hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

Stone Dayfest

Stone Brewing
Tap to rate
🌍 United States · Session IPA · One of 83 Session IPAs in hopIQ

Stone Dayfest IPA arrived in April 2025 as a lighter counterpart to the brewery's stronger IPAs, and Stone presents it as a West Coast-style IPA at low strength. It pours pale straw under white foam. The nose is a tropical mix of mango, pineapple, orange and passion fruit with a touch of bubblegum, an herbal edge and the dank note of New Zealand hops. The malt feels fuller than the strength suggests, the fruit reads as sweetness, and the finish stays off-dry and long with restrained bitterness. Like the Delicious series, it is brewed to reduce gluten.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden6
See all Session IPA alternatives →

AWARDS

Gold · 2026
U.S. Open Beer Championship
Light IPA/Session IPA
★Gold — U.S. Open Beer Championship (Light IPA/Session IPA)
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Medium body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Firm bitter edge.
mildbitter
Texture
Balanced mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

A clean close sets the character — an invitation to the next sip.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Session IPA.
Hop character
tropical
dank
orange
herbal
hoppy
Fermentation & yeast
fruity
bubblegum
Malt character
malty

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Stone Dayfest

◎ Appearance

Pours a pale straw yellow beneath a white, stable foam head. The beer presents itself with excellent clarity and a fine bead that suggests proper carbonation. The head clings to the glass with good retention, leaving delicate lacing on the walls.

pale strawwhite foamclearfine carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with vibrant tropical fruit—mango, pineapple, orange, and passion fruit dominate the profile. Beneath the fruit sits a herbal character with the distinctive dank earthiness of New Zealand hops, complemented by a subtle bubblegum sweetness that adds an unexpected playful edge.

tropical fruitmango, pineappleherbal dankbubblegum note

◐ Taste

Entry reveals a fuller malt presence than the low alcohol strength would suggest, which grounds the beer and provides body. The tropical and stone fruit character reads as sweetness on the mid-palate, while restrained bitterness remains well-integrated. The finish stays off-dry and lingering, avoiding sharpness while maintaining composure.

full malt bodytropical sweetnessrestrained bitternessoff-dry

◑ Finish

A long, dry finish that persists without harshness, allowing the fruit character to fade gracefully into a subtle herbal memory. The aftertaste remains balanced, never cloying.

long finishdry herbalbalanced
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
82
Appearance
82
Finish
80
+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Stone Dayfest

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve well-chilled. Session IPAs are at their best cold — the lower ABV means less warmth to balance the hops.

Tulip glass
Recommended for this style

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

Drink fresh. Session IPAs are brewed to be consumed young — the hops are at their best now.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Stone Dayfest

About Session IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Session IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar Session IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same tropical, fruity, light character as Stone Dayfest will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Session IPAs in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Session IPA beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →