Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

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

Pours dark copper and clear, no chill haze. A white head developed to a peak of a quater inch, and retreated fairly quick to reveal some light lacework and whisps on the surface. Aromatics are filled with citrusy and tropical fruits. Tangerine, peach, and grapefruit atop a crisp, light malt accent. The nose continues with pear skins and pine resin. Mouthfeel is crisp and snappy, with lingering bitterness. The pallet is juicy and hoppy with a mild alcohol note. Citrus fruits with marmalade and grape jam fill the lupulin bill, with a drying, crisp, refreshing quality. Finishes with a smooth, lingering bitterness and additional hop resin. While the aromatics or flavors of the hopping aren’t blastingly pungent, Big eye gets high marks for drinkability.

Clear amber with good sized egg shell head. Lacings left around the glass. Hoppy aroma of pine and some citrus and perfume. Caramel malt apparent upon tasting. But the centennial hops are the standout. Very sweet. Medium bodied with bitter astringent finish. Straightforward. Could use more variety in the selection of hops and malt.

12oz. brown bottle served in a shaker pint. Poured a clear dark gold with a thin fine bubbled white head. Fruity/piney hop aroma with some berry. Aggressive hop bitterness balanced with plenty of malt. Some caramel. Long dry hoppy finish. A really solid IPA.

Bomber pours out crystal clear copper with light tan head and decent lacing. Great aroma with grapefruit juices, orange peel and a hint of sugary malts. The flavor begins big with fresh grapefruit hops and some pin hops followed by mild malt sweetness to cut and balance the bitterness somewhat. Toward midway and to the finish grapefruit juice becomes the dominant flavor with shinning citrus bitterness. Very nice IPA.

Draught Golden-amber beer with a good yellowish head. Good floral & citrussy hops, some sweet malt coming through. Some caramel, cakecrust and orange-marmalade hops. Rather well-bodied, quite slick. Quite good, and even discreet ale. The Ballast Point forte: balance.

22 fl oz bottle. Pours golden orange with a nicely lacing and light off-white head. Peach and grapefruit hops aroma, very inviting and fresh. Flavour starts light sweet caramelish, goes into light malt note before a nice set of light peach, pineapple and distinct grapefruit flavour appear in the finish. Shows a light wooden note and solid dryness into the finish and beyond. Nice.

22 oz. Solid hops blend. Pine, citrus. At times very malty with a bitter taste.

22 ounce bottle. Pour light amber or dark golden. Long lasting white head with some good lace. This thing must have been filter to death. Pretty good blend of hops in the nose. Pine and citrus of course. It doesn’t blow your head off. There’s a decent layer of malt layer there as well. Cookie-ish. The flavor is more to the pine side of hops. Well balanced with a perfect malt base. Plenty bitter with out ripping you tongue to shreds. Medium/full body. A little bit oily. Fairly dry finish. Average carbonation. Very good. A real value at less than 5 dollars a bomber. I’d be more likely to buy again in 12 ounce bottles.