backseat to the hops but notes of malt can be detected. The flavor is moderate-strong tropical fruit and piney hops with a hint of lime.  A moderately light caramel malt flavor helps to balance the aggressive hops. The beer finishes with moderate bitterness and a moderately light caramel malt and hop flavors of tropical fruit, generic citrus and a hint of lime.
Fear.Movie.Lions is a solid Double IPA that leans towards the Double New England IPA style. In Fear.Movie.Lions, there are elements of the beer that are more typical of a traditional Double IPA such as the caramel malt presence, piney hop notes and a slightly higher bitterness. Regardless, hop heads should definitely seek this IPA out.