Ballast Point Dorado Double IPA

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Diego, California USA

Clear pale body with medium sized white head. The aroma is almost all hops, floral, citrus and pine with just a touch of bread. The flavor is a touch sweet, some bread and honey malt, and lots of juicy, fruity hops, apricots, peach, grapefruit with just a touch of caramel at the end. Medium body is softly carbonated and just a tad bit flabby with a slightly bitter and dry finish. It’s not Pliney the Elder, but still very well done.

Poured an effervescent amber with a fizzy frothy off-white head. Refreshing aroma of bitter grapefruit, pine needles, and fresh-cut grass. Flavor is refreshingly bitter with some earthy pine needles and pine cones, with also perhaps a bit of citrus. Big malty body on this one, where I can taste the sweet toffee through the earthy bitter hops. I typically enjoy a good malt body on my double IPA’s, but this almost borders on too sweet. Almost, but not quite. It still has enough bitterness to stay to style for me and not drift into a barley wine or generic strong. Finish is a bit of sweet toffee and bitter pine needles. Not quite a head-turner for me, as I would like it to be a bit more refreshing and citrusy. But this is a good double IPA that does the important things right.

Sampled at the brewery on 11/30/06: Pours a clear copper amber with a nicely-lacing frothy white head. Huge, fresh grapefruity hoppy aroma has a lot of sweet caramel malty balance. Body starts sweet, fresh and hoppy with big bittering grapefruit and sticky caramel and hop resiny finish. Crisp, enjoyable and slightly warming. A nice double IPA.

Fresh bottle sampled on 6/18/09: Has lots of fresh resiny grapefruity hops throghout the aroma and body. Great resiny bittersweetness balances the rich sweet light crystal maltiness. This is dangerously drinkable and refreshing.

Bomber poured a clear gold with a small lingering amber head. Aromas of pine, light citrus and hints of carmel and earthiness. Palate was medium bodied and slightly dry. Flavors of carmel, pine and a hint of earthiness with a smooth lightly bitter finish.

Bomber. Thanks dirty_martini! Pours a hazy amber with a lacy off-white head. Nice big grapefruit aroma with mango and pine. Medium body and carbonation. A little caramel and fruit in the taste, but you have to dig through a wave of hops to find it. Resinous finish. Tasty. but not my favorite DIPA.

Definitely a strong double. As an updated rating, I’m sad to see this limited release ale off the shelves now. However, its replacement with Sculpin IPA is justified. Strong green aroma with hops and grapefruit citrus. I didn’t think this one was balanced all that well. Overly sweet malt base with a finish of fresh cut hay and strong warming alcohol. Very tasty, but just too syrupy of a palate. More carbonation and less caramelization could make for a crisper finish. Good, but I don’t think it compares with the likes of other great west coast IPAs, such as Pliny the Elder.

Prefer on draft - mostly because its too damn expensive in bottle. A hop monster - more in aroma than flavor. The high alchol content makes this one pretty syrupy, lacey, and very sweet. Pretty smooth for being nearly 10%, flavors of citrus, oranges, mango, GREEN APPLE!!!. I def enjoyed this beer. nice having ballast point down the street! make this again.

22 oz bottle. Very pale, slightly hazy golden/orange brew with a creamy white head. Intense simcoe hop aroma. A bit of light tangerine and grapefruit aroma behind the piny notes on the front. As it warms, some soft spiciness begins to show up. Malts are bright and lean with a bit of light wheatiness as well. Hoppy flavour, simcoe pine, a bit of juicy mango, citrus and fresh cut pineapple. There is also a touch of soft resinousness. Bitterness is fairly light, but the hops are sweet and flavourful. A bit of soapiness as the beer starts to warm up. When fresh, I bet this was incredible. It’s starting to fade, but it’s still an excellent IIPA.