Big Eye IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

adamette

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Live Review. Poured from the 12 oz. bottle that I bought for $1.85 from Save-On Tobacco & Beverage in Mentor, Ohio as a single into a clean, clear glass. No "best by" observed by me where Ballast Point's other 12 oz. bottles had it printed on the neck. The other two 12 ounces that I bought that day ...about a week or so ago... were fresh so I am going to go ahead and assume that this one is as well.

A Kind of a standard looking but big creamy very light brown head over a very interesting translucent copper body with plenty of grains or sediment floating about. I really like the look. 4.5

S Moderate bitter hops and lightly roasted malt. Kind of a standard smell really. There might be a bit more of a barley presence to the smell than other IPAs. 3.5

T Pretty standard craft IPA with a moderately elevated hop bitterness that lingers on the back of the tongue and a nice citrus/pineapple sweetness that dances across the front of the tongue. Really intriguing and a cut above most in this style. 4.5

M The bitterness and the sweetness along with the ABV which is a healthy 6.8% mean that this beer has a big mouthfeel. It might be one of the bigger beers in this style (you would have to go to a DIPA to find a bigger feel). 4.0

D/O For me drinkability is reduced by its size. Overall this is a tasty beer though. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 01:41:02 | More by adamette

dmueller

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-20-2013 02:37:01 | More by dmueller

bcuz7

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

05-19-2013 21:53:47 | More by bcuz7

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

Srive009

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +10%

05-18-2013 23:23:46 | More by Srive009

Sixbolt

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +10%

05-18-2013 19:13:40 | More by Sixbolt

fdig23

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-18-2013 14:50:34 | More by fdig23

jplopez21

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

05-17-2013 18:31:13 | More by jplopez21

beersvh23

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-17-2013 03:45:05 | More by beersvh23

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-17-2013 03:07:41 | More by ElizabethEleanor

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-16-2013 20:34:40 | More by ZEB89

NumberNone

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-16-2013 11:18:37 | More by NumberNone

jwk7324

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-16-2013 05:43:05 | More by jwk7324

VaTechHopHead

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-16-2013 04:07:10 | More by VaTechHopHead

Zbeetleman

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-15-2013 03:37:08 | More by Zbeetleman

Hoptimus-Prime

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

05-14-2013 23:42:12 | More by Hoptimus-Prime

BoseMan421

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-14-2013 23:10:12 | More by BoseMan421

DIPAFAN

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-14-2013 21:27:01 | More by DIPAFAN

Rob315

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +16.1%

05-14-2013 18:19:52 | More by Rob315

Absolut

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-14-2013 14:38:31 | More by Absolut

cantfindme

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +10%

05-14-2013 00:25:36 | More by cantfindme

Buick222

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-13-2013 20:16:20 | More by Buick222

KDE

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-13-2013 16:12:44 | More by KDE

mychalg9

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-13-2013 15:37:22 | More by mychalg9

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -20.5%

05-12-2013 18:09:49 | More by mikeburd1128