Stone IPA clone recipe

Stone IPA was the beer that taught a generation what 'aggressive' bitterness tasted like. Released in 1997, it pioneered the in-your-face West Coast IPA style. Stone's been semi-public about the recipe over the years, and it remains a clone-magnet for homebrewers chasing the classic high-bitterness, citrus-and-pine West Coast template.

Brewery

Stone

Style

American IPA

ABV

6.9%

IBU

OG / FG

1.067 / 1.013

SRM

First brewed

1997

About this beer

Stone IPA is unapologetic. Bone-dry, sharply bitter (71 IBU and you'll feel it), with bold grapefruit, pine, and citrus zest. The malt is just enough to support the hops, never more. After two decades it remains one of the cleanest West Coast IPAs in production. Drink within 4-6 weeks of canning.

Grain bill (5-gallon batch)

Grain	Weight	%	Role
2-row pale malt	13 lb	95%	Almost all base malt — minimal crystal makes the hops crisp.
Caramel/Crystal 15L	0.7 lb	5%	Very light crystal — just enough for color, no caramel sweetness.

Hop schedule

Hop	Amount	When	Purpose
Magnum	0.8 oz	60 min boil	Clean bittering
Chinook	0.5 oz	30 min boil	Flavor
Centennial	1.0 oz	Flameout	Aroma
Columbus	1.0 oz	Dry hop · 7 days	Dank, citrus
Centennial	1.0 oz	Dry hop · 7 days	Bright citrus zest

Yeast

Wyeast 1056 / White Labs WLP001 / Safale US-05

Chico strain. Ferment cool (66-68°F) for clean fermentation.

Water profile

Strongly calcium sulfate–forward. Target ~200 ppm sulfate, ~50 ppm chloride. This is the most West Coast water profile of any beer here — emphasizes bitterness, crisp finish.

Process notes

Mash at 150°F for 60 min — dry finish
Single dry hop charge for 7 days at 68°F
Force-carbonate to 2.5 volumes
Stone famously dates every can — drink within 35-49 days of canning for the full experience

Why it tastes like that

The interesting part of a clone recipe is understanding why each ingredient choice matters. Here's what each element of the recipe contributes:

95% pale base — no caramel to soften the bitterness, no crystal sweetness to balance. The beer is built to let the bitterness and aromatic hops show clearly.
Magnum bittering is a key choice — clean alpha-acid bitterness without aromatic interference, then aroma hops layer on top.
Columbus + Centennial dry hop delivers the dank-citrus combo that became the West Coast signature.
Aggressively sulfated water (200 ppm) sharpens the bitterness perception — same beer with chloride-forward water would feel rounded and softer.
150°F mash is on the lower end, encouraging fuller attenuation and the bone-dry finish.