Ballast Point Dorado Double IPA

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

A silky white head rests atop a slightly hazy orange to gold hued body. The aroma immediately smacks of hops, pungent more so than bright, with elements of spruce, orange, lime and an interesting cucumber note. Malt presence begins with refined sugar and cereals trailing into honeyed bread with soft caramel traces. The yeast is mostly clean, only having soft touches of dough. There is some bright acidity, white grape skins and pineapple, but the dank hops mostly serve to cover this. The flavor attacks up front with toasted grain cereal and citrus, shifts through a grinding acidity and finishes with a dark, almost savory, hop finale. The aftertaste is a neat summation of the parts, with decent throat-tingling bitterness. A thin trace of alcohol can be detected in the mouth, but it’s nothing more than an indicator of the beer’s strength—no distraction. This finishes well on the drier side for such a big beer, though perhaps middle of the road for an IIPA. Very slick in texture, broken somewhat by bustling carbonation—carbonation that also serves to liven a beer dominated by pungent hops. Quite enjoyable and drinkable, definitely well executed, but I would perhaps enjoy a bit more brightness overall. 22 oz bottle served in a Burgundy glass.

Cloudy amber that cleared over time. Whitish head left when it felt necessary, careful not to overstay its welcome. The aroma was exhilarating with hops, lots of hops, grapefruit, lemons, orange, and malt. The flavor was highly similar. Very hoppy with a very nice grapefruit tartness. There was a fruit sweetness that hinted its presence. Alcohol was well blended with the flavors. The finish had citrus, hop bitterness, and some grassy hues. Dorado is a very nice and very unique IIPA.

Courtesy of Dirty_Martini via trade. Pour was a beautiful burnt orange with a thin white head that made little lines all the way down the glass. If only they were red it would look like the American flag. Aroma was STRONG! Grassy hops with little else. The taste started with some malt but ended with a hoppy rush. The hops did ot come through as strong as other IIPAs but was still worthy. The grassiness of this beer made me think I drank liquified yard work. A nice take on the IIPA style

Hazy orange/amber pour. Slowly, moderately diminishing off white head. Thick three dimensional sporadic lacing. Eventually a thin foam of tiny bubbles remains. Textbook. The aroma has less astringency than other familiar west coast IPA’s. Fruity hops include orange notes, tangelo, mild grapefruit and some mint as well. Mild malts. Soft and pleasant nose with sweet sugary esters. Flavor is very sweet and signifigantly more astringent. Boatloads of bittering hops shuffle across my tongue. The aroma was certainly softer and more pleasant than the flavor. The flavor seems a little too bracing and the bitterness is at times a touch unpleasant. Dried pineapple, yeast, orange juice(fresh, uncut, sour) all have a stake in the flavor. A strange addition of raw hop character is at times a little vegetal. The finish is extremely dry and mildly woody. Palate is medium-light to medium with good length. I was indeed expecting more from this beer, but still indubitably want to sample the other works from this brewery.

(22oz bottle) Lightly hazy amber body with medium beige head, nice lacing. Aroma is medium sweet, orange/floral, some grapefruit, bread. Taste is moderately sweet, orange/floral, some caramel, light grapefruit. Quite hoppy, but not overwhelmingly bitter. Medium-full body, some resin, alcohol very well hidden.

Beautiful clear amber body, white head; Lots and lots of hop aromas: Earl grey the, lots of lemon, harsh orange peel; Huge carbonation, a little to thin textured, only slightly bitter; Quite long finish where the bitterness shows character, lemon and earl grey aromas.

Courtesy boboski. Copper/orange with a small layer of creamy, white foam. Nose of tangerine, melon, resin, spicy floral notes. Same flavors with some sugary sweetness, soft malt background, and a bit of herbalness. Medium/full body, balanced, lightly syrupy. Solid brew, spicy yet soft. A good change-up for a west coast IPA.

22oz bomber, no date. Pours a hazy orange caramel with a 1/2 finger light beige head. Aroma of citrusy hops and fresh orange juice, some tropical fruits, a bit of hairspray (not perfumey floral hops though), a bit of caramelly sweetness. Flavor has a bunch of grassiness up front followed some orangey tangerine citrus herbal hops, some caramel sweetness. Grass is dominant. Semi-dry finish. Moderate bitterness. Medium-full body with light to moderate carbonation.