Dorado Double IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

OStrungT

California

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a golden brownish color with a light tan head. The thick creamy head fades very slowly, leaving many laces.

This beer has a strong grassy hop aroma. It also smells piney. It has a citrus hop aroma as well. It smells quite sweet, with a nice malty balance. Grapefruit is noticable also.

This beer tastes much like it smells. Quite hoppy. Piney up front, with some grass and citrus hop flavor. This beer is also very sweet. It is well balanced.

This beer goes down smooth, leaving a piney hop aftertaste. Carbonation is great. This beer is quite full bodied.

I am not sure if this beer would be the best session beer. It is high in alcohol, and it has an aggressive flavor. It might be a bit much.

Overall: I liked this beer, but I dont like spending $7.00 for a 22 oz at the brewery. That seems a bit excessive.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2007 02:58:46 | More by OStrungT

GClarkage

California

4.15/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

10/21/06- Purchased at Ledgers Liquors in Berkeley, CA.

Presentation- 22oz bomber with no freshness info. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance- Semi-clouded amber-orange pour. 1/2 inch and tight knit bubbled head. Light spotted and streak lace left behind.

Smell- Grapefruit laden hopfest. Nice strong bitter fumes. In addition there is a nice roasted malted backing.

Taste- Sweeter malty base with a light burnt flavor hoovering in the background. It interacts very well with the sugary grapefruit and light pine flavored hops.

Mouthfeel- Thick and chewy, maybe even sinewy. Mild lasting bitter aftertaste with the perfect level of carbonation.

Drinkability- Couldn't even detect the 9% abv. Very very drinkable. Definite two thumbs up and one of the better DIPA's from CA.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2007 17:28:39 | More by GClarkage

sleazo

New York

3.9/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap porters pub after class.

Medium golden yellow. Small head disapears quickly. Smell is intense hops grassy pine cones. Taste is right up front with the pine cones. Resiny aftertaste. Some sweetness from the alcohol comes through. I would like a little more malt. This is a hop bomb though. D is good. I could drink a few of these. Typical west coast 2xipa. Not much depth but a hop bomb which I like. there are much better 2xipas in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2007 03:45:21 | More by sleazo

ChazMania

California

4.72/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber-

A- very amber/orange hue. slightly cloudy, decent 1 finger head.

S- Floral with great notes of juniper and grapefruit.

T- fantastic. Has all that great double IPA kick and flare that offers big hoppy juiceness with some mandarin orange and grapefruit flavors.

M- creamy and thick. Big texture.

D- Great DIPA offering. I have had nearly 10 of these the past few months and it is very consistent.

Me Likey.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2007 02:31:25 | More by ChazMania

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 22 oz bomber from a trade with boolshot.

A: The DIPA is a brilliant amber orange color that showcases a thick billowy head that laces extensively in the glass.

S: The ale has a crisp hoppy aroma, thick with piney and citrusy oils. This is the type of beer that you could sit and sniff for several hours.

T: The body of the ale screams hops. The oily thick vine resonates through the ale, providing s a strong piney resin element that outshines all other varietals. As the pine subsides, some apricot and tangerine citrus elements emerge, sustaining an entirely different component of the ale.

M: The mouthfeel is thick and juicy hops, flavorful without dulling the tastebuds.

D: This is an excellent, well-balanced DIPA, showcasing a strong hop body that never overwhelms the mouth. I really enjoy the piney finish, it nicely sums up the ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2007 01:55:09 | More by akorsak

IntriqKen

California

3.63/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Nice glowing crystal clear amber with a massive sticky white head that melts to very heavy lacing.
Aromas are only lightly sweet malt if you look for it. Most of it is all about the hops...very fresh, piney, citrus hops. A little of pink grapefruit in the nose.
Flavor is again, all about the hops. A little sweet amber malts and candy sugar, then massive amounts of very fresh citrus hops.
Mouth is left dry but with sugars still struggling with the grapefruit hops.
For me there are better DIPA's, but that is just my tastes. This one tastes unbalanced and raw...as if fresh hops are used on top of mediocre, malt extract.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2007 04:05:10 | More by IntriqKen

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is exactly what I'm looking for when I want a nice, hoppy west coast dipa. A treat. Pours a hazy dark golden with an offwhite pancake head. Good lacing. The aroma is lightly fruity with some apricot and a very lightly bitter smells. The taste has deep layered hop flavors with a solid malt background. A hop attack of pine, grapefruit, and spice. Fantastic! The mouthfeel is slightly grainy, but substantial and a great platform for all the hops. The alcohol is well hidden. Great drinkability, would be perfect if it were slightly lighter in body.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2007 21:03:48 | More by Georgiabeer

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours clear copper with a half inch white head.
The dense foam recedes within two minutes and reveals a partial skim coat on the surface and some decent lacework.
Aromatics are pungent, piney, and citrusy. Notes of wet hay and juniper add some earthy zest, along with spruce sap and grapefruit pith. Alcohol is evident with a trace of fusels intermingeling with spiked orange skins and grapeskins.
Mouthfeel is dry, crisp, and mildly stinging from assertive bitterness.
The pallet is juicy and piney, heavy on the pink grapefruit and orange pith. Conifer sap from the bough, with alcohol steeped dried fruits. Bitterness is substantial and borderline astringent, lingering as lengthy as the warming alcohol.
Finishes almost hot, with jowel-watering bitterness and tongue-gripping alphas.
A great beer, but I think a fresher example would boost the numbers.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2007 01:26:58 | More by brewandbbq

drewbage

California

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into my nice new tulip glass. (Things getting a hell of a workout right now.)

Generally a stellar beer on tap, I'm surprised to see this beer running a very hazy pale orange from the bottle. Very few white bubbles that cling to the side. Nice stream of fine bubbles coming off the bottom.

Aroma is big and piney with a catty twist to it. Grassy end tones from a dry hop addition to the brew.

Flavor is a nice potent bright bitterness that really obscures any side glance at a malt profile. Seriously... mm.. piney, hops, bitter, bite, and hmm.. when I belch.. hops.

I still prefer the beer on tap, but hey.. it works any which way.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2007 07:54:05 | More by drewbage

uberabr

California

4.8/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip. A hazy yellow-amber with moderate head and solid lacing. You can see the hop oil up top. Smell is very enjoyable and full of delicate complexities: an abundance of hops, lemon and grapefruit, some peachy guava fruityness, floral bouquets, a hint of honey, peppers and spice, with a strong biscuit backbone. Unbelievable!

Taste is very unique for this style without being overdone or outrageous. Sophisticated! Very nice. It's got the definite pine hop bite you look for, with a nice bitter finish, but not too bitter...a refreshing fruity melon with a hint of sour grapefruit, along with a warming, buttery bread quality. Very buttery. Very drinkable. Very well done. I can't taste the alcohol at all.

My burps actually taste like hops and smell like grapefruit. Mouthfeel is great. Full and bubbly. It's a little expensive, but one of the best beers I've tried in a while...which says a lot. Definitely as good if not better than the infamous Drednaught- my standard for DIPA's- which is good because this one's a little easier to find in Cali. I'm sure all the hops in this are expensive, but find a way to lower the price to 3.99 or less per bomber (Lagunitas style) and make it a year-round release, and you've got my new favorite beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2007 06:16:45 | More by uberabr

Zorro

California

4.88/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

There is a hell of a big wad of sediment in the bottom of this bottle so I pour this very carefully.

I am rewarded with a Dreadnaught clone; hazy peachy amber colored beer with a good white head.

Smell is as I hoped; in fact an enormous and complex bouquet of hop aromas. Scents of pine, pineapple, guava, menthol, eucalyptus, willow tree, citrus, peaches and 10 other things I can't name. The scent is among the top three Mega IPA beers.

Taste begins sweet and fruity with a giant taste of guava and melon in the first sip; there is a pleasant lingering slightly green banana aftertaste to this. Big tropical fruit flavors just jump out at you from this just like the two big Russian River Beers and the Three Floyds Dreadnaught. The traditional big hop tastes of pine and grapefruit are minimized in this beer and allow every other flavor that hops can be to really shine. A truly superior Super IPA class beer.

Mouthfeel is good.

This is get you in "big trouble easy" drinkable. TASTY is the only word that applies here and this is just about liquid hop sex in a bottle. This is in the same class as the top three Super IPAs in the world and might just be the best.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2007 05:46:26 | More by Zorro

Scorpious

California

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is burnt-orange/sunset amber in color. It has slight fruity undertones. When poured the beer has no head, with slight bubbles an intoxicating swirl pattern in the glass. All of this leads to nice legs in the glass and smooth viscoity...

The taste is very clean, very refreshing and very good. (Still need to drink another bottle in a few months and see if the taste improves like I hope/plan it will)

The beer itself has a very light mellow mouthfeel, with a crisp, intial hoppiness in the beginning with a nice smooth finish.


With a 9.1% ABV this beer is still very smooth and satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2007 03:48:18 | More by Scorpious

RidiculedDisplay

California

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into an oversized wine glass.

Appearance: Pours with a half-finger head, settling into a quarter-finger or so hugging to the rim of the glass. Lacing is fizzy, with some spots - a little above average. Body color is like a slightly less luminous Dreadnaught, which is to say that it is a very pretty sap-like amber with some hints of gold. Not a very "loud" beer in the sense that it doesn't produce much noise upon pouring.

Smell: Sweet honey-like grapefruit, orange, with a pine backbone. Some cantaloupe-like aroma coming from the hops. A little sweeter of an aroma than I'm used to with San Diego DIPA's, like very fresh fruit. Sweet corn-like malt presence. Overall, a somewhat archetypal SDDIPA.

Taste: Mm. Big melon, grapefruit, and pine aromas are much more prevalent in the taste than the aroma, it seems. Again, there's that sweetness coming through. The swallow leaves this sticky candied-sugar like sweet sensation on the edge of the tongue. Some ever-so-faint woodiness, earthiness marrying with the alcohol quite nicely. That being said, I gllance at the bottle and notice it says 9.1% ABV. Really? Practically nowhere to be found. Absolutely excellent. Watch out, though, that monster ABV will (and does) sneak up on you.

Mouthfeel: A little undercarbonated, quite frankly. I will have to try another bottle to see if that will rectify the problem, because when I glanced at mine before opening, it looked like it might be slightly flat. Otherwise, your typical oily DIPA affair. Not much alcohol presence, as I've said.

Drinkability: This is an excellent DIPA. Huge and yet completely quaffable. I think this is, perhaps, the best alcohol-masking done in any DIPA I've ever tasted, if that's any testament to this beer's excellent craftsmanship. Well done, and way better than the bleh Yellowtail Pale Ale I didn't even bother to review. ; )

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2007 01:26:30 | More by RidiculedDisplay

UnionMade

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to XLPerro!
Clear copper, toped with a wispy white head. Smells of big, juicy, citrusy hops and toasty malt. Some apple and pear, but most of the fruitiness comes from the hops. No alcohol. Big flavor, with good balance. The hops come through early, with robust bitterness, with enough toasty malt sweetness. Some barleywine aspects, particularly with the malt bill. Hops maintain dominance, but I'd say its particularly well balanced for a big beer. Pretty clean, allowing the hops and grain the full spectrum without much interference. Lots of orangey citrus. Slight pruney fruitiness. Moderate carbonation. Big body, with a fairly mellow mouthfeel. Not insanely complex, but still awesome. Big, bold and excellent, I'd love to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2007 10:40:45 | More by UnionMade

Imstillthegman

Delaware

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks go out to BeerRun13, my Secret Santa 2006, for this much anticipated bomber.

Dorado pours a brilliantly clear golden orange color with a fingers width off-white head. Nice lacing rings my glass.

The nose is a nice combination of sweet malts and citrusy hops. Caramel, grapefruit, orange, and a spicy scent I can't quite peg.

The flavor is hoppier than the aroma. Nicely bitter, spicy citrus hops don't let the caramel malts shine though too much, but I do taste them at the beginning.

Medium body with a dry, bitter finish. Nice hoppy aftertaste has me longing for the next sip. This is good. Another solid brew from Ballast Point...how I wish we could get them over on this coast. Santa did get my letter after all. Thanks Jason...oops, I mean Santa.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2007 17:45:36 | More by Imstillthegman

ReebShorts

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Westmalle chalice. As I was pouring it i realized I shoud have used a different glass, but I was excited for beer and forgot, thus this poured with very little head.

Appearance is light, almost neon orange.

Hops are right up front on the nose as should be for a double IPA, also picked up on tangereine, orange, and something i just can't quite place.

Ok, this is different, not bad just very different from other Double IPA's I've had. I wasn't expecting that wash of citrus fruit flavor. The hops although very present on the nose, take a back seat to this woody fruitiness. Maybe this is done to create some balance, which it indeed does, however when I reach for a double IPA i'm looking for something heavier in the hop department. That said, this is tasty.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2007 07:38:08 | More by ReebShorts

Wasatch

Utah

4.38/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to WestSideThreat for this one.

Pours a cloudy deep orange color, nice carbonation, nice small foamy off-white head, some islands and sticky lacing afterwards. The nose is of sweet malts, hops, citrus, spices, and caramel. The taste is nicely bitter/hoppy, sweet kinda honey like, with a slightly dry finish. Medium body, well rounded brew. Very drinkable, my first Ballast Point, but not my last, I have a few of their other offerings. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2006 21:52:11 | More by Wasatch

dhchatfield

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received in trade from BeerRun13. Thanks. Poured into my Duvel tulip after a loooong 12 hour day.

A - A hazy ruby/golden. Decent head burnt off fairly quickly, after an aggressive pour. Moderate lacing.

S - BAM..In your face monster piney, unripe grapefruit hoppiness. Something else at the edge that I can't quite describe....juniper? spruce?

T - Bitch-slap hop attack!! Bitter, coniferous, tangy....et al. A remarkably unique flavor. Leaves an orange peel finish. Very aggressive. Faintly reminiscent of the Maharaja (on crack).

M - Ouch! Major league taste bud abuse. (not that that's a bad thing) I wish I had more than one to condition my senses with. Strong alcohol presence. Again an extraordinary citrus finish.

D - As mentioned above, this one will take some getting used to. As I recently discovered with HopSlam, another "aggressive" DIPA, I think more than one will be necessary to fairly review this beers' drinkabilty. I'm working a trade for more, so hopefully I'll be able to prove the theory.

A very potent, take no prisoners West Coast DIPA. Pefect for the hopivore that I am. Nice....

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2006 03:51:49 | More by dhchatfield

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.55/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The orange colored body is topped off with a thick crop of ivory white froth. The retention is very good and its lacing ability even better. Great aroma. Big on the pine oils. Sap oils. Hop oils. Etc... It's a sharp aroma with a perfumey aspect to it. On the buds this one has got that same oily character to it. And I love it. I love that aspect of hops. And it's resinous and very piney. The malts make their presence known in a good way. They provide a very sturdy caramel-like, toffeeish backbone. This DIPA tastes unlike any other that I've had. It's very distinctive and unique...and addictive. The mouthfeel is exceptional. Velvety and creamy. Just flows... Alcohol is not noticeable. Lingering bitterness is not intrusive or abrasive, just enjoyable in its simplicity. This is quite enjoyable. It's the kind of beer that really grows on my the more I drink it and I know I'll be craving more after this bomber is all gone.

Many thanks to the Bum of Long Beach for yet another great West Coast Hop Bomb.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2006 04:51:18 | More by Bighuge

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Label: Limited release 9.1% ABV.

Pours a hazy ruddy orange amber hue topped with a craggy crater eggshell cap that settles with a drippy lace.

Candy nose of Tang, cherry lolipop, fresh leafy pine hop scents. Bright pine wood sawdust and Spree candy pops out.

First swigs: Orange juice! Fresh squeezed orange juice. This is Tang breakfast drink! Some piney resinous flavors that create the most cornucopia fruity 2IPA that comes to mind. This is a pineapple, banana, red apple, full fruity flavored 2IPA. Brilliant dusty pine and oak hops.

Feel is full bodied piney resiny and sizzling on the tongue. Thick full bodied aspects cover up the 9.1% ABV completely.

Last swigs: Orange juice & Spree candy 2IPA. One of my favorite 2IPAs that I've had all year.

Beer is good. Happy bright 2IPA beering.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2006 02:17:24 | More by blitheringidiot

dbalsock

Vermont

3.28/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

For a double IPA, this was probably the least amazing I've tried so far. The brew lacked any head and an interesting color, but was an ok light amber with some slight lacing. The smell was malt intensive and the hops weren't impressive. The taste was alright, but the flavor was subdued by the bitter quality of the hops. Piney hoppiness and not so rich malt flavor were abundant in an unfortunate way. The mouthfeel was overly bitter, but I found the body to be heft enough to carry the amount of alcohol. I was able to complete a pint, but it is not so drinkable, and will not be trying this brew again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2006 06:49:21 | More by dbalsock

SacoDeToro

California

3.6/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a nice golden copper with a small off-whtie head that turned into a minimal lace.

The aroma was predominantly citrusy and resiny hops with some alcohol and light fruit in the background.

The flavor of the beer was intensely hoppy and somewhat coarse. The maltiness was sweet and a tad syrupy.

The mouthfeel of the beer was a little too heavy for a DIPA in my opinion. Not nearly as crips and Pliny or any of the Pizza Port DIPAs, like Lou P. Lin. The carbonation was good.

This beer was a good attempt at a DIPA, but fell victim to being too sweet and syrupy, much like the Stone 10th did.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2006 21:06:53 | More by SacoDeToro

MABZ

Nebraska

3.15/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is a good DIPA and all, but there's something a bit odd about it. Too grassy, perhaps. Rough cohumulone and a syrupy mouthfeel don't help either. A perfect example of a good idea gone too far.

The beer pours to a peachy, golden amber color, quite clear. Nice carbonation and head. Lacing could be much better, but retention is good.

The smell is very grassy. Smells like Chinook and some cascade-like strain with an intense grapefruit pith. The malt profile doesn't shine through in the least, aside from a straight sweetness.

The flavors don't mesh. Intensely sweet,syrupy caramel malt with an equally rough cohumulone bitterness. I would say it's well-balanced, but it seems to lack balance altogether. Has a bit of a medicinal flavor to it, along with a strong fusel alcohol taste. Not very pleasent. WTF is the deal with brewers who think they can make a good IPA by simply throwing a shit-ton of malt and hops together? I hope it's only a fad.

Just as a note... I still think it is an alright DIPA, but it would be much better with a little bit of cohesion. Thanks to dogfooddog for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2006 06:10:26 | More by MABZ

trep

West Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz Bottle Huge thanks to IntriqKen for giving me a chance to try this one.

Light golden honey hue with a foamy white head. A few yeast particles in suspension and some carbo bubbles rising to the occasion. Nice caramel malt aroma with a ton of piney hops. Alcohol is abundant also.

Incredible hop bomb hits your tongue and wakes up the tastebuds. Pine and citrus hops dominate this but the malt is definitely there keeping the hops in check. Finishes bittersweet with a grapefruit aftertaste. Awesome for hopheads.

Dense oily body with some light carbonation. I love these hoppy, oily IIPA's. Very smooth and drinkable for the style. The bitterness actually isn't too bad because the malt keeps everything fairly balanced. I dig it.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2006 07:38:39 | More by trep

goodbyeohio

Oregon

4.65/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

clear, dense fiery tangerine colors, hazy cream and forced big bubbles dot the surface. lacing dots cling heartily to the side of the glass. the beer reminds me of a sunset with its bits of brown, yellow and red around the edges.

smells like the freshest hop you can imagine, big on spice and zesty/tart citrus rind. grapefruit would be too tame a fruit to draw comparisons to here.. this beer is closer to something more essential and concentrated like a yuzu. all hops in the nose with a mild sweetness that acts as a precursor to what will most likely be a thick, deep beer.

but its not TOO thick. its just right. and it tastes like heavenly hop madness. this is what i imagine it would be like to eat hop sherbet, or drink a hop liqueur. the earthy, junglefied elements of raw lupulin dominate, and add a rather dry, dusty character to the beer. this is balanced (well, not BALANCED, but..) by a milder citrus sweetness, like an orange sunkist fruit gel. the alcohol bite is lost in the dry spiciness of the finish, but is felt in a nice belly warmth. this is truly a hop nectar and perhaps the best ipa i've consumed in recent memory. and for $5.99 a bomber ($4 cheaper than dreadnaught) this will be a new beer fridge staple, at least through the colder months.

two bottles, what was i thinking? case, here i come!

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2006 03:14:05 | More by goodbyeohio