Islander IPA - Coronado Brewing Company

brentk56

North Carolina

4.21/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Pours a clear golden-hued amber with a meringue-like head; nice retention and some streaky lacing action

Smell: Tropical fruit (pineapple, pink grapefruit and a hint of mango) along with some sugary, cakey malt underneath

Taste: The tropical fruit flavors detected on the nose dominate from the outset with piney bitterness joining the profile in the middle; hoppy flavors linger, after the swallow, though some sugary malts emerge underneath, particularly in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: A really nice West Coast IPA; better than I was anticipating as it hits all of my hot buttons for the style

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 00:34:16 | More by brentk56

andyfrancis

California

3.35/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Nice looking golden IPA with a lingering white foamy head.

Smells a bit like the outside of a brewery. Extracty.

Tastes ok. Piney IPA that finishes clean.

A little syrupy pine in your cheeks, but it doesn't linger offensively.

Overall, ok but nothing special for a california IPA. If I was in Coronado for some reason, a visit would not be a must based on this experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 21:42:35 | More by andyfrancis

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Arbitrator for the bottle.

Appearance: Clear bright gold. Solid carbonation pulls throughout. Head is bright-white, creamy, and fluffy. Drops to a small spotty cap with a slightly larger collar. Some wisps and streaks of lacing. Pretty much on point.

Smell: Tropical. Mango and pineapple. Loaded with juicy tangerine. Citrus heavy. Malt body is light with some pale malt sweetness. A touch earthy in the back. Slight biscuity finish. Clean and clear. Orange. Not particularly complex, but that's working for it here.

Taste: A bit more bitterness than the nose would indicate. A touch of oily pine on the finish. Big juicy fruitiness that never gets too aggressive. Tangerine and mango, lots of mango. A touch of mint. Malts are slightly sweet and offer a nice counter to the juicy hops. Earthy on the finish. Very clean. Biscuity backbone.

Mouthfeel: Smooth with a medium to full carbonation. Wet on the front with a slightly dry finish. Medium body. Drinks reasonably well, but definitely leaves something to be desired. A bit too thin overall.

Overall: Maholo plenty.

A west-coast IPA that doesn't go too far. Not that too far is always bad. A solid drinking IPA with some rough edges. A bit much to tackle in a large format bottle. Throwing this in a 12oz six-pack would be beneficial. Worth drinking. No frills.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 17:19:16 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Omnium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle > Sensory Sam Adam's Glass

A - Pours clear gold, nice 1 finger head, great lacing all around.
S - Citrus and papaya, a little biscuity malt, some earthy pine scents.
T - Crisp bitterness, a touch of tart apple and papaya, light caramel malts, and finishes on the drier side with some pine and orange zest.
M - A little chewy, but well carbonated and refreshing.
O - Solid IPA from Coronado, and it really makes me want to try all their stuff, this is a great west coast example thats crisp, clean and fresh tasting.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 23:09:41 | More by Omnium

RaulMondesi

California

3.81/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Raul ain't trippin. Raul ain't trippin at all. This lil bad boi is pretty good, n pretty bad at the same time! (like, good bad 2 all you honkies). Nice lil boom boom on the nose, taste makes you think of Tiffany Amber Thiessan circa Saved by the Bell. Falls a lil flat like an American Apparel model, but not bad. Not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 05:08:08 | More by RaulMondesi

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.74/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Tasted 14 April 2013.

Pours a medium-pale orange, almost fully clear. A decent column of bubbles rising up. One finger of white head, good retention, nice lacing.

Smell is a soft blend of citrus and piney hops. It's delicate, with a mid-level sweetness underneath the hop parade. Pretty good, but not overpowering.

Taste is good, and heavier on the hop acids than many of the IPAs I've been drinking recently. Starts out lightly sweet, then drifts into that powerful, mildly chalky bitter, which carries on through a lasting finish. Definitely more bitter than anything else; find myself longing for more malt support.

Feel is fine. Medium-bodied, carbonation on the low side. Sticky, and strangely expansive, blooming up in the corners of my mouth. Long-lasting finish, creeping out of those corners to re-assert itself.

A good IPA, well-hopped, and well put together. Nothing amazing about it, but solid all the way through.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 06:44:11 | More by zeledonia

McStagger

California

3.96/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bomber with no freshness date to be found.

A: Pours a slightly off pale straw with good, but not great, clarity. Very vigorous carbonation. Larger than average bubbles. Two finger traditional khaki head. Not as dense or rocky as many, with large bubbles forming the walls of the foam. Retention is good. Lacing is stellar.

S: Bit of caramel malt sweetness, accentuated by a large burst of stone fruit. Lots of yeasty breadiness, along with the usual tropical and grapefruit notes.

T: Malt is subdued in relation to the hops. Herbal astringency on the finish, along with citrus rind. Mid palate pops with tropical fruit and a tiny bit of grapefruit. The bitterness on the finish is floral (perfume like) and herbaceous. Dry throughout and fairly crisp on the finish.

M: Lean. Fairly crisp, but not to the level of Stone. The vigorous carbonation contributes to the overall "lightness" of this beer.

O: On the dryer side of the West Coast style, and I don't mind one damn bit. Not a game changer by any means, but a damn fine example of a West Coast IPA. As I review more and more of these beers, I'm beginning to feel that there is a definite glut in the market. It's becoming harder and harder to distinguish what makes one of these IPA's "quality" vs. what is merely personal taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 06:42:04 | More by McStagger

Brenden

Ohio

3.69/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Islander is a sort of pale orange color with something like a touch of chill haze. It's capped by a pure white head that sits thick and fluffy at about 2 fingers tall. The head takes some time to recede, remaining heavy and fluffy, never dropping lower than about half a finger and leaving nice lacing.
There's little sweetness to this beer, and the focus is definitely on the hops. There's a pithiness to it that gives the bitterness a hard, chalky edge. Pine, dandelion, and floral hops with some citrus zest make up the sturdy bouquet. There's a bit of dry maltiness to it, a little biscuity and a little crackery, but it offers very, very little caramel sweetness, edging the overall flavor a little off-balance. With so much pith and little sweetness, the chalkiness of the bitter profile gets a little too hard.
The ample carbonation leads to a particular creaminess and a fluffy light-to-medium body with a light and consistent crispness through each sip.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 00:48:23 | More by Brenden

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, poured into a pint glass.

A- Pours a clear golden color, topped with an inch of creamy white head that settles down to a thin layer, leaves a lot of great lacing.

S- Nice aroma, lots of citrus and pine, a bit of caramel.

T- Hops are similar to the aroma, heavy on orange, grapefruit and pine, a bit of oniony earthiness, the caramel malt is more noticeable here than in the aroma.

M- Medium-bodied, has a smooth feel.

O- A solid IPA, there are better IPAs from San Diego but I would definitely have this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 03:55:50 | More by WillCarrera

Zorro

California

3.06/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear light amber color this is almost gold instead of light amber. Small white colored head.

Baking soda biscuit malt aroma it doesn't smell very sweet. Light pine and grapefruit aromas it is quite tame for a west coast IPA.

Starts out tasting very dry and fairly bitter. This is very dry with a mineral water flavor and a sharp hop bite. And that is about all, very dry and sharply bitter.

Mouthfeel is light.

Overall a disappointment. I expected more from this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 22:41:00 | More by Zorro

wedge

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Hazy gold with a slight, creamy white head on top. Smells like a freshly opened bag of hop pellets...it's not slap you in the face, clean out your sinuses hoppy, but it smells like a quality West Coast IPA: floral, grapefruit, pine, and peach notes. More malt in the flavor to counterbalance the hops, though the hops still win. Lots of citrus zest and resinous pine bitterness with a sweet-ish grain base that doesn't interfere with the lupulin goodness. Pretty much just a solid, classic, C-hopped IPA from CA. Medium bodied with a firm bitterness. I like it! Very drinkable and enjoyable - reminds me a bit of Stone IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 21:35:05 | More by wedge

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.01/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

650ml bomber poured into tulip 12/2/13

A clear golden yellow liquid with a few tiny bubbles and a thumbs width of dense foam that retains fairly well and leaves three distinct pencil thin rings of lace

S citric perfume and juicy fruit gum come out strong, sweet orange, faint pine, and toffee, smells strong and fresh

T some malty cereals on top of what I smell, the citrus is focused towards lemon in the mouth and there's just a hint of booze

M somewhat light bodied, pin prick bubbles and just a little grit, rind and pine on the finish

O pretty well rounded IPA, nothing holding it back but nothing to set it apart form all the other fish in the ever expanding sea of IPA's. It's a solid version of the style and although its not lacking in any area its hard to justify the price tag

Its a great IPA but I could get nearly a 6 pack of Little Scrapper, Full Moon or Hop Head for the same price of a 650ml of this. I like this beer but I doubt I'll buy a second bomber when I can get as good or better IPA's for much less

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 07:43:16 | More by wordemupg

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

on tap at irish pol in philly

Pours in a hazed copper color, thin white head, little retention, a few large patches of lacing.

Noticeably malty in the nose, sweet caramel and toasted bread, pine and citrus hops, touch of tropical fruit.

Bitter grapefruit and pithy hops up front. Some sticky pine and orange peel. Thicker malt backbone with caramel sweetness. Finishes dry and a bit sweet.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and somewhat thick on the tongue for the style. Drinks alright but a little unbalanced and malt forward for my tastes.

Updated review: 2/5/13

It appears I clearly sampled an older keg when originally reviewing this. Since then, I've drank this a few times (at the brewery in CA and in Philly) and experienced a much more hop forward beer, typical of the West Coast IPA. Very citrusy with piny notes, faint alcohol and refreshing on the senses.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2013 13:23:08 | More by xnicknj

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz Bottle from Total Wine Tampa FL for 2$

Appearance - Clear gold colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is a high amount of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes.

Smell - Hops, malts, grapefruit, caramel

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste caramel and malts mixed with some hops. There is also some grapefruit and a touch of an earthiness. It ends with a sweet and fairly hoppy aftertaste.

Overall – I can't find a date on the bottle and it seems to taste a little muted compared some of their other offerings I have had.. still a great beer though. I have liked everything I have had from this underrated brewer.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 03:19:16 | More by spinrsx

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - the first pour is a pristine and clear pale golden color and three fingers worth of bubbly snow white foam. On the second pour the liquid turns cloudy, though does not retract from the pleasant color. The white foam is well over four fingers worth and tightly packed bubbles is an understatement. The foam has great retention. Leaves some spotty lacing as sipped.

S - totally hop dominated but mostly pleasant notes soft fleshy fruits. Citrus pulp, grapefruit zest, papaya and mango. Hints of grass. pine needles, and wild flowers add a balancing earthy character.

T - Slighly sweet doughy white bread on the front end. Sweet fruit character enters quickly with notes of pineapple and mango. the bitter citrus peel and earthy pine notes swell to the dominate flavor as the sweet fruit and malt linger underneath. finish is quick with only a touch of lingering citrus.

M - lighter side of medium bodied. slightly watery texture yet the high carbonation allows for a crisp character (aided by the bitterness) which sings.

O - An excellent example of a West Coast IPA. This is something I would drink constantly if it were available locally. Very pleased I had the chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 04:47:22 | More by Teleweizen2

claspada

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark orange color with a white frothy head that recedes at an average pace leaving some lacing.

Aromas begin with big citrus fruits, pineapple and orange. There is some light caramel and toasted biscuit maltiness that comes out as well.

The tastes follow the nose with with more citrus and orange and the bitterness is much more sharp than I expected from the nose. There is a peppery, vegetal bitterness follows as the fruitiness subsides, which is probably from excess dry-hopping.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is fairly resiny, vegetal and bitter, even more an IPA.

Overall this is just another overly bitter, unbalanced West Coast style IPA lost in a sea of well made truely balanced (or more desireable) aroma forward IPAs that exist in today's IPA saturated market. Nothing to see here, move on...

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 16:25:10 | More by claspada

atigerlife

Hawaii

4.4/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy golden. Small creamywhite head that has good retention.

Very nice aroma. Grapefruit, flowers, lots of citrus, perfume. Nice strong aroma.

Taste is of grapefruit, lilikoi, flowers, citrus zest. Nice malt backbone.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and cleansing.

Overall, a wonderful beer. Delicious. Sessionable [though beware of the ABV].

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2012 19:16:46 | More by atigerlife

Broden

California

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Clear golden color with an off white head that rapidly dissipates.

S- Piney hops, malt, and alcohol dominate the nose of this beer.

T/M- Quite malty for an IPA, reminds me more of a IIPA. Bitterness is noted at the end, and lingers. Not unpleasant but certainly noticeable.

O- The first time I had this beer I really enjoyed it. An I find if I drink the beer by its self I enjoy it. But when had after other IPA's I find I really don't enjoy it as much. Balance seems to be the issue here and if the hops had an opportunity to shine through all that malt I feel this would be a much stronger beer. I would recommend it, but for the price there are better options.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 23:23:51 | More by Broden

DrLasers

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On Tap from my Kegerator:

I try every San Diego IPA I can get my hands on and this one fits right in with the genre.

Nice Head, golden color. Not as Boozy as the ABV would have you think. The taste is smooth and refreshing but leaves a sour/bitter note that is not entirely unpleasant. Tried to pair with food a few times but is too overpowering (for my dinner taste) to have with what I consider great IPA meals.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2012 04:15:57 | More by DrLasers

Murrhey

Montana

2.58/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured on-tap at Coronado Brewing. Reviewed from notes.

A- Half finger white head, orange-brown color.

S- Light smell, hoppy, unbalanced.

T- Not great hoppy and bitter finish.

M- Heavier for an IPA. Chewy.

O- Not Coronado's best beer. Not terribly good.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2012 00:06:34 | More by Murrhey

ExtraStout

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Yard House in Waikiki.

A - Clear darker-golden amber body with a thin off-white head that receded and deposited a thin web of lacing around the rim of the glass.

S - Moderate hop character suggesting floral notes with some citrus fruit. Malt is sweet and caramely with a touch of toasted grains.

T - Citrus hops dominate the flavor with a touch of floral and perfumy notes. Hops are backed by a sweet caramel and grainy malt backbone.

M - Medium bodied wity a light syrupy texture, although a bit watery overall. Carbonation is moderate with a slight prickly sensation and subtle alcohol warmth on the palate.

D - While this is a very good IPA overall, it doesn't strike me as West Coast. However, it is well-balanced with a nice hop kick and lots of flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2012 23:51:19 | More by ExtraStout

DannyHartman

3.35/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

As I pour a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass, an average-to-below average head that dicipates quickly forms atop a golden/orangish brew.... During drinking, just a bit of lacing is left behind.... The best part about the appearance of this beer is the sediment that is constantly rising throughout the drink.

I take a whiff, and I'm blown away at first.... This is a very balanced smell of hops, pine, and citrus (mostly grapefruit).... However, it's not too overwhelming of a scent in any of the above.... This brew actually has a very subtle and pleasant smell to it.

The taste is that of citrus and pine, but very bitter.... There's definitely a malt taste to it, but it's certainly not what I was expecting from what I got out of the nose, and most definitely not what I expected out of an I.P.A..

All I can say about the mouthfeel is that it's very oily with an average body.... It's overly carbonated for the amount of flavor in this beer.

Overall, it's not the worst beer I've had, but not what I'm looking for in an I.P.A... It's a very misleading beer upfront.... Wonderful smell and appearance, but then you're let down by the taste and mouthfeel.... Still, pretty interesting.... However, I'll never buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 19:51:29 | More by DannyHartman

rawfish

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours golden into a tulip glass, nice creamy tight white head, one finger high. Excellent retention and lacing.

Not overly floral but very nice and diverse. Pine with notes of ripe apricots, tropical fruit and grapefruit rind. Bright and inviting, get your nose in there.

Honey malt appropriate sweetness. Pine and lemon pith hops that are bright and refreshing with a nice bitterness that sticks on the end of the drink. Unfortunately it doesn't dry well and the alcohol begins to leech out in the finish.

Average body with appropriate carbonation. Bitter but not drying and hot alcohol. Nice drink if you can take a bit of punishment.

I was hopeful that this was going to be just like an Odell IPA or Sculpin with the aroma and color but the details, particularly the finish fall short. It's still worth seeking out for a hophead. All the west coast IPA elements are there just note the boozy finish and slick feel. Would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 04:16:39 | More by rawfish

ThePaleRider

California

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Nice color, a little darker than straw. Nice carbonation with a 1/2 inch white head.

S - Nice hoppy smell. A little on the citrus, but very balanced.

T - Very easy drinking IPA. Nice malts on the back that stick around long after drinking. Hops are very dominant in the front end. Very nice IPA that could set the standard for the characteristics of an IPA.

M - Very smooth, light body that sticks on your tongue and doesn't let go.

O - I'm fortunate to have such a great local beer. This is an IPA that would suit a wide range of palettes and is very, very session-able.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 00:08:23 | More by ThePaleRider

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

So this is what I would call your quintessential San Diego IPA. Bitter, salty, intense, and yet, somehow quite drinkable. I like this one. It reminds me of why I like the intense stuff. If you are into the big IPAs, this one is probably for you. Nice to see a brewery from this region branching out across the country.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 08:28:40 | More by RblWthACoz