Sculpin IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

Ford

Texas

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

On tap at Nobi Public House in Webster, Texas.

Wow. I'm not an IPA fan.. or at least I don't think I am.. but after having this.. maybe I am... I liked Bell's Hopslam when I had it... really good.. but it didn't make me want to drink another.

I like Saint Arnold's double IPA Endeavour a lot.. but I generally only drink one every once in a while when new kegs hit the Houston area.

The first on tap IPA I really liked was Hop Manna from Shmaltz.... but this was even way better than that.

So much grapefruit smell and taste.. AND it wasn't an overpowering bitter finish.. it was still hops bittery... but it didn't overpower anything else..so dang good.

I haven't had Pliny or that top east coast IPA... but I'll be very impressed if they are better than this for me.

Oh yeah.. Ballast Point.. thanks for finally coming to Texas!

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2013 05:46:01 | More by Ford

FLAbeergutinMASS

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is my first review in an number of years, partially becasue....well, whatever. Anyhow, had this on tap at the Sierra Grill in Northamton. Just a fantiastic beer. For those who are fans of Nugget Nectar, this is one if for you. Huge floral hops bursting with the resin from the hop profile. Super hoppy with only the slightlest bite of bitterness on the palate.

The 7% in this feels more like 13%, could really feel the effects almost immediately warming, delish, "yes please, I'll have another.

Super beer!

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2013 12:45:55 | More by FLAbeergutinMASS

Ryanthebear

New York

4.28/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- a gold colored brew with a light white head that seems like it could just hang out on top of my beer all night.

Aroma- like sticking your nose in a barrel of hops, a little grapefruit and pine present.

Taste- hop bitterness up front, there is a hint of malt sweetness, but the hops win out in the end. I actually would have preferred just a little more malt backbone to this beer. But only a little more, and honestly it's still fantastic.

Mouthfeel: nice crisp, light mouthfeel. Moderately carbonated.

Overall: great beer. I could drink this one all night.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2012 01:23:08 | More by Ryanthebear

Climber9

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Crystal clear, very pale amber. White head of fine foam with excellent retention.

S: Grapefruit (hops) and clean pale malt, neither overwhelming. No diacetyl.

M: Medium body, medium high carbonation. Not creamy. Slight hop-derived astringency on the finish.

T: Grapefruit citrus hops dominate. Clean pale malt with very little crystal malt residual sweetness (trends toward dry). Clean fermentation profile (no esters, fusels, or other byproducts). Finishes with strong grapefruit hops flavor that lingers long after the sip has gone.

O: Well made American IPA, on the hoppy side more in the bitterness and flavor areas than in the aroma. Mild malt base and apparent use of only small amounts of crystal malt leave this beer feeling lighter on the palate than most Am IPA's. Delicious in my opinion and comparable to Lagunitas IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2012 04:26:50 | More by Climber9

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap a Smoke & Barrel

Beer pours a clear yellow-orange with a thin white head. Aroma is great, a big blast of citrus hops is prominent here. Flavor follows the nose - it's awesomely citrusy and juicy with a nice bitterness and a only minor malt character. Very light and easy to drink. It's medium-bodied with nice carbonation. Overall, this is an awesome IPA that's packed with the flavor of a DIPA but with a lower ABV that makes it dangerously drinkable. I'm so happy that Ballast Point now distributes to DC as this may very well replace Bell's Two Hearted as my go-to IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2012 03:27:57 | More by starrdogg

Broden

California

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

Served on tap into a standard pint glass.

A- This beer is a crystal clear golden color with a thin white head that quickly dissipates. Little lacing noted. Very attractive IPA.

S- HUGE hop nose with a variety of citrus that jump out.

T- A great hop bitterness, with a small amount of malt. No apparent alcohol makes this dangerously drinkable.

M- Light to medium bodied beer. I need to research what type of yeast Ballast Point uses because I love how this beer is fermented. Not dry but at the same time does not have an overly sweet malt character.

O- Overall this beer is difficult for me to score. It is one of my favorite beers, not to mention one of the best IPA's I have had the opportunity to have. I usually prefer beers that are very balanced, but this beer is the exception to that. The hops definitely dominate this beer, but they are so complex, and so well done that I have a difficult time even mentioning any issues with its lack of balance.

GREAT IPA...GREAT BEER!! This is one of my go to favorites and I have a hard time not ordering it any time I see it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2012 02:21:22 | More by Broden

ckollias

Maryland

4/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this brew on tap out of a standard pint glass at Frisco’s in Columbia, MD.

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden hue with a thin 2-finger white head that quickly dissipates into a wispy lace.

S: Huge complex hoppy aroma with a blend of many citrus fruits.

T: Hoppy bitter brew, again with a fruity background. Hints of citrus and pine in the middle and finishes nice and hoppy.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: This was a really good American IPA – not my favorite and was little disappointed because it was hyped up so much. But I enjoyed it thoroughly and would grab it again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2012 03:35:38 | More by ckollias

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

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

On tap at The Library Ale House in Santa Monica, listed as 6.5% ABV.

Poured a brassy golden colour with white head and impressive residual lacing. Aroma a citrus wonderland with grapefruit, tangerine and others I can't distinguish. Truly beautiful. Unfortunately the taste isn't as impressive as the aroma. Not as well balanced as I'd hoped. Some roasted malt sweetness with surprising tropical fruit tones, followed by a sharp bitterness. The finish lingers for an impressive length of time, but without the full citrus spectrum.

Would definitely purchase again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2012 18:32:39 | More by hopsolutely

wspscott

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle in Sam Adams glass
best by 12/28/2012

A: Crystal clear, light copper/dark straw color with a one finger almost white head that leaves lots of lace.
S: Citrus and tropical fruit, a sense of sweetness
T: Sharp bitter, but not at all unpleasant, oranges and pine, and something that reminds me of flowers. No sign of the alcohol.
M: Very crisp, with a tingly amount of carbonation.
O: An excellent example of a west coast IPA. There is a lot going on, but it is not an overwhelming/dominating beer (you can have a conversation about something besides the beer). I wish this was a 6% beer vs. 7% so I could drink a six pack over a whole Saturday :) Something makes me think of Two Hearted, I think I need to pick up some for comparison.
Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2012 19:41:02 | More by wspscott

silentdonkey

California

4.93/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Simzy's in Long Beach, CA.

A: Beautiful golden orange pour with a nice creamy fluffy white head.

S: A beautiful bouquet of hops! Lots of citrus and tropical hops. Slight malt sweetness.

T: This beer is everything it's hyped up to be. Tons of juicy hop flavor. Lots of mango, grapefruit, orange, peach, and passion fruit. A good amount of bitterness up front, but not overpowering. Transitions perfectly into the hop flavor. Balanced nicely with a mellow malty backbone. Finishes smooth, clean and crisp.

M: Medium body with a good amount of carbonation. Slightly syrupy, but not to the extent of a lot of the other big IPAs.

O: Such an awesome beer! Easily one of the best IPAs out there. It is so well balanced and the citrus and tropical hop flavor is unmatched. The dry hopping shows through nicely and the simple malt profile keeps it perfectly balanced. Seem to always come back to this one.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2012 23:20:35 | More by silentdonkey

FlyingBull

California

3.25/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer on tap at Hamilton's in SD today, and at the brewery tasting room 30 days ago. I've also had it in bottle multiple times over the last 4 months.


A: Transparent light amber body with a 1/2" head (generous pour or I think it would be bigger...). Lots of lacing left on the glass as the small head subsided.

S: Strong pine and citrus nose; dominated by tropical fruitiness to me. That was follwed by strong pine. Lots of grapefruit and astringent notes picked up.

T: Starts with a dominant hop bitterness with grapefruit citrus and pine, followed by a strong pine bitterness, and finishes with a strong, dry astringency dominated by a grapefruit taste.

MF: Medium mouthfeel, good style appropriate carbonation. Again, this beer has a strong biting bitterness and dryness.

O: A really solid IPA that everyone loves. For me, it's not to my taste. I've given it a few tries, and I just can't get myselft to like it. But, I think for those that like strong IPAs, it's a winner. So, drink and enjoy! I won't try and steal you beer. LOL

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2012 02:16:31 | More by FlyingBull

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

10oz serving served in a Boulevard Tulip at Salty Pig in Boston.

A- Translucent slightly brownish golden with about two fingers of white fluffy head that has decent retention but slowly recedes to a thin layer leaving decent lacing. Has a decent steady stream of small carbonation bubbles rising from the middle of the glass but slightly below average carbonation for an IPA.

S- Aromas of citrus hops, oranges, mango, some light grapefruit, spices, and a bit of booze in the background. Definitely a little bit more oranges upfront then your average IPA. Definitely slightly above average aroma strength.

T- Fruity citrus hops, oranges, mango, some grapefruit, some spices, finishes very bitter with a slight lingering citrus aftertaste. Very fruity, spices give it an extra bitter finish, definitely more bitter then your average IPA.

M- Medium bodied, nice carbonation, biterness tingles the tongue a little bit, finishes with a very light booze burn but pretty well hidden.

O- This was a solid IPA with a nice fruity, citrus hop taste however it was definitely too bitter for my liking, which I think takes away from the taste a little bit. I would drink this again, however there are plenty of IPAs out there that I definitely prefer. I'd recommend trying this if you like fruity IPAs, if you don't like beers that finish fairly bitter I'd probably stay away though.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2012 14:45:08 | More by jaasen64

57md

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance is burnt orange with a half finger of head that dissipated rather quickly. The nose is reminiscent of a fresh pine forest. There is some light malty flavor, but the big taste comes from the hops. The bitterness simply grows into a hoppy crescendo. Frankly, I would consider this more like a DIPA than a straight-up IPA since the tongue tingles even after the last sip of this offering is gone.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2012 03:59:28 | More by 57md

ummswimmin

New Jersey

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

Until tonight I hadn't had Sculpin in years. Glad to have it tonight with some really good carnitas tacos.

They served it in a chalice style glass. There was about a centimeter of foam at the top.

Off the top I get citrus and a decent amount of malt to balance this beer.

The flavor was good. I remember better... I also read better. The beer hadn't gone bad, but it was really subtle. I don't know what I expected. I get the hopping and malt. There is decent balance.

I'm going to try this again next week to see if this changes.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2012 00:55:55 | More by ummswimmin

cosmicevan

New York

4/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

consumed on 6/29, while I was "on Hiatus." stopped by Blind Tiger while in NYC today

a - brew arrived in a pint glass and sported the classic IPA orange with a finger's worth of classic IPA off-white head.

s - smells of subdued piny hops with a nice malt backbone. very classic.

t - tast is just like the nose...piny hops with a balanced malt backbone. the pininess blends really nice with the malts for a hop dominated IPA, but extremely well balanced and classic to the core. simply a solid go to IPA.

m - mouth is smooth and easy drinking.

o - overall, this is a standard solid go-to IPA. not offending and a long time fan favorite. always tasty and enjoyable.

on-tap

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 01:17:10 | More by cosmicevan

cfrances33

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Jose Pistolas in Philly on 7/6/12. Served in a tulip.

Pour: Mostly clear orange with a finger and a half white head. Recedes pretty quickly and isnt very sticky. Some lacing.

Smell: Lots of pine and caramel. Little bit of grapefruit in there too.

Taste: Piney bitterness with a substantial caramel sweetness. Little bit of citrus. Peppery bitterness to conclude.

Mouthfeel: Bready but refreshing. Coats the palate well. More of a DIPA body to it than a single IPA.

Overall: Maybe the best single IPA out there. Top 3 for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2012 17:11:01 | More by cfrances33

mjtiernan

New York

4.38/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Banshee Pub...Scranton, PA. Served in a standard pint glass.

A: One finger white puffy head. Golden red body although tough to tell with colorblind eyes and low lighting. Slightly hazy. Head faded fairly quickly and left a thin cap.

S: Tropical fruit and citrus. A bit of sweetness. It’s colder than I’d prefer so I’m not sure that I’m getting the full aroma. What I do get is great though.

T: Heavy citrus and a real nice touch of hop spice. Hops completely overwhelm the malt and I don’t mind at all.

M: Body is medium. Drinkability pretty high for such a full flavored brew.

O: Love getting this on tap. Truly wonderful IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2012 02:25:54 | More by mjtiernan

PorterLambic

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Arrives a rich amber color with a thin filmy head of light tan.
Smell is of course hoppy, resinous and evergreen with a light, almost faint, malt note.
Taste is hops, evergreen like sucking on a fir tree, light malt and nothing else.
For an IPA, its pretty smooth and lightly effervesced. Drying even before the swallow. Slightly warming afterwards.
Not as good as I was thinking it would be but not the uber-bitter hop beast that so many others are.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2012 17:30:57 | More by PorterLambic

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I've had this several times in the past, but can't remember the details. This is from a recent tasting on tap at Blind Tiger, NYC.

Pretty standard IPA here; not really sure why it's rated so extraordinarily high on BA, but oh well. Bright golden body, almost completely opaque with haze, and capped with a creamy off-white head that retained well and left nice lacing on the glass. Nose is hop-dominant as would be expected, but not too aromatic, grass, citrus, subtle traces of ammonia well within tolerance. More of the same in the taste: citrus and pine hops, quite bitter, almost to the point of being a palate wrecker, biscuity malts in the background, lasting bitter aftertaste. Medium body, a bit harsh...not quite as smooth as some of the country's better-made IPAs, but still good quality and drinkable overall if you're in the mood for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2012 20:32:53 | More by Rifugium

david18

New York

3.98/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer had been on draft at my local and I had enjoyed a number of pints of it while I was there. I recently heard someone say that this was one of the best examples of a west coast IPA. I'm not sure I'd agree with that but it was a very good beer.

Appearance is a pale/gold. Good carbonation. Looks to be filtered.

Aroma was very hoppy. Mostly citrus but some pine comes through on the nose as well.

The flavor was great and had an excellent combination of hops malt and sweetness that does make this a very drinkable beer.

Overall a great IPA. Just not sure it's the best.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2012 19:19:20 | More by david18

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap at big city, allston MA. (review from notes)

pours a mostly clear golden-orange tone while yielding a foamy off-white head. good retention and lacing.

haven't had it in a while but i recall sculpin having a kick-ass nose, but this... this is mediocre at best. some citrus hoppiness with a touch of malt in the background but overall nothing like i remember. i'm hoping it's just the melange of odors in the bar making discerning the aroma difficult, and there's nothing to the rumors that sculpin has fallen off.

such hopes are not buoyed by the flavor, which is likewise disappointing. not as an IPA, but as a Sculpin - important distinction. again, yeah there's some citric (primarily grapefruit) hoppiness and a little pine but just sort of underwhelming compared with what i was expecting.

overall, as an IPA this is still a pretty great beer, i'm just wondering what happened. it went from being phenomenal when i first tried (and reviewed) it in bottle to above average... possibly a fluke and i will re-review if so.

(originally reviewed: 11-03-2011)

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2012 21:10:46 | More by BostonHops

JohnnyMc

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First beer from Ballast Point.

Pours out a pretty clear, orange with yellow and a 1 finger white head.

Smells of citrus fruits and a slight hint of piney hops.

The taste is pretty standard. There are notes of grapefruit and orange with barely any taste from the malt and a nice dry finish that's pretty bitter. The body is a bit thin and the hops aren't overpowering in the least.

Not a bad beer, but not as hoppy as I was hoping for. Would like to try more from this brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2012 22:01:23 | More by JohnnyMc

hagbergl

Massachusetts

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

Had the pleasure of reacquainting myself with this excellent example of the American IPA style 6/11/2012 on tap at Redbones BBQ in Somerville, MA. I figured, being a hophead and all, I had to write a review of Sculpin, so I made some notes. Beer was served in a standard 12 ounce pint glass (don't let them trick you into thinking it's 16 ounces of beer you're getting–this isn't England!).

Appearance (4/5): Beer was poured from draft with a one-finger head of white, bubbly foam that steadily dissipated into a thin top layer. The beer itself has a semi-transparent golden color, so on the lighter side of the IPA color spectrum. Looks good to me, though I'd say appearance wise-wise it only rates in the above average-good range; it has qualities that outclass most IPAs, but its appearance isn't one of them.

Smell (4.5/5): Sculpin has a very nice piney and fruity nose–all hops, all the time, and I love it. Notes of ruby red grapefruit, and apricot really come through. Definitely fruit-forward with the hops utilized for their aroma attributes. The aroma is clean and not overwhelming, dank, or funky like some IPAs can be. Refined, I'd say. Excellent.

Taste (4.5/5): The foretaste is dominated by flavors of pine and citrus fruit, as you'd expect with a West Coast style IPA. The beer finishes very smoothly as the hops mellow a bit and you're left with a pleasant lingering lemon-like bitterness that coats the tongue. And while this is certainly a hoppy beer, it isn't highly bitter; the hop flavor tends toward the juicy and fruity, rather than lending a high level of astringence to the beer's overall flavor profile. The pale malt lends some sweetness, adding backbone and countering the bitterness (though the push-back isn't very strong). This IPA is a little more balanced than most West Coast IPAs. I think this is a good approach and demonstrates that a more mild-mannered IPA is an animal that can survive and become revered in the forbidding hop jungle.

Mouthfeel (4.5/5): This IPA has a very good mouthfeel. Appropriately moderate carbonation, a slight prickliness (which I enjoy), and an exceptionally smooth finish. Incredibly drinkable. I'm not one to order multiples of the same beer, but I would do that with Sculpin on draft. Such a good mouthfeel, in my opinion, separates Sculpin from the competition and helps it surpass other very good IPAs, making it a "benchmark"-type beer.

Overall (4.5/5): An excellent IPA, and because of its refined yet uncompromised hoppiness, more accessible than most. When you see it on draft, do what I did and order one. (As an aside, iit would definitely be nice if Ballast Point added bottled-on dates to their bottles rather than simply printing a hard-to-decipher code on the label–when this beer is fresh, it's definitely worth the splurge (commonly $9–10 in MA).) Damn good.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2012 05:15:22 | More by hagbergl

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at simple pleasures in San francisco- pours a surprisingly clear golden color with a healthy 1.5 finger head, decent retention and beautiful rings of sticky lacing.

Smells very piney and a little resin-y. There's definitely some very pale malt in there as well that provides a nice contrast to the hops.

Very refined IPA flavor- not a blast of hops but definitely a very present hop flavor. Pine up front, followed by a modest bitterness, then some pale malt sweets, overtaken by the pine resin bitterness for what feels like an everlasting dry finish.

Mouthfeel is also great- light body, mild to moderate carbonation, a good amount of resin stickiness. This is a great IPA. Never had it in the bottle but fresh on tap for 4 bucks is unbeatable.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2012 00:06:50 | More by Hopdaemon39

OTB

California

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On draft at Zimmzys in the Shore. Nice golden yellow color with a compact off white head. Nice lacing. Nose is all apricots and mango, absolutely love the smell of this beer. Tastes like it smells, mango and apricots with some nice bittering from the hops. Such a timeless classy brew. We take it for granted with such availability both on shelves and on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2012 21:33:40 | More by OTB