Not even a year ago I wrote about the lack of Connecticut beers available in the Boston market. I try to make this blog cover all of New England and I had read about a number of exciting breweries in CT but few were distributing north of the border. I even made a stop in Hartford on my way through the state to grab a selection of local brews that weren’t available in Massachusetts yet. What a difference a year makes. In that time no less than three of the breweries I was introduced to on that trip to CT have begun to distribute in the Boston area, Kent Falls, Overshores and now Stony Creek Brewery. I initially tried two Stony Creek beers, a Belgian style witbier named Sun Juice and Dock Time amber lager. While I enjoy introducing myself to a brewery by tasting their non-IPAs, I was excited to see some of Stony Creek’s hoppier varieties begin to appear on store shelves. This selection includes Cranky, their flagship IPA. Stony Creek Cranky IPA is available year round on draft and in 12 oz. cans.
Stony Creek Cranky IPA pours a clear amber-orange with a mild white head. The scent is all hops, fruity and floral. The flavor is also very hop forward, notes of grapefruit, melon, mango and pine along with a solid hit of bitterness. This is complemented by some malt in the backbone, hints of fresh bread honey and just a little caramel. Cranky IPA has a medium bodied and drinks very easy but packs a little punch at 6.8% ABV. The finish is crisp and clean with a little lingering hop flavor and bitter bite. Stony Creek Cranky is a very nicely crafted IPA, plenty of hops and just enough malts to add some balance. Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.
Previous Stony Creek Reviews:
Hoppy Boston 
