Ballast Point Sculpin IPA (North Star)

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

On cask at The Flying Saucer in Raleigh. Light gold pour with a small white head on it. It was a little undercarbonated, but not too badly. Light and fruity hop flavor, but missing a little bit of hoppy bitterness that I was expecting. Easy to drink and very tasty though!

Bomber shared with and thanks to Axilla. Poured slightly cloudy orangish in color with a nice off white sticky head that left great lacing on the glass. Aroma is very piney and floral with a nice sweetness to back it up. Tastes of sweet american hops, grapefruit, piney, resin, with a nice caramel malt backbone. Very fantastic and drinkable IPA.

Bomber from Monk’s Kettle S.F. This clear golden ale poured with a thin beige head and an aroma of pine and citrus. It’s easy to drink, even though there is enough tasty hop bitterness to satisfy a hardcore hophead. Very well-crafted.

Cask at Blind Tiger. Poured a clearish light mahogany with a thin bubbly head. Nose is nice floral and piny hops. Mouthful is a bit on the thin side. This is a nice an easy drinker for the hop fan, and also for the non hop fan. The hop flavor is prevalent but not overpowering. There is a hint of sweetness up front, then it is full on hops with a nice and long lingering bitter finish.Very well balanced and extremely drinkable.

Fresh 22oz bottle. Pours a nice orange color with a 1 inch foam head that fades into surface head. A very piney nose. An earthy mouth feel with good carbonation and very dry finish. Didn’t capture my full attention as much as the hype did.

Bottle shared by mrbendo. Pours a orange color with a nice white head to it. Has a huge citrus piny hoppy smell to it. Taste is citrus and pine with a nice bitter finish. Very nice IPA

22 oz bottle pours the clear gold with a one finger head that leaves a lot of lacing and fades to a persistent thin foam. Nose clearing aromas of grapefruit, lemon, and hop resin. A powerful amount of bitters to the taste, but surprisingly light on the tongue for the huge flavors: more citrus, a bit of mountain cedar, fine notes of clean malts way underneath. Packs as much flavor as many Imperial or double IPAs. Wow!

Here is yet another big IPA that I’ve been waiting (semi-patientingly) to sample. I finally got my chance at the Craft Ale House, and it did not disappoint. The unique trait I found with this beer was the oddly light body. I was not expecting this beer to go down so similarly like iced tea or Kool-Aid. The body was amazingly light, and was completely unexpected. That characteristic makes this IPA a little more dangerous than others. I think I could sit at the bar or at home and drink one of these right after another. And that could lead to some qusi-undesired results. The beer pours a light golden color. It sports a white head that laces around the glass the entire way down to the bottom. The nose has that West Coast IPA feeling, with lots of hops, grapefruit, pine and hop resin. The flavors are well-balanced and extremely delicious, with a ton of crisp and floral hops and notes of grass, grapefruit, lemon zest, earth, light bread and a good balance of light malt. The finish really stings the palate, with crisp hop character. This is one outstanding IPA. I wish this was more widely available here in southeastern PA. I could really use some more of it!