Big Eye IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

HardTarget

Texas

3.96/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Picked up at my local HEB; they are going to need a Place review!
Enjoy by 7/25/13 (sampled 5/19/13)

Appearance: Deep amber glass glows a bit golden when back lit, shows off great clarity and sports a full cover of tight cream colored bubbles that lasts and laces.

Smell: Got whiffs of it at arms length; hops come through loud and clear with a slightly sweet crystal malt base. Little bit of soapy something, the hops are pine tar, mildly citric and earthy.

Taste: Sweettart Candy base tends to drown out the hop flavors at first, but there is a firm bitter slightly tonic finish that keeps things from going too far down Barleywine road. The balance swings wildly from the sweet start to the almost burning hop fueled finish. The center of the teeter is nice, but short lived.

Mouthfeel: Very dry, almost puckering finish with a heavy oily texture. Carbonation is a bit prickly, maybe a touch high?

Overall: A fun beer, loads of flavor, but not a "complete package". Someone decided to have the Crystal Malt train head on with the Centennial Hop train; it's a bit of a wreck, but there's something of a performance art quality that has me ok with getting the full 6 pack.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 21:49:34 | More by HardTarget

WolfsbaneBloom

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Pours a clear amber with three fingers of creamy beige foam.

Smell: A clean lemon and pine aroma cuts through a sugary, sweet citrus (orange, pineapple and grapefruit) backdrop.

Taste: Much like Sculpin, this is a bitter beast. Lots of pine, floral notes, grapefruit rind, and a bit of a soapy lemon flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, crisp and tingly carbonation that coats the tongue.

Overall, I enjoyed this quite a bit. It's definitely a bold and bitter IPA and, like Sculpin (it's bigger brother), it teeters on being unbalanced. But as intense as it is, it's also bursting with flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 03:10:59 | More by WolfsbaneBloom

joeseppy

Illinois

4.09/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a reddish copper hue with minimal dense head and spotty lacing.

Grapefruity sweet aroma and stray hints of pine.

Grapefruit rind bitterness upfront that wanes to the back. Pine, hop leaf and floral aftertaste. This is one bitter brew.

Medium malt body and a hop drying effect. I find this easy drinking.

Pretty decent offering at the right price. A classic IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 02:35:58 | More by joeseppy

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz can poured into a shaker pint.

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

Nose
Candied orange, pine, lemon and papaya.

Taste
Resinous pine, orange zest, lemon rind and fruity esters. Thin caramel backbone with washes of candy sugar. Finishes with grapefruit zest with tons of spicy pine sticking around.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp, bitter and dry.

Overall
Spicy, floral, fruity and zesty. Dry and bitter. Yeah, it's an IPA. Meh, not my favorite.

Serving type: can

05-03-2013 23:56:46 | More by justintcoons

MadCat

New Jersey

4.11/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Very clear copper color, good white head, leaving good lacing

Smell: Fruity, citrusy hops, some caramel malts show through

Taste: Hops hit first with bitterness, fruit, and citrus. Some nice malt character shows through, with some grains and caramel flavors

Mouthfeel: Medium body, good carbonation

Overall: A pretty good IPA, though a little hard to drink in quantity.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2013 05:21:01 | More by MadCat

ikantspel

California

4.28/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams lager glass
Best by of 8.15.13

Pours a clean clear copper color with a tan bubbly head

Lemon city's zest, heavy hop aroma, bubblegum in the nose

Earth and pine in the taste, with some grapefruit and pineapple.

Super balanced, not an overpowering ipa for the amount of alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 03:00:17 | More by ikantspel

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.84/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Appearance - uncapped, it begins bubble formation and starts creeping up the neck. Very fluffy into the glass, lots of bubbles clinging to the glass. A thick finger of manila foam, very sticky.

Aroma - pineapple, mango, pine, sweet citrus. Smells outstanding.

Taste - caramel malts, to the sweet side for sure. Lots of orange and lemon, some dry pininess in the background. Lots of citrus up front, drying in the swallow and aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - heavier than average, very carbonated but it doesn't come across as much during drinking.

Overall - one of the most enjoyable IPAs I've had in a while. Short list for max sessionability.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:00:29 | More by brewdlyhooked13

gillagorilla

Maryland

3.99/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into pint

A: Very nice golden amber with a decent head retention that stays for quite a bit.

S: A very delicate, citrus floral smell that is quite faint. One of the more faint smelling IPAs I have had, but that is not a bad thing, it just shows the complexity and the floral nature of it. With a bit of pine at the end. Quite unique scent actually.

T: Lots of pine coming through, especially in the aftertaste.

M: Excellent strong mouthfeel that just has a good balance and texture to it.

O: A solid IPA, which is interesting in contrast with their other IPA offering, Sculpin. I would like to try them blind. Sculpin has an excellent IPA brother in Big Eye. Great price and availability. Can't go wrong here.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 02:48:00 | More by gillagorilla

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a tulip glass) best by 1/3/13
A- This beer pours a slightly deep copper color with a sticky light beige head and a gentle carbonation gliding to the surface.

S- This beer has a green woody hop aroma that is mellow.

T- The sweet caramel malt has a strange pungent hop flavor with some bright pungent hop flavor in the finish.

M- The medium mouthfeel has a tight fizz in the finish

O- The hops had a nice aroma but a bit mellow especially for the big caramel malt flavor. I drank this beer on 1/3/13 but it is the freshest Ballast Point I have found even though it was at the end of its date.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 13:58:58 | More by rhoadsrage

FlyingBull

California

4.44/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer many times; this time from a 22 oz bomber. This is following a Port Wipe Out IPA to compare.

This beer was poured into a glass from Gordon Biersch that held almost all 22 oz! Medium amber color; clear, 1" light tan head that was persistent throughout the drink with lacing on the sides. Has a lightly resinous aroma with a light citrus aroma but I find a the dominant aroma to be cotton candy-like. There is some caramel and malt aroma too. The mouth feel is medium to medium full bodied; normal carbonation. The initial or front taste is sweet malt with candy hops quickly followed by resinous hops followed by citrus - grapefruit mostly to me. My better half says it's very floral - very flowery overall. :-) The back end is a mild nice lingering bitterness.

This beer is totally different from Wipe Out IPA. Although this beer is also 7%, there are NO alcohol flavors. it's also not as spicy as Wipe Out - doesn't have that Amarillo hop spice in it. It's more typical "West Coast" but it's very good - very solid. I like it and will drink it again...and again.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 04:06:51 | More by FlyingBull

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.21/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We pour a brew of deep golden orange. It holds a two finger head of big off-white bubbles, leaving chunky patterns of lacing around the glass. This retains very well. No haze or sediment is noted, and carbonation appears minimal. The aroma gives milky lactics, fresh grapefruit hops, pale and faintly caramel malts, sticky strawberry sugars, herbal freshness, black pepper and cinnamon spice, and bubblegum esters. Our first impression is that the flavoring is nicely fresh, bitter, and clean. As we sip, the flavoring opens with fresh herbal and citric hop bitterness, pale malt wash, mineral, pineapple juiciness, and lactic creaminess. These blend to the peak where the sweetness and fruitiness of the hops shine through, along with wet yeasty breadiness, cheesy musk, and light bubblegum esters. At the tail end of the swallow comes a puckering, bittering hop that pulls to the finish, helping to cut the coolness and evenness of pale, metallic malts. Otherwise the finish is characterized by peppery alcohol, citric hops, vegetable acidity, juicy pineapple and passion fruit, herbal grassiness, warm nuttiness, and more sustained yeast. The aftertaste breathes of pale and metallic grain, booze, big grapefruit hops, bubblegum sugars, lactics, and fresh dill. The body is medium but thick, and the carbonation is medium. There is excellent slurp, cream, froth, smack, sip, and glug. The mouth is initially coated with soft foam, but ends up astringently dried through the citrus and the booze. The abv is fine, and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, the best thing about this beer was the massive aroma. This was inclusive of the hearty grain bill, phenols, and booze, but left plenty of room for the hops to come in and balance in full force. This gave a high level of complexity, but with refreshing crispness and cleanliness in the end. The flavoring followed nicely, giving an equally as complex flavoring that fought between juiciness and dryness as it rode down the gullet. Sometimes the bitterness muddles the cleanliness of flavoring, as it sticks true to the west coast style, but the ultimate blend makes for a tasty, reliable, reproducible experience of intrigue.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 04:11:23 | More by TheBrewo

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.23/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Though it says: "Enjoy by Jan 23, 2013," let me review this and to the reader who reads the entire review, you`ll understand why:

Into a pint glass:

A: golden body yields a one finger white foamy head, foamy lacing slides down the sides of the glass

S: superior combination of sweet malts to hops, subdued caramel comes out strong as the beer warms

T: sweet and bitter at different times, caramel makes its presence known

M: light, closer to watery, (more so my fault for having it now), sticky sweet finish

O: other than the mouthfeel, this was a very good West Coast style AIPA, but the date that is on the bottle tells me that though I liked this very much, I wonder how good this stuff is fresh ... will definitely have again and will pay better attention to bottle dates

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 00:24:52 | More by kangarooAdam59

BurpingtonDC

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Darn! These folks make some mighty fine IPA. As Big Eye is the little brother to the EXCEPTIONAL Sculpin.

A - Orange/Golden color with a small creamy head. A delicate lacing hangs on the edge of the glass like a jumper having second thoughts.

S - Malty sweet scent with slight pine notes.

T - Sweet malt with a bitter hoppy flavor and orange or apricot notes,

M - Surprisingly clean and refreshing for a brew with such malty profile.

O - Very good IPA, better than average, but one can't help but compare it to Sculpin which is one of the best IPA's going, so it takes a hit on that account--but it's a pretty good IPA on its on merits.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 02:14:50 | More by BurpingtonDC

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.69/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle, best before March 27, 2013, approx 3 months old. Served at around 40F.

Pours lightly hazy amber with a two finger off-white head that leaves nice drippy rings of lacing and settles to a foamy island and ring.

Aroma is kind of muted, but features some fruity hops, citrus, caramel malt, hints of apricot and bread. Moderate strength.

Flavor is more bold and features nice citrusy and fruity hops, decent bit of caramel malt, moderate sweetness in the middle, good bitterness on the finish. Light alcohol at the end.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, oily, somewhat creamy, good carbonation.

Nice IPA, holding up OK, but can tell the aroma has fallen off some and the caramel has moved forward in the flavor. Got this via mail order which can be a crapshoot as far as freshness goes, but at least I’m happy that it was within the Best By range.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 01:11:22 | More by elgiacomo

Dcmpres

California

4.16/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear amber with fluffy off-white head that dissipates to a thin sheen.

S: Lots of sweet citrus, apricot along with some grassy notes.

T: A smooth on the entry with crisp citrus, caramel and piney bitterness that builds in intensity to a lingering finish.

M: Nice viscosity that builds on the palate, yet is balanced by the carbonation.

O: This is a very solid offering for the more restrained hophead, I prefer this brew to their Sculpin.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 01:01:14 | More by Dcmpres

brewdude1982

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

This was a 12 oz bottle poured into a tulip.

This beer pours orange/amber with a small head and mild retention. It smells like malts, sweet fruit, and piney hops. It tastes like sweet grapefruit and finishes with a slight hop taste that is pleasing. Decent body and good carbonation. A good beer but I prefer the sculpin. I would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 23:44:14 | More by brewdude1982

BreweryRun

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours lightly yellow with a small amount of head. A classic west coast IPA. Great hop forward taste that finishes with more hops without being too powerful. Mostly bitter/piny hop character with almost no fruitiness. Very clean and crisp, doesn't leave a super bitter hop flavor on your tongue like some powerfully hoppy IPAs. A stand by.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 05:06:46 | More by BreweryRun

gabedivision

New York

4.34/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle (best by 4-21-13) to a tulip glass

A- pours a crystal clear ruby red with a 1 finger tight bubbled frothy head, classic ipa look

S- a musty sweet malt on the front of the nose, followed by a pungent grapefruit citrus, lemons, sugary orange juice, and fresh bud

T- toffee malts, pine, grapefruit, orange, lemon zest. Just huge citrus hops, bready malt backbone, and a bitter finish

M- medium bodied, medium carbonation, sweet, citrusy, dry and bitter

O- classic west coast ipa, huge citrus hops, great malt backbone, amazing balance. Sculpin may get most of the allcolaydes, but Big Eye in IMO is a bit more balanced, and just as tasty

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 04:41:15 | More by gabedivision

Florida_SC_Trojan

Florida

4.46/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Another great beer by Ballast Point. Pours a hazey golden amber with a decent one finger head. The nose is lots of grapefruit/citrus and hops. Lots of hop flavor and good bitterness. Very flavorful and drinkable. I can easily drink alot of these. Ballast Point is easily becoming a favorite brewery of mine. Would give any of their beers a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 20:58:37 | More by Florida_SC_Trojan

paulytasker

New York

3.89/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Serving Type- 12oz. Bottle with a best by date of 5/17/13 poured into a pint glass

A- Pours a pretty much crystal clear medium golden-amber colour. 1/2 Inch of beige head that tapers off quickly. Fair amount of lacing as I continue to sip.

S- Picking up on a lot of pale malts here. The malts are accompanied by a nice shot of citrus hops, a touch of grapefruit. I thought I had detected a little caramel, but not sure. Very pleasing to the nose!

T/M- Fairly slick and creamy mouthfeel. Body is a little bigger than i had expected. The caramel that i thought i had smelled was more aparent on the pallate. IMO the malts are at the forefront and are strongarmed away by a big blast of fruity hops. One of the creamier IPA's I have had in awhile. My favorie thing here is the clean, dry finish that leaves a nice bitterness lingering for a good while.

O- This was my 1st time experiencing Ballast Point and i'm satisfied. Truly a solid representation of a West Coast IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 00:49:03 | More by paulytasker

UCLABrewN84

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Boneyard Bistro in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Pours a clear copper with a foamy beige head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Thin rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, citrus zest, and grapefruit juice. Taste is much the same with a citrus zest flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2013 09:03:07 | More by UCLABrewN84

SmashPants

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: solid brown 355mL bottle with a cool label.

Appearance: mid orange-amber in colour with moderate-to-higher carbonation streaming from the bottom. A big, frothy head drops to a thin cap fairly quickly with limited lacing.

Aroma: a very strong smelling IPA, per the American style. As usual there are some flavour notes coming across - particularly citric hops - but is drowned by the hop bitterness.

Taste: a big and powerful AIPA, with those citric hops up front and some pine backing up.

Aftertaste: lingers quite nicely, without the harsh bitterness that can affect the aftertaste on so many AIPAs. The flavours are actually distinguishable with Big Eye as opposed to simply puckering the mouth, which impresses.

Mouth feel: some weight behind it, but it feels medium bodied. The steady carbonation carries the flavour well.

Overall: if you want a big American IPA, this is a good one to choose. Reasonably priced and with a good combination of different hops, it's a good choice.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 04:20:16 | More by SmashPants

Pinknuggets

Vermont

3.73/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

bottle to HFS sniffer

A: Golden to brown honey colored with some thin white head that leaves a thick white lacing. It is almost completely clear translucent as much as an ipa can be.

S: There are definitely hops in there, but there seems to be a lot more mal then i expected comparing this to the scalpen this is much less balanced smelling as the sweetness of the malt is much more powerful and the dominant smell in this case.

T: follows the nose in terms of the malt the taste is almost completely malt dominant not what I was I what expecting at all as I always look for hops in a IPA and here they are almost non existent with a little bit of bitterness in the finish though other then that nothing there. i really do not think I will ever understand the malt forward ipa. it really isn't that bad just not to style in my opinion at all.

M:The feel is really oily to the point were it almost slides down your throat, but smooth is not a word that I would use to describe it. There is a little carbonation but not much as well as a little bit of resin but not enough to hang around to complement the bitterness.

O: This is a decent malt forward ipa, I hate malt forward IPAs that being said I did not hate this beer but it definitely was not my favorite. If malty ipas are your thing then give it a try but if you have some dick throw in two big eye's in your scalapen six pack without you noticing before you got home you have the right to be pissed off.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 02:44:00 | More by Pinknuggets

kojevergas

California

3.2/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Bet before 05/17/13. Acquired as part of a six pack at a local Von's grocery store. 7.0% ABV confirmed. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Expectations are high given the brewery, whose Sculpin IPA I hugely respect. Reviewed live.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger beige colour head of nice cream, decent thickness, and above average (~3 minute) retention for the above average ABV. Body colour is a clear translucent pale copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Standard fare for the style; there's nothing unique or special here. But there are no overt flaws either.

Sm: Oily piney hops, heavy floral hops, pale malts, messy grapefruit citrus zest, mango and more tropical notes, pineapple, and light nectar hops. Something's off; it doesn't come off fresh or refreshing. It's messy and the flavour profile isn't what I like and expect from a great IPA. Still, it's clean and more complex than most other IPA aromas. Not at all too hoppy, though some hop bitterness is evident. An above average strength aroma.

T: Lots of juicy crisp fruity hops, redolent especially of tropical fruit like mango and pineapple. Pale malts form the clean somewhat refreshing foundation. Unfortunately, hop bitterness does creep out on the climax and in the finish - a severe flaw. Floral hops. Light hop nectar. It's not the oily hop extract core of an IPA like Lagunitas; the profile is much more tropical than most IPAs. Anyone who claims this is exactly like Sculpin is out of their gourd. It's clean and pleasant but lacks the body and complexity of a superior IPA (like Sculpin). Not too hoppy at all. I kind of like that though; it's not trying to be a double IPA. No malty sweetness or backbone; it's more cut and dry hoppy. Fairly balanced but lacking the complexity and subtlety it needs. I like it, but it's far from fantastic. No yeast character or alcohol comes through.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Too thin and weak, lacking body and presence. Carbonation is slightly overdone. Suits the flavour profile generally well, but doesn't feel custom tailored to it.

Dr: A pretty good IPA that hides its ABV well, but it's nothing to write home about. $11 in a grocery store feels rather steep. I wouldn't get it again with Lagunitas' offerings next to it on the shelf, but it's a passable beer for the style. Ballast Point does far better. I don't understand the comparisons to Sculpin; this don't hold a candle. Still, it's worth looking into for fans of the style. It's quite drinkable; I'll have no trouble polishing off the six pack I picked up.

C+

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 05:08:08 | More by kojevergas

CloudStrife

New York

4.26/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Best before 05/17/13.

A: Pours a clear golden amber with a 1.5 finger dense white head. A good amount of visible carbonation. No real lacing. Head remains as a thin covering.

S: First aroma on the nose is a grapefruity/citrus hop with a sweet malt backing. Pretty good earthiness to it.

T: Good bitterness in this IPA. Much more focused on the hops as opposed to the malts. Booze is well hidden.

M: Medium body with average carbonation. Perhaps a little thin but not too much so but not as nectary as others.

Overall a real tasty IPA. Love the full on hop approach. Not as full bodied or balanced as the Sculpin but I am certainly still a fan.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 00:30:08 | More by CloudStrife