Sculpin IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

tewaris

Minnesota

3.05/5  rDev -31.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

70 IBUs

22 oz. bomber with no freshness date poured into a New Belgium globe. Thanks Dan!

Appearance 5/5
Golden-tangerine with the appropriate haze of a dry hopped IPA, Sculpin poured with a big off white head that took its time to settle and left kickass lacing. Signature American IPA looks. Perfect.

Aroma 4/5
Lots of fruity hops in the aroma: most notably apricot and then some mango. Just a hint of the herbal character that comes with dry hopping. Very good, but not up there in my opinion.

Taste 3/5
Smoothly bitter but hugely lacking flavor, and rather one dimensional. Is it not fresh? No one will know because Ballast Point doesn't date the bottles. Leaves a bitter aftertaste even though it's not all that bitter that brings us to the next item, mouthfeel.

Mouthfeel 2.5/5
Even though it says right on the bottle that this is a light bodied ale, I don't deem that a good excuse for an almost entirely missing malt backbone. Thin, and very thin when warm. Finishes dry but what's the point? I firmly believe that there should be a stronger body and more malts in a 7% ABV beer.

Overall 2/5
Sculpin was underwhelming, big time. There was no malt backbone whatsoever and the hop flavor was entirely missing in the taste in spite of the great aroma. Scupin is not the most bitter IPA but that's not my beef -- fresh Two Hearted is a great example of a fruity IPA that's not a bitterness bomb, and yet is amazing.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 05:45:23 | More by tewaris

Chokobo

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +7.2%

05-24-2013 09:49:21 | More by Chokobo

HopLuva

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-24-2013 04:53:49 | More by HopLuva

SwG237

New York

4/5  rDev -9.7%

05-24-2013 03:53:35 | More by SwG237

Jmick28

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -15.3%

05-24-2013 03:43:54 | More by Jmick28

MVotter

New York

4.69/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A - The Sculpin IPA pours into a chalice a clear gold, and an ample cream colored head.

S - Fresh, sweetish hops...orange peel.

T - Instant hops, on the sweet side. The opposite experience of the grapefruity IPA, which offer a more aggressive, bitter hop flavor. This follows the sweet nose fairly closely...oranges and tangerines, no overt malt presence to speak of.

M - Lively and effervescent. The Sculpin presents a full body/not heavy texture, some oils and stickiness.

O - What a brew. Again...on the sweet-tangy-orangy hop side of the flavor scale; and DELICIOUS! I had a "Pliny" clone once that reminded me a lot of this beer; and excellent representation of the style and specifically the flavor target.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 03:14:06 | More by MVotter

Jeremy_H

Illinois

4/5  rDev -9.7%

05-24-2013 01:51:51 | More by Jeremy_H

jsmith6051

California

5/5  rDev +12.9%

05-24-2013 01:10:27 | More by jsmith6051

Chingringo

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-24-2013 00:44:42 | More by Chingringo

IHyphySF

California

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-24-2013 00:34:04 | More by IHyphySF

Billz187

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-23-2013 23:40:30 | More by Billz187

TomG2751

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-23-2013 23:37:02 | More by TomG2751

Michael_20P

California

3.75/5  rDev -15.3%

05-23-2013 23:09:15 | More by Michael_20P

acc88

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -15.3%

05-23-2013 21:36:29 | More by acc88

sjanowiak

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-23-2013 19:56:43 | More by sjanowiak

Shogun730

California

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-23-2013 19:07:47 | More by Shogun730

visionaries

California

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-23-2013 17:06:28 | More by visionaries

Crysstorm

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-23-2013 12:45:06 | More by Crysstorm

beardown2489

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into a maidite snifter.

A - a clear golden IPA. Just enough hazy to barely see my hand on the other side of the snifter.

S - amazing scent for a single IPA. Grapefruit, orange, with a zesty pine.

T - Matches the smell. Thank God, many beers have that amazing smell but can't back it up. This one does.

M - drank over about 35 or 40 minutes. In the early stage, the beer covers the toungue with a cold and bright bitterness. But as it warms its mouthfeel becomes very similar to ZD, leaving a citra resin of taste all over the mouth with every sip.

O - It's good out of the fridge but after 20 minutes, it really is a world class IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 04:05:18 | More by beardown2489

Wally

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +7.2%

05-23-2013 00:27:37 | More by Wally

CoCambria

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-22-2013 19:45:49 | More by CoCambria

davesway10

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -15.3%

05-22-2013 18:16:29 | More by davesway10

DukeX13

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-22-2013 04:44:45 | More by DukeX13

grover37

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-22-2013 04:23:07 | More by grover37

TheBoog013

California

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-22-2013 03:36:27 | More by TheBoog013