Big Eye
Ballast Point Brewing Company

Big EyeBig Eye
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From:
Ballast Point Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #617
ABV:
7%
Score:
90
Ranked #8,182
Avg:
4.05 | pDev: 9.63%
Reviews:
1,126
Ratings:
4,382
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 04, 2023
Added:
Dec 22, 2000
Wants:
  243
Gots:
  1,167
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by LambicPentameter:
Photo of LambicPentameter
Reviewed by LambicPentameter from Nebraska

4.04/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Enjoyed out of a 22 oz brown bomber that I happily found on my trip to Hawaii. Reviewing from notes after drinking on 10/22. The label is marked with a Julian date code of 14258, which translates to 9/15/14. Poured into a stemless wine glass.

Appearance (4.25) - Pours a jewel-like brassy orange that brings to mind a darker version of amber (fossilized tree resin). Not really any haze, with the only obscuring produced by a lazy stream of carbonation rising up to the top to replenish a towering three fingers of off-white creamy looking foam. Retention is excellent, leaving spotty sheets of sticky lace covering the sides of the glass and an island of frothy bubbles floating on the surface as the head slowly recedes.

Smell (4.0) - Rich notes of pine wood and resin are the predominant aromas, with some subtle notes of earth and cedar come through as well. There are also complementary notes of citrus zest, but that is definitely secondary to the pine. Underlying it all is a pleasant malt backbone, with some caramel and grain lending a sweet counterpoint to the hop profiles.

Taste (4.0) - Many of the same characteristics are present in the taste that were part of the smell. This time, the notes are a little more straightforward than I detected in the aroma, with a lot of the subtle undertones giving way to pretty clear notes of pine resin and some hints of bright citrus zest with a faint grapefruit pith on the finish. The malt is again there to provide a base for the hops, with barley and bready sweetness.

Mouthfeel (4.0) - Medium-bodied and moderate carbonation with a slightly prickly mouthfeel and a mostly dry finish with just a hint of sweetness.

Overall (4.0) - This is an excellent take on the IPA style, and I'm actually impressed that Ballast Point has managed to make two IPAs that differentiate from one another without sacrificing quality. Any other brewer would be happy to have a citrus-forward IPA like Sculipin or pine-forward IPA like Big Eye in their portfolio. I'll definitely have to try this one out of cans sometime.
Oct 27, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by carolinabeerguy from North Carolina

Jan 04, 2023
 
Rated: 3.84 by Slyde180 from Texas

Oct 28, 2022
 
Rated: 3.99 by TwilightBeerCareer from Illinois

Nov 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Nov 18, 2021
 
Rated: 4.03 by Hopweiser from Korea (South)

Jun 11, 2021
 
Rated: 3.59 by GaryM6 from New York

Jan 28, 2021
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

2.95/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
355 ml bottle, from Fakta Hirtshals. BB date is hard to read, but probably 25.03.2014. Slightly hazy deep golden to amber colour, moderate to low head, slightly off-white. Strong and unpleasant aroma of stale orange marmalade and rotting fruits and vegetables. Distinctly hoppy and resinous flavour, better than the aroma, not too sweet, with a solid bitterness in the finish.
Dec 12, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by FLBeerGuy from Florida

Sep 30, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Aug 18, 2020
 
Rated: 2 by TallGuyCM from California

Jun 16, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by ryanf2192 from District of Columbia

Jun 08, 2020
 
Rated: 3.84 by BeerMe8 from Florida

Feb 14, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Jan 29, 2020
 
Rated: 1.38 by Reen from Washington

Dec 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4.02 by ItsYourBoyBlue from Washington

Dec 12, 2019
 
Rated: 3.3 by chitownfanatic21 from Wyoming

Nov 23, 2019
 
Rated: 3.88 by Red_Hook_Madness from Minnesota

Oct 19, 2019
Photo of Chuckdiesel24
Rated by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

4.06/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From 5/21/16
Sep 27, 2019
 
Rated: 4.09 by AWA from California

Jul 26, 2019
Big Eye from Ballast Point Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 4382 ratings