Big Eye IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Company

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big Eye opens with a nose to make a hop lover drool: ripe, full, aromatic hop aromas of grapefruit and pine, as well as a rosewater sweetness, indicate that several boatloads' worth of ingredients and love have made their way into every bottle. Underlying the hops is a sweet brown sugar river, banked by toast and biscuit.

On the tongue, the beer begins with a bitter-sugar blast, the initial round of brown sugar sweetness taken over almost immediately by strong grapefruit, pine, and lemon zest notes from the hops, and the 85 IBUs leaving lovely tingling sensations on the tongue and soft palate. The introduction only a few seconds later of a heavy nut flavor--pecan, as well as Brazil nut--speaks of a good malt load, with some toast and biscuit flavors coming through, though in lesser amounts. By and large, however, this is an IPA, and the hops take the majority of the flavor profile, subsequent sips revealing touches of bitter grapefruit rind flavors, as well as the sweeter fruit. The aftertaste is grapefruit rind, and lingers for a long time. Mouthfeel is a silky medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is excellent IPA fare, having good balance between hops and nutty grain flavors, and having just enough bitterness to gnaw softly at the tongue while still leaving the flesh intact. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 21:14:44 | More by jondeelee

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