Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

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

Pours a dark golden amber color w/ full, semi creamy froth that slowly recedes to reveal its beautiful garter. Aromas of snappy citrus rind w/ an almost Lambic tart whiff. Very nice ! Full nectar w/ ample residual effers creates a velvety texture. This brew is balanced right off the bat. Nothing is over-riden here. Big malts meet snappy hops head on in a collision to create strongly flavored yet perfectly drinkable IPA. But, theres a twist, a twist of salted raspberry w/o the berry, just the RASP part. Like I said in the aroma. A Lambic tartness w/ salt. Freakin awsome. I could tell by first sip this was a classic. The finish is perfect w/ the asprin bittering mechanism that is sustained like The Edges’ guitar solos. Well balanced and thirst quenching. Connoisseurs Choice ! Highly recommended. ( I have to knock a bit off because it’s only 6%, my only complaint. Should be 7%)

22 oz. bottle from Grape & Gourmet. Orange pour with a creamy off-white head. Aroma of peach, pineapple, grapefruit, and pine. Every bit as good as I had remembered; big bitter grapefruit hop flavor. Just outstanding. You don’t typically find flavor this big in a single IPA. At 6% you get most of the big hop flavor of a DIPA without the high alcohol. This is, to date, my favorite IPA.

Tasted wedding night, one among many. My new favorite ipa. Great floral flavor, just the right amount of bitterness. No unpleasant weedy aftertaste. Needs another taste to pick apart. 4-23-09 Tasting it again to really analyze it, I still love it, it’s still my favorite IPA. Maybe I’m biased from living in San Diego. It’s a great IPA with a heavily floral and resiny hop flavor that mirrors the aroma. I also recognize a nice roasty flavor that I didn’t notice before. The finish leaves a bitter resiny pine taste. Very full, almost a bit syrupy mouth feel. This may have a different tinge since it’s been "aged." I may have lost some of the impact of the fresh hops.

Holy mackerel, this beer smells so good; grapefruit, tangy spice, lemon bright golden / amber hues with, disappointingly, no head at all nice carbonation and light on the tongue Definitely a hoppy beer. The hops are right up front, just like smelling a handful. The sweetness of the beer couldn’t be better balanced with the hopps I would call this a PERFECT IPA.

Glorious dark copper color with thin micro-bubble head that retains well. Nose is sharp/prickly citrus, maybe orange peel or tangerine. Enticing nose for sure. On the palate is a notable (pleasant) black Darjeeling Tea taste from the malt sweetness with an ESB-like quality to the ale. This is very clean, refreshing, with most of the hop character towards the end. Creamy characteristic across the palate. The nice head probably enhances this (good foam onto the palate at first, especially). More body than expected. Finish is firm and somewhat dry with a smooth chalky, tea-like sweetness with hop dryness. Very satisfying! One of my favorite and more unique IPA’s. Worth seeking out!

22 oz bottle via Hellbilly (thanks!). Pours a hazy orange with a large beige head. Nose is all about the hops...grapefruit, orange, apricot, pine... mmm and it tastes just like it smells with a nice resiny finish. Lots of nice orange/grapefruit in the lingering aftertaste. This is so full bodied that it seems like a IIPA. Carbonation is just right. This is nice!

This is absoutely an exceptional IPA! I sampled this from a bottle courtsey of the Craft Ale House. This IPA pours a clear and beautiful copper color with an off-white head. The head left a sticky and cascading lace around the glass that was really something to behold as I enjoyed this massively great IPA. The aroma featured notes of grass, earth, caramel, bread, grapefruit, black pepper and cumin. The flavors were excellently balanced, with tones of spicy hops, grass, lemon, grapefruit, bread and yeast. The finish was malty with a smooth texture of spicy hops, caramel and a perfect touch of dry grapefruit and orange. This is one of those bottles that you wish could last forever. I can’t wait to try more beers from Ballast Point! This is a very excellent IPA!

Copper pour...Nice hop aroma, floral and citrus notes...grapefruit...Medium body...Light carbonation...Hop flavor up front...Long hop palate with a malty finish in the end...very mild bitterness lingers...Delicious...