Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
San Diego, California USA

Bottle. Pours a hazy orange/amber, small off-white head. Hops, sweet malt and pine dominate the aroma. More of the same within the flavor profile, really nice blend of the three. Finish is bitter, dry and hoppy.

This orange-copper ale poured with a decent off-white head and a strong citrus and pine aroma. There is a hearty caramel flavor infused with lots of bittering hops, resulting in a very satisfying drink, though more so for hopheads.

Pours from the bottle to a hazy golden-orange color with thick white head that lingers well and leaves okay lacing. From the start, the nose is a pleasant hoppy citrus (mostlyu grapefruit and lemons), and the mouthfeel full and tangy. Taste accentuates the citrusy hops of the nose, and the finish is slightly dry and bitter, as I would expect. A darn good beer from a brewer we can’t get much from in Atlanta.

Clear orange amber color with a tall white head. Aroma of citrus, hops, and some pine. Flavor is mild-well-balanced with grapefruit, hops, and some caramel. Well done.

I’ve had many bottles of this-- 12 oz and 22 oz, and I just had a 22 oz with lunch today-- and I like this IPA. Considering that I can get it many places (I live in Southern CA), and that a 22 oz bottle is just $3.99 at the place where I usually go, and it’s usually in-stock (as opposed to Pliny, which is not easy to get whenever you want it), there is a lot to like about this IPA. The finish, which strikes me as a little bitter, lingers longer than I would prefer, but otherwise this is a very fine example of a well-done west coast IPA. I have to wonder if they could improve the beer by incorporating something other than Centennial hops, but this is one of my go-to IPAs.

North Shore - Oahu, Hi - Turtle Point Resort - Ola Bar and Grill - 12 oz bottle. Dark orange pour, frothy white head - good lacing. Pleasant spruce aroma. flavor has a solid grapefruit bitterness that hits the spot after a hot day on the beach. Some trailing nuttiness provides good balance. Crisp, clean mouthfeel. Overall solid.

650 mL from Southbay. Pours a clear, full amber with a three-finger, white, fluffy head that has okay retention and big sheety lacing. Maybe I’m inspired by the oceanic label, but I swear the aroma has a bit of ocean salt spray, some light seaweed, along with lots of herbal hops, potpourri, strawberry cheesecake, overripe bananas, caramel. Taste is grapefruit rind, curacao, spicy, Brazil nut, bitter finish. Simple, clean, disappeared very fast.

12 oz bottle - every once in a while I come across a new IPA that reminds me why this is far and away my favorite style - no matter the season. This is one of thos beer. This masterpiece pours an amber/orange color with a thin beige head and has a very hoppy, piney, citrusy nose. The taste is pure hops, pine and grapefruit - and then more grapefruit - followed by the nice bitter finish you would expect from this outstanding IPA. Now you’ll have to excuse me while I go finish this IPA and enjoy another (or 3).