Big Dogs Dirty Dog IPA

Brewed by Big Dogs Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Las Vegas, Nevada USA

Smells fantastic! Floral and fruity. This has a very nice bitterness that isn’t too much, easily allowing this to be a session IPA, unlike their one-at-a-time War Dog. Excellent. On tap at the Draft House, where all the Big Dog beer is made.

20 oct 07, draft at BD Cafe & Casino, LV. Small cloudiness. Golden color. Light that the (HolyCow!) Pale Ale. Nice lacing. Huge aroma of Pine Trees and Grapefruit. Flavor is all hoppppp bitterness. Spruce Tea. Hop Heads Beware!!

2008-09-08, draught at the brewpub in Rancho Drive, 8-4-8-5-16=41
Light amber color. The aroma is quite fruity and resiny. Good body, caramel flavor, sweet, with strong hopping, again giving a strong earthy character (manure...; it seems to be the brewer’s signature) and fruitness (grapefruit...). Very good.

2007-10-02, draught at Big Dog’s Cafe and Casino in W Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, 8-4-8-5-17=42
Brewed exclusively with Summit hop.
Orange copper color. Very nice hoppy aroma, fruity first, with pine needles too. Medium body strength, malt flavor with a lot of sweet toffee from the hops; very strong hopping, resiny and fruity (bitter oranges). Very good.

2006-03-27, draught at the brewpub in N Rancho Dr., Las Vegas, 9-4-9-5-18=45
Light amber color. Very nice fruity aroma (grapefruit, apricots…), pine needles. Full malty body, sweet, with a respectable amount of resins, fruitness, bitterness. Superb. My best draught beer in Las Vegas.

(Draught)<P>The beer after separating from the tap pours a slight muzzy amber color with a large bright white head that is creamy in consistency and the resultant lace a fine veil to obscure the glass. Nice hop floral nose, sweet and crisp, fresh to the senses, start is malt sweet, the top modest in its feel to the palate. Finish is pleasingly acidic, the hops potent but pleasing to the palate, very dry aftertaste, a fine beer and quite refreshing on these hot summer days in the desert.

Very nice citrusy-hoppy aroma. Bright orange in color. A decent amount of carbonation, but not a foam monster - appropriate for the style. Nice hoppy flavor with just enough malt to back it up. A solid American-style IPA.

Medium amber gold with a medium cream-colored head. Bright hops aroma with some citrus, pine, earth, and spice. Clean bitterness with dry malt flavors and hops. Lighter-bodied IPA with clean bitter finish.

This one really surprised me. Clear and deep golden with a creamy, fairly lasting head with intricate, lasting lace patterns. Fulfilling texture -- not too light and not too thick. Healthy caramel malt backbone; some rye-like notes, too. Big, wafty flowers. Piney and citrusy goodness throughout. Rather tasty IPA.

Date: December 15, 2004
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Appearance: clear amber, thin white head
Body: creamy body
Flavor: lots of hop and grapefruit flavor, sweet citrus
Overall: ipa as it was meant to be

Date: July 01, 2005
Score: ii
Words: sample
Appearance: big sweet aroma of grapefruit sprinkled with sugar
Aroma: sweet malt and tempered hop flavor, does not live up to the aroma
Overall: needs another review before being downgraded

Date: July 01, 2005
Mode: draft
too cold? bigger hops and bigger malt flavor, but not picking up the promise of the aroma or the wonder of the beer I had six months ago (after too many other stops that day, I confess), goes great with twice baked cajun wings

Date: January 03, 2006
Source: brewpub
Appearance: opaque rusty orange, frothy white head, nice lace
Aroma: huge sweet citrus aroma like sugar sprinkled on grapefruit
Flavor: sweet pine flavor with nice bitterness, the hop flavor saturates after a while until you need to scrape them off your tongue
Overall: back to greatness

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4