Dorado Double IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

ThirstyHrothgar

Ohio

3.3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Kinda thin for a DIPA. Blondish orange and lighter in color than other examples from this category. Hoppy, citrusy, but no heft. Not too bitter, a little sweet. Left me wondering if the server had poured the wrong selection. After being reassured, I tried to evaluate it fairly, but I couldn't help but feel a little cheated.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2013 02:34:48 | More by ThirstyHrothgar

mikem0487

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

220z bottle poured into ale glass. Enjoy by 01/31/14

A-Nicely filtered orange/amber colored body. Minuscule white head that settles and leaves a ring around the perimeter of the glass.

S-Nice pronounced hop bouquet. Citrus and hop resins dominate the nose. Melon, grapefruit, apple peal and star fruit.

T-Malts are apparent in the taste but the hops take center stage again. Balanced throughout the palate and finishing bitter. Tangelo and melon are the big citrus notes I am picking up with the caramel malts shining through in the background.

M-Very nice carbonation with a medium to thin body and sweet finish. Like my ipa's to be slightly more fuller in body.

O-Very good imperial Ipa. Very enjoyable and delivers. Highly drinkable and the 9.6% abv is masked brilliantly. For me personally it does not bring anything new to the imperial ipa genre of beer but is done very well.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 01:53:20 | More by mikem0487

RaulMondesi

California

3.51/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It looked aite, it smelled aite, it came wrapped up in a pretty bottle... but like Raulsky's prom date, what a let down! I mean, it smelled like Britney Spears 2001, but tasted like Britney 2013. Deceiving deceiving, deceiving! Don't get me wrong; if Britney gave Raul a lil something something today, he wouldn't complain - but it still wouldn't be like the "Hit Me Baby One More Time" edition.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 07:48:55 | More by RaulMondesi

shand

Florida

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

We've got Ballast Point here in Tampa for the better part of three years, but this is the first time I've seen Dorado around. As an aside - I don't usually talk about best by dates, but this is batch 39, dated Enjoy By 8/18/13. A review from late last month is from batch 35, Enjoy By 2/15/14. So they've significantly dropped the enjoy by date on this one.

Anyway, Dorado pours a slightly hazy orange with a large head. The aroma has a huge caramel malt that lurks beneath sticky, fruity hops. The taste immediately assaults with a big hop and caramel malt, which eventually yields to a nice, fruity hop aftertaste. Not very bitter, but still full of hop flavor. The mouthfeel is full and gently carbonated, and the drinkability is very good. Overall, Dorado is a solid DIPA. Nothing world-class like Sculpin, but it's really a tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 03:48:26 | More by shand

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.14/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Ballast Point Brewing Company - Dorado Double IPA - 1pt 6fl oz bomber

Look - Pours hazy golden with a tint of amber and a small soapy head. Amazing lacing. Minimal carbonation.

Smell - Sweet malt with a hint of bitter hops. I was not taken aback here and the aroma set off alarms that this might not be as good as I wanted it to be. Not the hoppiest from a DIPA, too subtle for my liking, I want my DIPAs to punch me in the face.

Taste - Hop blast followed by sweet malt and then citrus hops at the end. The brew redeems itself a bit here but the simplicity was a bit of a let down.

Mouthfeel - Sticky, sweet and citrus hops. Quite smooth and drinkable. Not too boozy but a little boozy.

Overall - Decent. A bit sweet and therefore starts falling out of the DIPA category. Worth a shot either way though, might be a good brew for getting someone into this style as it is smoother than most, more balanced.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 13:04:12 | More by JMScowcroft

MacQ32

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours an appetizing mostly orange (slightly amber) into my Charleston Beer Exchange globe glass with a nice finger of light caramel colored head with absolutely fantastic lacing. Retention is OK, after about 3 minutes coverage is spotty at the top however a thick outer ring hangs onto the side of the glass.

S - Bitter hops mostly resinous pine but also some citrusy peel and pepper aroma. Mildly sweet from the caramel, but the hops definitely steal the show here.

T - Resinous bitterness and lots of spice transforms into a citrusy flavor. Aftertaste is dry and bitter, doesnt linger too long. No depth to the flavor imo. The alcohol astringency is not shy in this one

M - Chewy/medium body, strong wet (opposed to dry) bitterness really hits the back of the jaw.

O - Pretty decent, looks fantastic, a little too peppery/astringent. Definitely good, but not as good as the appearance and aroma led me to hope for.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 23:34:14 | More by MacQ32

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

22 oz. bottle poured into a Stone pint glass. Bottled on February 9, 2013.

A - Pours a light copper color with perfect clarity. The initial one finger head dies to a thin lacing pretty quickly. Speckled carbonation clings to the walls of the glass as I drink.

S - Huge tropical aromas burst from the bottle as soon as I start to pour. There is a diverse array of hops on showcase. I get citrus at first whiff, then pine, and even floral notes. Just a touch of alcohol in the aroma. Sweet caramel malts balance. With this and Sculpin, Ballast Point sure knows how to make an aromatic IPA.

T - Starts with a tangy tangerine bite. Bitter pine hops and smooth caramel hit midpalate. There is a noticeable alcohol presence in the finish with a boozey pine linger. I tend to drink high ABV pretty exclusively, but this has a distinct alcohol presence I haven't experienced in many other big IPAs. It is a shame because the other flavors are stellar.

M - Slick mouthfeel, suits the hoppy nature of the beer.

O - I was very surprised to see this on the shelf during a recent trip to my local Whole Foods. Ballast Point does hoppy beers very well, but this beer gets a mixed review from me. The aroma is world class, full of hoppy goodness. The hop flavors are prominent and excellent, with contributions of citrus, tropical, and pine varieties. The downfall of this beer is that there is an alcohol flavor beyond what I consider acceptable. Many big beers have an alcohol warmness about them, but this is more of a rubbing alcohol astringency. I don't want to overstate that aspect, because this is still a decent beer with phenomenal qualities. I will probably grab another bottle in the future to see if my palate was partly to blame tonight.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 01:36:08 | More by NoLeafClover44

beagle75

Iowa

3.81/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a tulip glass.

A: Slightly hazy, brassy golden color with less than one finger of diminishing white foam head. Light lacing remains on the glass.

S: A combination of orange citrus and dank herbaceous qualities that are rather muted for the style and size of this particular beer. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins sweet, with bold and honest hop qualities that open up as it warms to reveal mixed citrus fruit and herbal spice. Citric acidity further enlivens the flavors into the middle where spice transitions nicely to bitter. Concentrated pale malt provides depth without drawing too much attention. Alcohol is present, marrying well with the assertive bitterness.

M: Medium to thick viscosity, slightly acidic and warming on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: Well-behaved for its size, Dorado does well to pick its battles. Rather than pursuing more of everything, it focuses on resinous citrus qualities amidst a restrained backbone.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 19:25:40 | More by beagle75

bobhits

Kentucky

4.21/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Bright, clearly, with a slight orange hue and a thin white cap. You can tell this is goign to have some heat based on the lack of a creamy head.

Wonderful aromas, passion fruit, grape fruit, orange, and slight sweet sugary goodness. This is one of the more tropical and sharp aromas I've seen. I expect a dry beer.

I'm not sure I'm tasting. It isn't nearly as tropical has the note, there' sa unique element giving this beer a certain bitter twist that's pretty good.

Dry but a bit more heat than should be here.

Ballast Point has made some great IPAs and this is certainly up there. A unique taste and a very citrus forward west coast like IPA. I'm pleased but could use a bit less alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 01:19:32 | More by bobhits

vfgccp

New York

3.58/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Deep, solid gold body. Great, fine white head with nice retention and lace.

S - Citrus, pine nuts, Marry Jane, touch of booze. Relatively light.

T - Huge, resiny pine hop character. Booze, grapefruit, biscuit. Nice lingering bitter finish.

M - Medium-light body. Nice carbonation.

O - Pine heavy, which is a nice change of pace from the classic citrus-forward west coast DIPA. Nice drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 00:33:09 | More by vfgccp

kirok1999

Ohio

4.19/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a nice gold with a rising head and sticky lacing. Smells floral and fruity. Some bitter hops come through . The taste is like the smell on steroids, very floral, almost perfumey. As the beer warms the floral notes become more pronounced. Feels rich and smooth and has a lingering hoppy finish. Nice IPA hat I hope they make a lot of.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 23:06:34 | More by kirok1999

mdfb79

New York

3.73/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From 03/29/13 notes. Big thanks to Nugganooch for sending this to me; thanks Dane! 22 oz. bottle poured into my Bell's tulip. Bottle had an enjoy by 02/26/14 on it.

a - Pours a somewhat transparent bright orange color with one finger of fluffy white head and light carbonation evident. Some light lacing on the glass.

s - Smells of fruity malts, citrus hops, tropical fruits, and come caramel malts. Nice mix of fruit and hops, pretty good nose.

t - Tastes of more caramel malts, fruity malts, bready malts, and light citrus hops. Nice but much more malty than the nose and a lot less hops; a slight step down for me.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Easy to drink, no alcohol presence.

o - Overall a nice beer, though the taste is definitely on the malty side from a DIPA. Definitely doesn't taste like it is almost 10% ABV. Nose is nice and has some decent hops to it, but when I'm looking for a DIPA I want it hoppier and not as malty. A good beer but can't see myself going for it often when I can get Sculpin.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 14:43:20 | More by mdfb79

fmccormi

New York

4.24/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Straight pour from a pry-off 22oz / 1pt 6oz / 650ml bottle to an oversized wineglass (in the form of my Hill Farmstead stempiece); freshness date of February 15, 2014 printed in white ink near the bottom of the label (“DOR 35 ENJOY BY 02/15/14”). These are supposed to have one-year freshness periods, which would imply that this was bottled about six weeks ago. A little older than I’d like, but it’s been refrigerated the whole time as far as I’m aware, so let’s see.

Appearance (4.0): Pours one finger of light khaki foam that doesn’t show a ton of retention, dying down at a slightly faster than moderate rate; it caps a glowing orange-amber body with just a chill haze, but it sure is pretty. So far, pretty great lacing: nothing solid, but thick collars and legs on the far side of the glass, and scattered suds on the near side.

Smell (4.25): This has that nice combination of juicy citrus and dank weirdness that I (perhaps mistakenly?) associate with Simcoe—very resinous, and citrusy, but slightly weedy with that skunky cannibinoid odor. Lots of pineapple and tangerine, sweet, juicy citrus. Malt is pale, but sweet in that way that blurs the line with the citrus, like vanilla cake.

Taste (4.25): A healthy dose of bitterness leads the way, with a quick flash of lime and grapefruit zest before that very resinous, dank flavor and bitterness really dominates the palate; it melds with a lightly toasted, bready malt character with richer caramel undertones. Not a heavy malt presence, but much heftier than a lot of these West Coast DIPAs—but still very balanced, which is the key for me. It finishes out a strong, but not overly astringent mix of citrus peel and white grapefruit juice—the purely bitter kind, not the sweet kind you get with red grapefruit. There’s some alcohol showing its face, but that dank, resinous brand of hop character typically blurs the boundaries between hops and ABV, and this beer is no exception. Well-done, fellas.

Mouthfeel (4.25): The carbonation is fine but gives an active tingle all around and foams modestly but fully on the way down, which feels in line for the body—which is fuller than medium-weight and somewhat oily, which is nice for the style and size of the beer. Finishes nicely dry, not parchingly so but solid.

Overall (4.25): This is a really, really solid, kinda classic, American Double IPA. To me, this is what I think of when I think of the style—dank, citrusy, a healthy dose of bitterness but with good hop flavor, a solid but not heavy malt backbone, and a great feel and appearance. A lot of DIPAs have been doing all flavor and aroma with no bitterness lately, but this feels more like a classic example that does all three solidly, if none of them exceptionally. Very well-rounded, very well-put together.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 00:24:45 | More by fmccormi

MattSweatshirt

Texas

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Enjoy by 2/11/14

Pours a orange body(sick clarity) with a nice two finger white head. Looking good for an IPA.

Lots of hoppy goodness going on in the aroma. Sweet orange, grapefruit, pine, floral, and lime. There is a touch of malt peeking through with bread and caramel.

Big ol’ bitter grapefruit juice flavor. Lime, pine, caramel sweetness, and some alcohol that hides fairly well but takes its toll towards the end of the bomber.

The mouthfeel seems bigger than most big IPA’s. Drinks smooth with a medium-low amount of carbonation. This big beer is a surprisingly easy drinker.

There are good aromas and flavors but it just doesn't pop like such a huge beer should. It is still pretty awesome.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 05:15:35 | More by MattSweatshirt

watsonmd

Georgia

4.94/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Wow. From a trade, as an item to bring up the $4$. Wonderful beer. States "Enjoy By 3/11/14." I am way on top of that...

A: Nice amber/orange pour, clear, with a scant head, and a nice coating/lacing as I go.

S: Hops! Pine, citrus, slightly sweet....

T: Follows the nose, but very hop forward, and resin-y. Sticky taste, with strong pine, but also floral citrus hops.

M: Nice, sticky, almost cloying, but also astringent. Makes you come back for more, and more, and more...

O: If this was available locally, I would be buying it regularly.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 20:32:18 | More by watsonmd

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.16/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

A - pours a clear gold with a hint of orange. Ephemeral white head. No lace. A few bubbles.

S - weak intensity for the style. Grapefruit, floral, pine and soft malt. Unimpressive. The bottle is only 1 month old.

T - grapefruit rind pine bomb with a fairly dry malt note. Boozy, but not harsh.

M - medium body with low-medium carbonation. Moderate-heavy grapefruit/pine bitterness with a long sustain. Not pleasant, but tolerable.

O - one of the most bitter DIPAs I've had in recent memory. Weak aroma. Uninteresting flavor. Not my thing. I enjoyed Sculpin quite a bit more. Won't drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 21:52:19 | More by GuzzLah

Brad007

Vermont

3.3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice gold with a huge white head into my glass. I didn't realize that Ballast Point had something stronger than Sculpin.

Piney hops followed by a strong alcohol bite. I can also detect some citrus. Seems like a "top-heavy" kind of DIPA. I can get down with that.

A slight citrus edge is also present upfront. It definitely has that unmistakable west coast style. to it.

Woo, that alcohol burn is something else. It overshadows the hops on the tongue.

Nah. I'll take the Sculpin over this anyday.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 01:51:45 | More by Brad007

TheSixthRing

California

3.39/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Had on-tap at Final Gravity in Roseville, CA

Appearance - A relatively clear golden orange, served up with a white, razor thin head in a 10 ounce snifter. Spotty lacing.

Smell - Juicy, fruity hop aroma hits first. Mango, grapefruit. Pine resin becomes more noticeable as the beer warms. Slight spice.

Taste - Considerably more pine on the tongue than on the nose. Lots of resin upfront and throughout. Hints of mango mid-taste, but are nearly drowned out between the strong pine presence and the grapefruit pith bitterness that peaks through in the finish.

Mouthfeel - Full-bodied. Sticky; near syrupy. Low carbonation. Dry finish.

Overall - I'm not a big fan of pine-forward IPAs, and this is one of the stronger "pInePAs" I've had. So much potential for a multi-layered flavor profile, stifled by the sheer dominance of the pine character. This is a well-crafted beer, but it's not my bag.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2013 20:01:36 | More by TheSixthRing

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.16/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.75

22oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Clear red-orange. Bone white head originally stands about an inch high, but dies quickly. Minimal lacing, just a thin, whispy ring.

S: A burst of tropical hop flavors atop a biscuity malt base with hints of caramel. Honeydew melon, kiwi, tangerine, passion fruit, peach, pineapple juice. Subtle hints of broken pine needles. Tame tropical esters in the background. A very good nose, just a bit understated.

T: Playful tropical notes of tangerine, pineapple, peach, and honeydew melon flit about on the tongue for a brief moment. Resin and hemp seed provide more of a bitter bite than the nose implied. The bitterness builds and becomes quite sharp and acute. Oily and peppery. Intensely bitter ruby red grapefruit. The biscuity malt base is all but snuffed out. Alcohol strays and becomes a bit hot and solventy. Gripping oily bitterness never releases its choke hold on the palate, even into the finish.

M: Medium bodied with a creamy firmness. Low carbonation. Alcohol lends warmth in the swallow.

O: Dorado rubs my taste buds the wrong way. It's mainly the alcohol. This is coming in far too hot for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 04:13:05 | More by ryan1788a5

gabedivision

New York

4.21/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle

A- pours a burnt orange / ruby red with a 1/4 inch white head visible carbonation and visible alcohol legs

S- orange juice, tangerines, mango, Papaya, sugary tang, grapefruit on the end, big citrus all over, with a decent sweet maltiness backing it up.

T- citrus again on front of the tongue sugary syrup big alcohol middle of the mouth, opens up taste buds for a huge grapefruit skin bitterness on the finish

M- full bodied, medium carbonation, bitter, juicy yet finishes dry

O- huge beer, huge hops very good, booze is definitely present, it's a very good dipa

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:25:47 | More by gabedivision

babaracas

Florida

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy amber with one finger thick dense white head, settling to a thin ring with spotty lacing. Smell: grapefruit blast, rindy, slightly sweet and alcoholic. Taste: grapefruit, sugary pale malt, apricot, alcohol, herbal finish. Sugary, drying finish. Good, will be picking up more of this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 05:23:30 | More by babaracas

KFBR392

Illinois

3.69/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: A burnt orange color. Moderate carbonation. About a finger and a half of head. Thick lacing left on the glass.

Smell: Grapefruit and pine on the front of the aroma. Spicy booze bites hard after the front. The sweetness of the hops is in conflict with the alcohol. Interesting for sure.

Taste: Bright fruits, a lot of pine and green veggies, with a lot of hop tartness. Very interesting how the alcohol felt in the aroma is not a major player here. More of a bitter sweetness over an overall burn. Palette is effectively cleaned off with a lot of hops and medium bodied fruits.

Mouthfeel: Very drinkable compared to for the hops hit with this brew. Definitely on the dry side but overall pleasant for a DIPA.

Overall: Can definitely feel the Ballast Point IPA roots here. Not an elite DIPA but certainly worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 04:25:03 | More by KFBR392

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A-slightly hazy amber color with a decent off-white head and some spotty lacing

S-grapefruit, orange, malt, pine, some nice floral notes, hint of brown sugar

T-grapefruit and orange with some pine and a fairly prominent caramel malt flavor, some light floral and a moderate bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth and alcohol well-integrated

O- a good DIPA but a touch to sweet for me in spite of a nice array of flavors and feel

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:48:01 | More by MDDMD

Chico1985

Massachusetts

4.04/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Finally got to try this one the other day, I've missed this a few times. Best by date is 1/31/14.

Pours translucent copper orange with a small white head, plenty of carbonation bubbles. Head reduces to a thin cap+ring with light lace.

The scent could use a little more strength I think but quite good. Citrus and earthy hops are most noticeable with some grassiness there too. Some caramel malt backing but quite hop forward.

Taste follows up on the hop bill - definitely on the piny/earthy side but plenty of grapefruit and citrus to be had as well. Caramel malt here is a bit more present but at a good place overall.

A full, kinda oily mouthfeel with highish carbonation. It feels big but not boozy for 10%.

Well done, maintaining an IPA feel for 10% is rare and this does it well. Plenty of hops, low sweetness and just the right amount of malt backbone. Glad I finally got to try this long-time want.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 15:54:34 | More by Chico1985

Rizalini

Nevada

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My 200th Review!

Was given this bottle from CassanovaCummins fresh from Ballast Point Brewery.
Bottle dated best by 01/31/14, poured into my Deschutes tulip...

A - Pours a crystal clear rich golden orange color, with a finger of light tan color. No lacing left behind.

S - I get citrus hops and a nice caramel malt backbone.

T/M - The taste follows the nose nicely. It starts of with a nice caramel malt, and slightly warming alcohol as it goes down but still manages to be smooth. Grassy & citrus hops round of the finish, and a nice hop resin aftertaste is my favorite part of this brew. Medium/slick mouthfeel, perfect carbonation.

O - This is a great example of the style. I love the hops aftertaste that sticks around for a while. Thanks again Chris for a great 200th review. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 03:23:44 | More by Rizalini