Islander IPA - Coronado Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A Satisfying IPA,from Half Time Beverages. Very drinkable, I finished the the bomber myself. Good hop aromas,with C-hop, a very decent bitterness. Golden colour with sizeable head.Some citrus and fruitiness.Above average mouthfeel and IBU.A nice malted IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 06:38:29 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.33/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Transparent tangerine with a warm brassy glow when backlit with sunshine. Mostly pale malt, it appears, which is a very good thing. The good-sized crown is a relatively tight collection of bubbles that are decorating the glass with thick sheets of BB-shot lace.

Centennial and Chinook hops have been used to good effect. The tropical fruitiness was evident on the pour and made me eager to get my nose over the glass. Pink grapefruit leads the way, followed by passionfruit. The beer smells somewhat perfumy, but in a good way.

Islander IPA isn't scathingly hoppy, but it's hoppy enough. The IBUs might be somewhere in the vicinity of 75-80. As expected, there isn't much caramel malt in the house. It isn't all pale, though, due to a hint of something lightly toasted that isn't prominent enough to interfere with the hop flavor.

Even though most hopheads will want even more of the little green cones (we're a tough crowd to please sometimes), I like the balance between malt sweetness (30%) and hoppy bitterness (70%). Those percentages do a good job of scratching that lupulin itch without destroying the taste buds in the process.

Since the beer is named Islander IPA, it's appropriate that the flavor profile is so tropical fruity. White grapefruit has now joined pink grapefruit, and bitter orange has climbed aboard as well. This really is straightforwardly hop flavorful beer that has earned an increase in the taste score.

The light-medium mouthfeel (for style and ABV) only adds to the outstanding drinkability. Sure, a little bigger would be great, but there's something to be said for an IPA that is built for speed. Another bomber would be no trouble at all.

This is my third Coronado beer and my third *delicious* Coronado beer. If you're in the market for a no muss, no fuss, Southern California hop showcase, look no further than the excellent Islander IPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 13:10:53 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Recived this bottle in a trade a while ago and just got around to finally being able to try it tonight. Pulled the bomber out of the fridge and settled in for kill over dinner. The pour was very nice, a rich orange amber with a good amount of haze and cloudiness to it pulled together in front of. Lots of floaties/sedimentation in which suprised me a bit, but did not turn me off to it. A very nice white fluffy, pillow like head formed on the top that reached a height of perhaps three inches before finally settling down and simply becoming a layer of foam about a half inch high. Copious amounts of side glass lace were present as well as a good amount of carbonation rising up from the bottom.

The aroma was thick with resiny floral hops. Lots of orange, and tangerine hints with a good amount of sugar present as well. The flavor followed it right along down this path, really becoming very sweet and full flavored. Lots of very bitter grapefruit like flavors ripping through my palate. Very intense hop flavor here, with really no balance to it at all. Some slight sugar like sweetness trying to break through, but not much. Really quite the little hop bomb here. Nice carbonation kept it feeling lively throughout and the overall feel was nice and close to medium bodied. Nicely sessionable for a while, though I could imagine it catching up at 75 in a few.

Overall this was a very solid west coast IPA. One that I would gladly ourchase again. Your typical taste bud shredding hop bomb, but we all love it. Would gladly take this again any day.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2008 11:24:59 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: A golden yellow-orange color with a substantial white foam.

S: Pleasant citrus aromas, pineapple, caramel malts.

T: Primarily citrus hops, hop bitterness, and nice malt sweetness. Nothing really "wow" about it, but solid.

M: Good level of carbonation, and medium bodied.

D: It's definitely drinkable, but as I said, it's not an amazing beer. There are a lot better IPAs from the area.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2009 00:54:49 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Churchkey. Served in a snifter.

Color is a moderate orange with a two-finger white head as well as a pretty good amount of lacing. The nose brings some citrus hops as well as some slight notes of tropical fruit. The hops are bit mild and light, but overall are done quite nicely.

The taste draws back and seems really muted. There are still some notes of tropical fruit as well as some orange and citrus; however, there's no real malt and the beer ends up falling a bit flat without anything to stand on. Low-ish levels of carbonation on a fairly-light body make this a somewhat-sessionable brew.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2010 13:43:39 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4.21/5  rDev +11.1%
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

UCLABrewN84

California

3.7/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly hazy honey orange with a 2 inch puffy off-white head that settles to a small craggy cap. Thin broken rings of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of herbal and floral hops and some slight malt aromas. Taste is of zesty herbal hops up front with a subdued malt flavor on the finish. This beer is all about the hops with a medium hop bitterness that lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and smooth mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good IPA with a very bitter herbal hop flavor that is dominant over the malt in this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 04:57:22 | More by UCLABrewN84

oberon

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a standard pint glass a clear amber infused deep golden with almost no head even after a fairly hard pour,just a thin quick to fade white head.Aromas are all San Diego IPA in its big citrus and resiny notes,a subtle but noticeable caramel malt element is there as well.Flavors have a deep fruitiness not just grapefruit and tangerine wich is expected,but also a bit of tropical fruit as well,its big and resiny late.A bit of a dull feel but its pretty full in nature,another good left coast IPA to seek out here.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 21:36:53 | More by oberon

drabmuh

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer bottled on no one knows. Poured into a Bruery tulip. Beer is amber and mostly clear. Big soapy head of white bubbles, medium and small. Carbonation is low but steady. Lots of lacing on the glass.

Aroma is all cascade and chinook all the way. Smells great.

Beer is medium body and light on the flavor in the front palate. The bitterness at the back is really nice though. There is no sweetness and just this kind of earthy piny-ness in the back. Highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 01:36:19 | More by drabmuh

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.15/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a rich copper-amber color and is topped by a frothy, initially three-finger thick, pale tan colored head. When I hold my 25cl tulip glass up to the light the beer shows a slightly hazed, full gold / copper color. The aroma is a nice punch of citrus and pine like hops that takes a decidedly herbal turn upon the second smell of the aroma. Aromas of sweet-ruby-red grapefruit, concentrated tangelo oil, lychee, a distinctly green herbal note, sticky hemp oil aromatics, freshly ground pine needles, dusty crushed pale malt and a touch of cracker like character are all noticeable. This definitely has an up front hop fruit character to it, but the herbal, sharper hop aromatics seem to be the more dominant notes here.

Lightly sweet flavors accentuate a nice fruitiness up front, but this is quickly dominated by a green, herbal hop character that comes to dominate a lingeringly bitter, lightly astringent finish. Up front flavors of peach, lychee and candied grapefruit zest are ultimately dominated by sharp hop notes of pine-tar, hemp oil and dank herbal flavors that just coat the mouth and really linger on the palate. While the sharper hop flavors are more focused here, this does not get harsh or overbearing (at least if you are a hop head) and in fact are fairly well balanced (in a super hoppy, IPA sort of way) by the malt character. The malt provides a touch of sweet pale grain, cracker / pale biscuit like malt and a body that really serves to carry the hop character here.

This is nice and drinkable & really is a great example of a hop focused IPA. I might prefer a slightly more fruit balanced IPA, but this is still a damn good beer that easily lives up to the San Diego IPA terroir.

Purchased: South Bay Drugs, Imperial Beach CA

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2008 03:33:18 | More by Gueuzedude

Halcyondays

California

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a burnt orange with a light white head, average retention, some lace.

S: Grapefruit, cantaloupe, some mango.

T: Nice sweet malt notes mixed with a lot of lemon and orange. Pretty bitter at times, but a solid balance. Good flavour, very CA.

M: Medium-bodied, creamy, resiny, soft carbonation.

D: Very good IPA, well worth a purchase.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 03:21:36 | More by Halcyondays

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A pint at the Waikiki Yard House.

This beer appears a hazy medium golden amber hue, with one finger of soapy off-white head, which leaves a nice span of grotto lace around the glass as it duly settles.

It smells of grapefruit pith, orange cream, a bit of acrid pine resin, and subtle, soft bready caramel malt. The taste is bitter composite citrus rind and pine oil, caramel/toffee malt, and a mildly cutting booze edge.

The bubbles are average, and damned good at it, the body a respectable medium weight, and a bit too sassy from the sledgehammer hops and sneaky alcohol to come across all that smooth - no biggie. It finishes pretty dry, the big west coast hops throttling out most other senses.

A veritable American IPA, great to run into after my initial few hours in the Hawaiian sun, and with an appropriate name to boot.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2012 01:02:07 | More by biboergosum

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 1 L swingtop filled at Al's of Hampden.

A: The IPA is more autumnal, orange brown, than golden, a duller copper color that was translucent from the first pour. A two-finger head from the first pour left plenty of lace patches behind.

S: Tropical citrus fruits, pineapple and orange and mango and peach, all contribute to a mystifyingly sweet bitterness. Caramel biscuitiness appears near the end.

T: More orange peel immediately, though not as intense as in the nose. The bitterness is much more profound, sharp from the outset. There is more balance though, more biscuit breadiness to tone down the hops. Peppery vegetal bitterness follows as the fruitiness subsides. Although the burp I just let rip brought back a strong dose of that citrus. The hoppiness is a little numbing, losing some of its strength by the last few sips. A good IPA, a bit vegetal at times, that delivers plenty of citrus.

M: A hoppier IPA, unafraid to show of its bitterness. The citrus upfront is an insirped start, setting the tone for the entire glass.

D: A solid IPA and excellent choice for the growler. Plenty of citrus bitterness to keep the discriminating palate entertained.

Serving type: growler

05-23-2010 17:40:24 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +26.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Let's get things straight, I'm fortunate to live in a tri state area where I can go to PA and grab a mixed six pack with both Coronado, Green Flash, Stone, and Mission IPAs. This one is a golden orange hue slightly hazed with a bright yellow tinted white head with a nice even coating laced across my chalice. Aroma is simply exploding with grapefruit citrus tones and hints of tropical fruit juiciness more hop love from the Left Coast. Mild alcohol notes and sugary hops are evident in the nose, a nice mix of action going on. Flavors provide an eye opening mix of classic flavors, from the grapefruit pith, tropical fruit notes mango juice extract and heavy hop bitterness rolling around on my palate. That mix of sugary/malts and bitter/hops plays so nice together. This beer has it down the type of poetry that becomes a classic not a one time read. Mouthfeel is medium bodied oily slightly resinous hops streak across the palate. Carbonation is lively kicking nicely with hop burps after a few sips. Drinkability is incredible the type of beer I would love to find on draft, in fact I will seek this out in the Pittsburgh market, what a great beer here in the Ohio Valley.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2010 06:07:03 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
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

Wasatch

Utah

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

Thanks goes out to seaoflament for this brew.

Pours a nice clean/clear dark golden yellow/orange color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy/foamy white head, with some nice sticky lacing. The nose is hoppy, with some malts, citrus, and some pine. The taste is bitter, hoppy, slightly sweety, with some nice malt notes, citrus, and slight pines. Medium body. Drinkable, this is another tasty brew from Coronado.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2009 21:42:19 | More by Wasatch

Billolick

New York

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewery in beautiful Coronado, CA, just outside of Hoptown USA, San Diego, Ca., pours light peach amber, slightly couldy, with a near white head and leaving plenty of fine lacing. Nose is the expected grapefruit, and other hoppy wiffs. This is yet another SD style hop bomb, tons of grapefruit, medium bodied, with a long citric finish. Tasty, high quality brew. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2006 22:37:56 | More by Billolick

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Big fluffy white head of 2 fingers in my oversized snifter. It's a slightly hazy almost clear golden orange nectar color.

N: Nice citrus hops, a little pine, earthy and slight chewy hops. A slight sweet malt behind all that. Lighter but nice aroma hops.

T: Starts with a fresh ale like taste. Crisp and refreshing with some light sweet pale malts. Then comes a hop character with some bitterness, orange peel and citrus, some earthy hops, some pine and a slight sweet nectar candy like hop taste that I get on some beers, Two Hearted being one I can think of off the top of my head. A slight hop oil too.

M: Medium body with decent carbonation and touch of hop oil.

F: Lots of bitterness hammers at the end. A strong citrus and orange peel taste, like I just bit into an unpeeled orange. Some chewy hops, a slight musty hop flavor too. Earthy and somewhat astringent. Semi dry but a touch of lingering sweetness. With the thickness, sweetness, and light touch of alcohol, as well as heavy bitterness on the finish, this is very borderline Imperial or Double IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2010 23:03:36 | More by jlindros

Zorro

California

3.06/5  rDev -19.3%
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

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle into a pint glass. Thanks go to HopDerek for splitting this.

Pours a hazy gold (complete with some yeasty floaties) with 2 fingers of frothy off-white head. Retains via a creamy layer, complete with a big dollop of foam right in the middle, leaving some big and sticky hoppy lacing behind. The aroma is quite nice. Very floral with a bit of herbs & spices thrown in for good measure, tons of citrus character, and solid a undercurrent of caramel sweetness.

The taste is similar to the aroma, with the hop profile being not overly bitter but rather more earthy and herbal with a moderate feeling dry lingering bitterness. Good balance comes courtesty of a tangy mix of strong citrus, bread, and caramel. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a pricklier carbonation but still relatively easy feel.

Solid IPA from Coronado that lets some sweeter citrus character take the center stage over the usual West Coast resinous hop bombs that we usually expect out of San Diego. Nice smooth body and drinkibility on this one too for a 7% beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 17:51:54 | More by Kegatron

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Good amber appearance, maybe a little darker than your average single ipa, average head characteristics and lacing. Aroma was great, more pine than their double. Still had the fruity mango aroma.

Taste, much better, alcohol was in the background, not front and center. Pine resin abundant. Hopping abundant, bitterness is there and big, but in its place, not running wild like Hulkamania circa 1987. Lots to take notice of throughout. A little bit of everything, and at $4 a bomber, nice on the wallet.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2010 16:30:41 | More by Beerandraiderfan

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Irish Pol the other night.

The beer pours a peachy gold color with very good head retention and considerable sticky lacing all around. The nose imparts considerable tropical fruit (lots of canned fruit cup and canned peaches), with some light underlying citrus as well. The beer isn't quite as sweet and malty as I was expecting, based on the nose, but it still seemed to dominate the flavor profile. There's some noticeable underlying hoppy bitterness as well, which helps to buoy all the tropical fruit flavor, but this IPA still leans to the malty side. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a fairly long finish. Drinkability isn't too bad, with the alcohol well integrated into the flavor profile.

A decent take on the style, but not one of my favorite IPA's. Would likely not order this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2012 13:13:54 | More by johnmichaelsen

DoubleJ

California

4.28/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm starting to see some of Coronado's brews on store shelves in my area. This one I spotted at my local liquor store (Wayne's Liquor). On to the beer:

The head is bone white and impressively sticky with great head retention. The body below that shines lighter colored copper. After smeliing the beer, my nose is sending to my brain messages of grapefruit and pine with an undertone of doughy yeast.

In typical San Diego fashion, there's a bunch of pleasantly bitter hops hitting your palate. Grapefruit flavors are big too, and drying cramel and bready notes towards the end of the journey. Mouthfeel is somewhat chewy.

This is a great first impression by Coronado Brewing. Very bitter and hoppy, but not over the top.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2008 04:13:20 | More by DoubleJ

HopHead84

California

3.08/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

7/9/2011

On tap at Mother Earth.

A: Hazy orange with a yellow tinge and a small white head.

S: More aromatic than I expected, redolent of orange flesh, tangerine, and grapefruit. Malt is faint and lightly grainy.

T: Onion blends with orange and tangerine flesh as well as a little orange pith. I'm not digging the onion. Grainy and caramely malt with a light sweetness that balances the moderate hop bitterness.

M: Lower medium body with moderate carbonation.

Overall: Not bad but subpar for San Diego. I wouldn't order it again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2011 12:19:11 | More by HopHead84

kojevergas

California

2.58/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Acquired at a local Ralph's market. My bottle displays the ABV is 7.0%. Expectations are below average. Reviewed live.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger head of fair cream and thickness, and good retention. Hardly any lacing at all as it recedes. Colour is a semitransparent pale yellow - more dull than vibrant. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. The plethora of carbonation bubbles suggests potential overcarbonation.

Sm: Piney oily hops with light floral character. Maybe this'll be a balanced IPA after all. Somewhat buttery. Clean malts. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Oily and a bit piney but way too bitter and oily in the third act and climax. The climax is just buttery oily artificial garbage. It almost feels like some kind of crude hop extract was used. Bleh. Clean malts are present underneath as the foundation. Whatever they used to try to balance the bitterness was an abysmal choice. It's a simple crappy IPA. Not at all subtle or complex. No layering.

Mf: Oily, buttery, smooth, and wet. It's disconcerting and doesn't feel clean. Disharmonious relative to the flavour profile. Adequately (if not over) carbonated. Too thick for the lack of flavour.

Dr: A poorly constructed IPA that tries to venture into pine territory but gets caught up in its own oily nature. Fans of the style might enjoy it, but it borders on movie theatre popcorn buttery, turning me off to it. Decently priced for what it is, but it's low quality. I certainly wouldn't get it again.

A poor candidate for aging.

Might pair well with popcorn (I'm trying to stay on the bright side here).

C-

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 05:33:51 | More by kojevergas