Dorado Double IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue III:

Our personal goal is to try every Double IPA out there. Thanks to Ballast Point for keeping our dream alive, and they also use one of our favorite hops, Centennial. Thick two fingers of head and rings of lace on the glass with nearly every sip. Sunset-orange color shows off the clarity. Heavy citric-toned aroma of grapefruit pulp, orange rind and a hint of lime leaves. Clean fruitiness and alcohol in the nose with hints of pineapple and mango. A little chewy with a medium body and lots of smoothness. Hop bitterness is sharp and cuts deep at nearly palate-ruining levels, though it never reaches a point of no return. Grapefruit rind, orange zest and lime weigh a heavy blanket on the taste buds. Shortbread maltiness in the middle comes through and then gets clobbered by the hops. Alcohol is very deceiving with only a slight warmth and faintness in the breath. Finishes dry with a long drawn-out bitterness that our taste buds just can't shake.

An exemplary example of the American Double IPA, hopheads should be aiming their sites on this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 02:24:04 | More by BeerAdvocate

darksunshaman

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-19-2013 07:14:19 | More by darksunshaman

Rosanne

California

2/5  rDev -52.2%

06-19-2013 03:29:27 | More by Rosanne

BorisFromRussia

New York

3.91/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - crispy golden body with a nice thick head and great lacing. a tad bit unfiltered almost.

smell- standard IIPA ; well excecuted clear cut fragrance with hits of pine

taste - a little on the sweet side with some malty tones, a little bit of a bite, maybe a little short onthe hops for my taste

feel - great light crisp body. just what you want from a heavy hitting ipa like this; carbonation on the creamier side

very solid IIPA, would drink again, and at 9.99 worth at LEAST 1 try. would recommend/try again

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 01:06:00 | More by BorisFromRussia

billab914

Virginia

4/5  rDev -4.3%

06-18-2013 23:25:03 | More by billab914

Hendry

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to my dinner guest and tasting bud, Dorado arrived in a 22 oz bomber with a rather confident enjoy by date of 2/11/14.

Transparent apricot color with a soapy one finger head that exits quickly, no real "cap" to speak of once it reduces, respectable lacing.

Aroma evenly balanced with piney hops and sweetish malts.Impossible not to compare the nose to BPBC Sculpin IPA, which has a much more hop forward grapefruit infusion, yet keeping in mind this is a bigger,beefier IIPA overall.

Taste is a carbon copy of the nose: ultra fine balancing act of hop boldness and malt sweetness but with an extra kick of booze that starts to warm in the chest. Despite the large malt bill to tame the aggressive hop bitterness, it never degenerates into that dreaded malt bomb category, yet never gives the impression that it is hop forward either. Malt sweetness washes over the palate followed by a solid piney/resinous bitterness that reminds you that the
hops are very much present and accounted for.

Mouthfeel is medium, quite drinkable,nicely carbonated,slightly hot on the delivery as it warms particularly.

Balance is the watchword here: aggressive hopping and big malts to balance the scales make this an impressive and "big" beer. Perhaps the maltiest of IIPAs that I found flavorful and drinkable, Dorado is a solid effort from Ballast Point. Although a pricey number at $10, it is worth a try at least once to experience such a well balanced Southern Cali IIPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 04:07:39 | More by Hendry

thinwhiteduke

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

06-18-2013 01:23:29 | More by thinwhiteduke

TimHitchings

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%

06-17-2013 12:24:45 | More by TimHitchings

Bustersuess

New York

3.5/5  rDev -16.3%

06-17-2013 05:25:29 | More by Bustersuess

Nunya

Ohio

4/5  rDev -4.3%

06-16-2013 18:38:18 | More by Nunya

kbrown

Ohio

4/5  rDev -4.3%

06-16-2013 17:07:07 | More by kbrown

jaxon53

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-16-2013 13:27:10 | More by jaxon53

GrindFatherBob

New York

4/5  rDev -4.3%

06-15-2013 09:19:47 | More by GrindFatherBob

brentblack1

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-14-2013 21:58:20 | More by brentblack1

Jslay013

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -4.3%

06-14-2013 18:13:01 | More by Jslay013

SadMachine

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

06-14-2013 05:47:34 | More by SadMachine

Buck6196

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -4.3%

06-14-2013 01:07:28 | More by Buck6196

schoolboy

Ohio

4.31/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I've had some good Ballast Points before, but this is a truly great one.

This one has a very pretty color with great clarity and a nice little head. The aroma is the best part - perfectly balanced without being a real challenge to the nose.

The taste is also well balanced (but still American, over the top). Loads of hops and malts but not syrupy. It is slightly harsh, probably a water characteristic.

The aftertaste is all hops, but nice. Not nasty. There is no boozy taste at all. This was a nice one to try in a growler from Saveon in Mentor.

Serving type: growler

06-13-2013 23:41:15 | More by schoolboy

WorldOfBeerCraft

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-13-2013 23:05:03 | More by WorldOfBeerCraft

brn9000

Illinois

4/5  rDev -4.3%

06-13-2013 17:01:04 | More by brn9000

bigbluebeerguy

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

06-13-2013 01:11:20 | More by bigbluebeerguy

utopiajane

New York

3.94/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured a deep lemon yellow with an amber tint and a slight haze. A big head of soft creamy foam that dwindled like it had all day to a thick cap and collar. Sticky, beautiful lacing. Excellent retention. Looks so good. Nose is not as strong as you would expect to look at this beer but it smells great. Citrus, lemon, tangerine, lime, you can smell the hop resin, tropical, grassy and some good strong pale malt with a lot of caramel and sugar. Taste is awesome. It’s dry, crisp, refreshing, malt is deep and rich a little sugary, the hops are resiny and bitter with all the fruits washing over the palate. There was no alcohol on the nose but it is on the palate and it mingles well. Gentle carbonation and a good mouthfeel. This is a fantastic DIPA that comes right up to Stone for bitterness but stops before it becomes arrogant. Smooth and very well done.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 12:12:39 | More by utopiajane

irish01980

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-11-2013 21:45:41 | More by irish01980

Sergeh

California

3.25/5  rDev -22.2%

06-10-2013 23:49:22 | More by Sergeh

tarheels4life23

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-10-2013 16:14:38 | More by tarheels4life23