Sculpin IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

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

CharlesRamsey

California

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

What can you say about one of the best? Some might call this a hop bomb, but its balanced so well they would be as wrong as Ariel was for taking those girls. A strong, dry hop presentation with spice, pine notes off of a thin white, low carbonation head. Beers like this make me want to live in the ballast point parking lot.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2013 02:12:22 | More by CharlesRamsey

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into becker. Golden orange, the color of honey, with a thick fluffy white head that fades after a bit but seems to leave lots of lacing. Smells of floral hops with tropical fruit; pineapple and mango are noticeable. Taste is less hoppy than the smell; sweet and clear up front with hops coming in at the end, quite a bitter finish though. A great drinkable IPA though; if the hop flavor had been all throughout, it would have been more of a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 01:57:13 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

FanofHefe

Illinois

4.24/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle, best by 9/27/2013, poured into a Duvel tulip. With a reasonably aggressive pour, I get nearly two fingers of dense, off-white head, over a clear, light amber body that has bit of yellow tint. Decent retention a little lacing.

Nice aroma. Starts out mostly citrus, primarily grapefruit, with some light tropical notes following. As it warms, I get a fairly sweet malt aroma as well.

The flavor doesn't stray too far from the aroma. The hop flavors are a bit more on the pine and grapefruit side than the aroma. Only a minor notice of the bready malt, that tends to stay in the background. Very west coast style as far as the up front hop flavors. As it warms, the flavors tend to blend even better.

Medium texture in the mouthfeel and no notice of alcohol. An excellent beer overall. Glad its finally being distributed in my area.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 20:37:28 | More by FanofHefe

Duderino

California

4.06/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Light in color, not much head retention

S- Aroma is strong, with hints of citrus. My expectation was high with inital aroma.

T- Does not match the aroma, was expecting a stronger hop flavor to match. Overall taste is good, clean. Definately gets better when not as cold, hop flavor tends to come out more when drinking in the 50-55 degree range.

M- Smooth mouthfeel, does not linger when drinking. I do prefer big IPA's to stick to the mouth more.

O- A solid beer, overpriced for what it is. Averages about $15 a six pack, would take their Big Eye IPA over this one for about 5 bucks less a sixer.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 04:53:09 | More by Duderino

Shaaarrrp

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This is a very good beer and certainly one of the most drinkable IPA's I've ever come across. No real alcohol taste or hop bite...it doesn't have that devastatingly fresh smell, taste or mouthfeel but it's clearly a well put together IPA with excellent balance that makes it extremely easy to down without regret or hesitation. This would be a great beer for introducing people to IPA's or for those that don't like the bitterness. Definitely worth a try but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 00:06:40 | More by Shaaarrrp

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.09/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Nice, light tangerine color with a medium to large, bubbly, airy, foamy, white head. Really nice retention and a nice coating of lace.

S - Citrus and pine are definitely strong. Fair amount of bready malt. Hints of mango and floral notes. Well hopped but I wouldn't call it as aggressively hopped.

T - Similar to the nose. Grapefruit, sweet orange, hints of pine and floral. Solid bready malt flavor in the background throughout. Touches of mango and pineapple but not overly tropical. Nice lingering bitterness.

M - Medium body with average, maybe slightly above average, carbonation. Slightly dry.

D - Very easy to drink IPA. Quite balanced both in regards to amount of maltiness and hops and amount of sweetness and bitterness. Alcohol is not present. Overall, this is quite satisfying.

Notes: Best before 09/23/13. Overall this is a well made IPA. Quite balanced and easy to drink. I wasn't as blown away by it as I hoped given some reviews. It's very solid and well made, but it isn't amazing. Worth a try, particularly at a bar when it is priced similarly to other solid IPAs, but it's a little expensive compared to other IPAs I enjoy as much in bottle format.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 02:25:49 | More by FreshHawk

vic21234

Illinois

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

22oz bomber poured into a snifter. Enjoy by date of 09/22/13. Ballast Point just started distributing to my area.

A- Pours a clear and beautiful light orange color. A finger's worth of off white head sticks around for awhile.

S- Very nice smelling IPA. I get notes of piney resin followed by grapefruit, orange and mango.

T- The smell carries over into the taste. Initially I get some pine notes along with slight peach and overall citrus. The pine definitely wins over in the taste though.

M- Light bodied, highly carbonated, very easy drinking and refreshing, dry and bitter finish.

My first offering from Ballast Point is a great one. This is a great example of an IPA, and I would seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:00:17 | More by vic21234

thlayli87

New Jersey

4.29/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Amber color with three fingers of offwhite head. Moderate lacing.

S - Bursting with tropical fruit aromas. Reminds me of the smell of fruit cocktail.

T - Mango, pineapple and grapefruit flavors, followed by a sharp hoppy finish. Good balance of sweetness and bitterness.

M - Moderately thick and chest.

O - A really nice IPA with a sweet fruity presence up front and a powerful hop bite. Alcohol packs a sneaky punch too.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 23:16:15 | More by thlayli87

mpedara429

Massachusetts

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

A: Pours out a very clear amber color with one finger of white head.

S: Smells like pine, candied oranges, and pineapple juice.

T: Pine, pineapple, grapefruit with just a hint of herbal and floral tones. Nice bitter hop profile that is balanced by sweet malt.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation. Surprisingly smooth and light for a beer so full of flavor.

O: I was skeptical to try this since I wasn't crazy about their Big Eye IPA. I find the Sculpin to be a lot more complex. I think it's got a little of something for every IPA drinker to enjoy. I can definitely see myself going back and treating myself to a 22 oz. of this. here or there.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 01:42:39 | More by mpedara429

Bosoxfan20

Oklahoma

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

Very pumped to have finally reeled in the legendary Sculpin. So happy to have a great wife to give me gifts like this for our anniversary.

A- Pours a clean copper with a white head. Fantastic retention and serious lacing.

S- A lot going on here with the hop profile- Grapefruit, apricot, peach, orange zest. Finishes with a sweet malt base that smells like honey.

T- Something totally different and unique from some of the standard floral and pine hop IPAs that seem to be redundant. The fruits the nose caught along with some pine hops upr front mellows to a pale malt base, then hops come back with a vengeful bite, and then finishes so smooth and tasty. A lot going on here.

M- Mid body, good rush of carbonation. Dense.

O- Loved how this one gave me something a little different from the norm. Nice balance and a fantastic brew that I would have time and time again.

Best by 8/4/13
Consumed on 4/27/13

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 21:56:50 | More by Bosoxfan20

vinny21bal

Illinois

4.79/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

What a great Ipa. I have had these at different times however. This is a beer you want fresh. If you are at the store check the date on it. It is not the best when old. And definitely don't age this beer. But when fresh it is pretty much flawless. It is closer in style to a Founders then a Three Floyds as it does not have all the citrus on the nose like a Floyds or even in the taste but it is a great beer. I would never say no to a Sculpin in fact I would hunt it out. It is worth the money.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 19:09:56 | More by vinny21bal

SportsandJorts

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: anice hazy orange color with a white head that leaves a lacing

Smell: hops, citrus, floral and maybe some pine

Taste: has all the hops of the smell but a very subtle honey sweetness

Mouthfeel: starts of very smooth. the bitterness builds up over time

Overall: a good well crafted ipa but id like a stronger showing of the smooth and sweetness

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 16:32:54 | More by SportsandJorts

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

JDizzle

Indiana

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

Served an Imperial pint at Dingle House in West Chester, Oh. $7

Pours a light golden copper with a lacing white head. Superb!

Smells like hop perfume!! F me! Might as well chop up hops and snort them.

Really citrusy, no booze, floral, little malt, It's a beaut Clark!

Bitter, perfect carbs, and a nice finish.

One of the best of its kind.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 01:21:07 | More by JDizzle

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

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sculpin 12oz. Can poured into 16oz. Goose Island Pint Glass @ Hawthorne's Cafe in Philadelphia

A: A perfect orange/burnt amber tone and a slightly spotty head following decent froth.

S: Fresh, very sweet hopiness. Almost gives off the aroma of confectionery lozenges.

T: Sweet tones backed up by a killer bitter hop kick of resin.

M: Thin. Dry. Perfect levels of maltiness.

OVERALL: Hits the palate in waves and only thins out towards the end of the sip as the perfect flavors all come forward at once. This is what IPA's should taste and look like!

Serving type: can

05-05-2013 20:39:20 | More by RobertColianni

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.29/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz can poured into a shaker pint.

Appearance
Gold with 1/2 finger of head. Excellent clarity with low-moderate carbonation.

Nose
Mango, papaya, candied orange and hints of pineapple.

Taste
Mango, papaya, candied orange and hints of pineapple. Caramel and pale candy sugars. Finishes with some tangerine and a touch of pine.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp, juicy, dry and clean.

Overall
Yeah, still an outstanding IPA. Loads of tropical fruits striking a nice balance between the candy-like malts. Juicy and not overly bitter.

Serving type: can

05-04-2013 00:42:47 | More by justintcoons

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