Sculpin IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

Fux

France

4.1/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at kickbacks on a funny bachelor party afternoon.
A: Clear orange / golden brew. Small white creamy head. Good retention.
S: Fruity and resinous nose, citruses (grapefruits, oranges), also pineapple and passionfruits.
T: Palate is also very fruity (passionfruits, citruses). Light bitterness on the finish.
M: Medium bodied, thirst quenching, alcohol is not much present.
O: A good IPA. This dog does hunt.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 15:04:36 | More by Fux

joeseppy

Illinois

4.36/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a translucent golden body with a dense half inch head. Stratospheric lacing.

Aroma is uplifting of freshly squeezed grapefruit served alongside honeyed graham crackers.

Taste is a taut resinuous pine, earthy hop bud and grapefruit rind that engulfs the entire palate and stays right in the back of your pie hole. Malty biscuit sweetness balances this act.

Mouthfeel is chewy and there is a drying effect that makes you want to keep drinking. A 'refreshing' brew in an odd way.

For those who like to hop we salute you. A satisfying IPA. Reminiscent of Two Brothers ( Illinois ) seasonal Hop Juice for me, which I love. The $16 6pk is a tad rich for my tastes. Other comparables out there at a lower price tag.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 03:09:51 | More by joeseppy

Marty91

Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Well, after about a year on BA I've finally decided to write my first full review, so here it goes.

Poured from 12oz bottle into a standard snifter. Pours a very nice copper with a one finger head, that dissipated fairly quickly. Some lacing. Very much your standard IPA appearance.

At first the smell is very underwhelming, but after it warms up a bit this beer really comes alive. You get a lot of grapefruit, orange, pine and sweet malty odors.

Taste. This beer is all about citrus. Upfront I got a very sweet orange flavor, that then transitions into bitter "pine flavored grapefruit". Underneath the citrus I was getting alittle malty biscuit flavor but the citrus is really what you are going to take away from this beer.
the after taste of this beer is really great. It leaves you with a bitter astringent grapefruit rind taste that lingers, begging you to take another sip and start the whole ride again.

The mouthfeel is what I would expect, moderate carbonation and what I describe as a sticky mouthfeel, that leaves a soft coating feel on the tongue.

Overall I really enjoy this beer, but there are few more readily available beers here in the northeast that I would consider comparable. But yea this beer deffinatly deserves the hype, really very good.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 19:52:19 | More by Marty91

ElijahRivera

New York

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

The bottle simply says “by 08/04/13”.

A- Beautifully clear orangey, light copper in color with a big, frothy off-white head. There are several visible streams of lively carbonation rising up through the beer, and as I drank there was no shortage of lacing forming on my clean Oskar Blues pint glass.

S- As I poured, a big whiff of hops hit me via the warm breeze on a warm Spring evening. Then I went in for some more nasal analysis. I got strong suggestions of citrus and floral hops along with hints of malty sweetness to go along with some tropical fruit like mango and pineapple.

T- The taste starts off with those sweet malt and tropical fruit flavors. Then I get a quick tinge of juniper, and then it finishes with a mouthful of citrus/floral hops that make you feel like you just chomped into a bag of fresh hops. It ends acidic and bitter, and leaves a delightfully hoppy and bitter aftertaste. There is also a strong hops and a slight ethanol presence in the retro-olfaction.

M- Mid to full viscous body. Lots of carbonation playing on the palate, and a barely noticeable ethanol burn. There is a slight residue or film left in the mouth, which is not to the detriment of the experience. It finishes cleanly by way of the carbonation and hops.

O- What I particularly appreciate about this IPA is how well the taste stands up to your expectations after smelling its gloriously hoppy aroma. It leaves nothing to be desired. That and a great malt backbone in this beer make it a stand out IPA and a worth your while. Even if you don't like IPA's, this one could make a hop head out of you.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 19:43:53 | More by ElijahRivera

zimm421

Ohio

4.26/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle, dated enjoy by 8/4/13, into a tulip glass. Appears a light copper color with a decent fluffy off-white head. Good lacing and head retention.

Aroma is full of citrus and floral notes, with some alcohol and little hint of sweetness. Taste is also full of citrus and finishes quite bitter. From the beginning of the sip to the swallow, all that comes through is citrusy bitterness.

The mouthfeel is very interesting. It's smooth at first, but the sting of carbonation follows quickly, and then it finishes slightly sticky. Overall, this is a very good IPA, however, it didn't blow me away as I had hoped. In an overloaded market of IPAs, there are many options with better value, that are just as good.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 23:36:09 | More by zimm421

SaisonRichBiere

Michigan

4.39/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to CasanovaCummins for this one

Poured from a bomber into a pint mug.

Appearance- Pours a hazy, brownish orange with a big yeasty, bubbly, creamy head. Sticky lacing all around. Looks like a great west coast IPA for sure.

Smell- Sweet spicy hop tang with hints of lemon, grapefruit zest, rosewater, and some tropical fruit esters. Smells awesome.

Taste- Starts with a floral, creamy, and fruity marshmallow note. Fades into acidic citrus, and then a strong hop flavor character emerges- not for too long- before fading out into a strong, bitter, almost salty and sandy finish. It's IPA season!

Mouthfeel- Smooth and creamy. A bit dense, but with just enough fizz to keep it from being too thick or chewy. With the dry finish, it is quite refreshing.

Overall- One of the best west coast IPAs for sure. Very well balanced. A great hot weather IPA. I could see this being my go to summer IPA if it was available in my area. This offering is slightly out of date, but still very tasty. I would definitely like a fresh offering or a draft of this.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 21:43:45 | More by SaisonRichBiere

BradMacMullin

Massachusetts

4.91/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This was a great beer. Poured from a bottle at home. This San Diego brewery is top notch. Pours a nice copper color and the carbonation and head of the beer stayed consistent throughout the glass. As you get the initial smell, you know they banged out a perfect IPA. Very happy after tasting...great hoppy though balanced beer that is not crazy heavy in alcohol content which I appreciate. This is going to be a go to for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 22:42:05 | More by BradMacMullin

faulkster4

Virginia

4.24/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I don't think I've ever poured a beer with such beautiful rich hearty golden color. The light fruity smell, in my opinion, is absolutely perfect. Let me say, I am still trying to become an IPA fan but I still struggle with the bitterness. As far as IPA's go though, this one is quite tasty although that may be that I am a fan of grapefruit and Sculpin tastes ALOT like grapefruit. Very thin and light in the mouth, that I really like, with a very light and fluffy head, that I also I like. I was drinking this one with some chips and salsa and for me, I don't think IPAs and salty foods go that well together. I think it really accentuates the bitterness of the IPA. Seems like it would have gone a lot better with a nice medium rare piece of beef. Next time....

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 22:23:09 | More by faulkster4

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.49/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Finally, at long last, I got the chance to enjoy a sculpin. actually, I enjoyed three of them! the setting was the strip house steak joint in the planet Hollywood casino in las vegas, Nevada. I sat down with my hockey teammates, who all ordered a fancy cabernet, but I asked to glance at the beer list, and there it was, sculpin ipa. it poured a beautiful cloudy grassy pale golden color, with an inch or so of off white head that lasts forever, leaves excellent lacing, and is easily reinvigorated with a swirl the wine glass I asked the server to bring me. the nose on it is long and hoppy, but not in that dank oily sweet fruity way that some of these are, but more subtle, not more simple, but more in focus, more sure of its identity. there are notes of fresh pineapple and spruce, but this is neither bitter nor sweet. its got an impressive degree of malt balance, as well as a yeast character that reminds me of some of the European ipa offerings. the flavor is standalone. its got a gorgeous hop bouquet, with some floral notes in there too, but I cannot quite place any of the specific varietals. less citrus and more pine than I expected, and a forever finish that's both refreshing and filling to a degree. the alcohol is impossible to pick out. feel is also lovely, with effervescently bright carbonation that tickles the tongue without being invasive, and a medium body that doesn't stand in the way of the flavor. this was the absolutely perfect complement to a 20 ounce bone in ribeye, dry aged, rare. I had three of these with my steak, and would have had more if they weren't 12 bucks a go. what a glorious ipa this is, distinct from the crowd, and worth every word of the hype. really sensational brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 19:15:58 | More by StonedTrippin

Dduquette

Maryland

4.3/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Sam Adams beer glass with an amber color and a light head that faded quickly. Smell of grapefruit and strong bitter taste on the front end. Floral hops linger in the mouth. Sweet malt back that nicely rounds out the hops. Very nice carbonation and just a bit of a creamy mouthfeel. Overall, not as good as I expected but it is an excellent IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 22:50:34 | More by Dduquette

Zbyler

Connecticut

3.73/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Drank this on 4/17 with an enjoy by date of 4/22 so it was at the end of its freshness

A- amber, golden color with short amount of white head. Decent lacing

S- piney floral hops, light bready aroma, citrus fruits (grapefruit, orange)

T- Resinous floral hops up front that give way to a strong caramel malt backbone. Grapefruit rind, spices and pine flavors on the mid palate. Strong bitterness and peppery notes on the finish.

M- Thick, oily, resinous moderately carbonated.

O- Good beer but not great as the ratings suggest. Maybe it was because it was close to the end of the enjoy by period. Solid offering from Ballast Point but I need to try a fresher one in order to properly determine whether I would purchase it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 02:08:29 | More by Zbyler

AmitC

Indiana

4.61/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Enjoy by date of 06/29/13.

Color is pale golden. About two finger thick off white head with excellent retention. Very nice lacing. Some bubbles seen rising up. Clear and transparent.

Aroma is of raw mango pulp and grapefruit. Citrus, grassy, herbal and spicy aromas dominate. The malt content is the dominating factor. Strength is strong. Bitterness is very well forecast here.

Taste is just the same as nose. A bit more accentuated. Raw dry hops burst upfront. Bitter and full of lupulin acids. A solid middle of caramel malts but still pretty much dominated by hops. Nice and easy on palate. Finish is deeply bitter. Hops linger on the palate for a good amount of time. Grapefruit and grassy hops. Slightly spicy and herbal. Sap.

Mouth feel is medium bodied. Moderate on carbonation. Oily touch. Somewhat resiny and piney. Nice bitterness and warmth.

A very solid IPA out and out. This is a winner from the word go.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 01:47:22 | More by AmitC

Beelzebeer

Newfoundland (Canada)

4.84/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

330ml bottle, BB June 15th/13

A - Golden brown, with good amount of head. Nice lacing.

S - Bitter, malt, typical West coast AIPA

T - Perfect! There's a really nice rounding at the end that I've never tasted in the other brews. The IBU really mellows out quite nicely.

M - Perfect. Something to lightly chew on.

O - Near perfect. Keep up the good work.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 01:02:00 | More by Beelzebeer

Jonada

New Jersey

3.81/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle. Enjoy by 7/7/13. Served in a Russian River pint glass

Appearance: Pours a golden, light amber color with 1 finger of a soapy eggshell colored head. Quite a bit of fine sediment floating in the glass.

Smell: Pine, fresh cut grass, grapefruit, peach, hint of caramel malt.

Taste: Grapefruit, citrus, pine, floral, biscuity malt. Bitterness is medium, but not overpowering.

Mouthfeel: Lighter side of medium bodied, medium carbonation. Slight lingering bitterness, but it's pretty mild

Overall: Pretty good. Not mindblowingly awesome, but pretty good. I'd get it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 23:59:23 | More by Jonada

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chilled 12oz bottle, enjoy by 4/22/2013, poured into a Bell's snifter and quaffed today 4/14/2013. So this beer wasn't drank fresh- at worst this is a placeholder review for when I do get a fresher bottle. Thanks to mgm54 for providing this one as an extra.

Aroma: Dang, smells full of tropical fruit and citrus. Pineapple and grapefruit up the wazoo, a little bit of pine. There is some honeyed biscuit in the nose, but its mostly the hoppiness. Very strong, sticky nose that whets my appetite easily. (5)

Colour: Hazy dark copper body that reminds me of unfiltered apple juice, with a nice 1cm white head that dissipates fairly quickly into a decent sized collar that leaves patches of lacing here and there as I drink the beer. Very appetizing appearance. (4)

Flavour: Pretty good! Starts off with pineapples and grapefruit flavour with very faint hints of pine, transitioning to a bready toffee sweetness and finishes off with citrus and pine bitterness- a smooth, thirst-quenching finish. For an IPA, it has quite a bit of a bitter finish, but I like the underlying sweetness of the malt that helps to balance it out. I think if it were fresher, it would merit a 5 as the initial hop flavours would be stronger to help balance off the bitterness. But we shall see about this the next time I get some of this brew. (4)

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied brew with very good carbonation. The aftertaste is very bitter but smooth and pleasantly combined with an underlying sweetness, such that it's not mouthpuckering. A pretty resinous brew that coats the tongue and leaves it stinging with the bitterness. No heat at all, even when it gets warmed up. (4)

Overall: It's a very good, even excellent IPA. I'll come back to re-review this beer the next time I have a fresher bottle and see if the flavour is affected at all. But as it stands, this beer that's close enough to its expiration date is still a very good one. I think the hop flavours could bear a bit more of strength in comparison to the hop bitterness even though the underlying malt backbone is solid. (4)

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 23:57:35 | More by Stevedore

riversider76

New York

5/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I don't believe I've ever given a perfect score, but this beer is amazing. It pours a golden orange with a thin white head. Excellent retention and lace. Aroma is of fruits,spice,grassy hops. Body is solid, and nicely carbonated. Taste is an explosion of fruity hops. Crisp and smooth with a great finish. I'm at a loss for words. I gave this beer a perfect score, because for me there is nothing that could be done to improve it. Go out and find this beer if at all possiable. EXCELLENT!

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 18:31:48 | More by riversider76

retry4z

California

4.03/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served cool from a bottle into a Dimpled Mug Glass.

Poured form a slight heigh to create a bigger head, but the head quickly rose and spilled over. The retention is average, but the head is beautiful, with nice lacing. The color is light copper, and the beer is not too clear, with some fogginess.

smell strongly of flavorful hops, grapefruit, and pine.

Not overwhelmingly bitter at 70 IBU (I think human detection limit), tastes fresh and hoppy. Some citrus, hint of sweetness, and pine flavor.

Feels fresh and crisp, with medium consistency that's pretty easy to drink except for the hoppiness. 7% abv barely detectable, and a medium to high carbonation.

Overall, one of the better IPA's, well balanced, but a tad too bitter.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 03:38:28 | More by retry4z

gr0g

New Jersey

4.55/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear, pale amber color. Two finger head with good retention. Sparse, but nice and intricate lace curtains adorn the glass. Pungent, fruity, floral aroma. Even though this bottle is only 4 weeks old, if the info on https://sites.google.com/site/freshbeeronly/u-s-breweries is still up to date, it doesn't seem as aromatic as previous bottles I've had. Still, there's a lot to enjoy here. Well integrated tropical fruit, citrus rind, and sap.

Wonderfully bitter from start to finish. Moderately dry with a steady malt undercurrent that never overshadows the hop notes. Bitter citrus rind is prominent. Very quaffable for a bold IPA. Texture is oily and sudsy, with just a bit of a prickliness from the carbonation shortly after the pour.

More than the sum of its parts, Sculpin lives up to its billing as an elite IPA. For lack of a better term, it's more "drinkable" than other 7%-8% IPAs, though also more expensive.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 00:24:41 | More by gr0g

MisSigsFan

California

4.48/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours a golden amber color with a thin, white head that dissipates quickly and leaves good lacing. Smell is mostly citrusy and bits of pine. This is probably one of the more citrus centered West Coast IPAs I've had. Taste is very citrusy with light pine notes and other fruits as well. Just a bit of sweetness at the end. Just the right amount. Also probably one of the least bitter WC IPAs as well. Mouth is extremely smooth, crisp, and light, with about average carbonation. What I'd expect from an IPA. Overall, a great IPA, one of the best. I still prefer Stone IPA though. I don't think I'll drink one better for quite some time.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 01:42:10 | More by MisSigsFan

cradke

Texas

4.4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Great finger thick, dense, fine head. Foggy. Golden orange with yellow and grape hues

Smell: Pine! Sweet with a very approachable hop profile. Not overly hoppy but right in line with a traditional IPA.

Taste: Ever green hop profile. Not quite as perky as the bottle I had that was more fresh but still, very enjoyable. A great amount of hop profile, it's not a IIPA caliber of hop, but that's not what it's supposed to be. Acidity and malt is there in good balance,.

Mouthfeel: Spot on. Light but not without feel. Good carbonation. Very Enjoyable

Overall: Very enjoyable! A really nice hop profile. I prefer pine hop profiles to grapfruit and this is right there. Great mouthfeel, and very little alcohol. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 00:28:13 | More by cradke

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4.56/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: It has a nice hazy golden/orange color to it. It has a nice off-white head that dies down moderately and leaves nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of citrus, pineapple, mango, grapefruit, piney resin and some sweet bready/caramelly malts.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a nice tropical taste (citrus, pineapple, grapefruit), a nice piney bitterness and a sweet bready/caramelly malt balance.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a very nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with great flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 20:37:06 | More by SebD

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.91/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a tulip. Purchased in North Attleboro, MA

A- Pours a slightly hazy light orange body with a frothy white head that reduces to an uneven layer of foam. Leaves spiderweb lacing.

S- Heavy alpine, almost like a christmas tree, lemon peel, resin. Smells pretty malt forward with caramel, light roasted malt, bread, biscuits, and a certain hop zing characteristic of the heavier bodied IPAs.

T- Starts off kind of soapy and citrusy. The follow through is pine and sweet caramel malt, and the finish is astringent and bitter without much accompanying flavor. The aftertaste is roasty.

M- Medium body, medium carbonation.

I was mildly impressed with this beer at most, especially since it has such a big hype surrounding it. The label says that it has tropical fruit character, and I did not get one fruity note in the aroma or taste (citrus maybe, but where was the mango, apricot and peach?) Maybe this one was past it's prime, the drink by date was this month. I'll have to try another one and re-review if I like it better.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 02:03:27 | More by gcamparone

BlackBearForge

Florida

4.46/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Sculpin sits crystal clear in the glass, a light golden amber hue with a big rocky white head of foam leaving really nice lacing as you drink. Nice looking beer.

The aroma is of hops and more hops, citrusy bright and floral with a strong resin quality too.

The flavor is bursting with hops splashed across the canvas of pale malt. Floral hop flavors merge with the scent while grapefruit, orange and other citrus surge forward with a nice lingering resin in the background. As hoppy as this beer is it is not overly bitter (perhaps that's just an opinion, I have been drinking IPAs for a long time, lol). The hops do however build through to a nice lingering bitterness on the back of the palate with just enough malt to see it through.

The mouthfeel is medium, very smooth and carbonated to exactly the right point to add a little creaminess without getting in the way of the bursting hop flavors.

I've heard lots of great things about this beer and now I know. They weren't kidding, if you love IPAs and hops you will love the fresh hoppy goodness that is Sculpin!

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 22:19:57 | More by BlackBearForge

tomakeanend

California

4.58/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Excellent brew from down San Diego way. Ballast Point's Sculpin IPA is a very light kind of American IPA, with the hops balanced well with lots of fruit and citrus. The finished product is very drinkable and smooth, with a broad, albeit, indecipherable pallet. Pricey, but excellent.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 03:42:37 | More by tomakeanend

Beerandboards

New Mexico

4.04/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

22oz bomber, can't find a bottled on date

A - looks like I think an IPA should. Cloudy apricot type color. Pour produces about 2 inches of head, dissipates to an 1/8 of an inch of white white foam.

S - orange peel, grapefruit, a little bit of booze, some light malt somewhere in there.

T - bitter citrus bomb. Lots of pithy orange and grapefruit. Nice and clean, simple but satisfying flavor profile. No biting bitterness. Easy drinking.

M - light, fine carbonation. Light feel.

O - a super easy drinking and enjoyable IPA. This is one that you could get you in trouble as it is super easy drinking and hides the ABV. Very enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 02:01:55 | More by Beerandboards