Eraser IPA - Rough Draft Brewing Company

kojevergas

California

2.94/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

7.00% ABV according to the label. 22 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into an Oskar Blues pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average; this is me first beer from this brewery.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a four finger white colour head of nice cream and thickness, and good (~4 minute) retention. Body colour is a clear pale yellow-copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Standard fare; there's nothing unique or special here. Little lacing as the head recedes.

Sm: Pale malts. Generic floral hops. Light nectary hop character. Muted grapefruit. A light aroma. Lacks depth or appeal.

T: Pale malts. Generic grapefruit character. Generic floral hop character. Bland and uninspired. Light nectary hops. Balance is mediocre. Blandly built. Why brew this?

Mf: Smooth and wet. A touch oily. Carbonation is a bit overdone. Suits the flavour profile well. Generic but in the right territory.

Dr: Drinkable but pedestrian. You've got to bring more to the table than this to float to the top as an IPA. This will get buried in the mess of mundane IPAs out there - and it deserves to. Overpriced and bland. I definitely wouldn't get this again.

High C

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 01:55:56 | More by kojevergas

mactrail

California

3.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thin and resiny. Amber color in the glass with only a slight head. Fairly rich and medium bodied. Hoppy and not much else. A pleasant fragrant sort of hops, however, until the bitterness takes over. Still, not as extravagantly hopped as some other local IPAs.

The flat carbonation doesn't help the likability. Very sharp and bordering on astringency. Another example of the vagaries of the IBU system. The brewery rates this one at 80 IBU, while the hugely bitter and hoppy Ballast Point Sculpin is rated at 70.

Drinkable enough, and the flavors are clean, but has the family character of low carbonation. On tap at the brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2012 05:56:53 | More by mactrail

rawfish

California

4.11/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a clear gold, with a huge soapy three finger head. Pretty good retention leaving rings of thick lacing stuck to the glass.

Bright pine resin note that is constant as well as straw, dried papaya and lemon zest. Cracker thin malt, slightly grainy and soapy. Not a powerful aroma but quite bright.

Clean malt, soda crackers and toasted wheat. Hops are bright like the nose, considerable lemon zest, grassy, dried mangoes, orange citrus and pine resin. Fruity notes on the finish with a light bitterness that cleanses very quickly.

Well carbonated that complements the bright hops and very easy to put down. Clean malt, lemony hops add some acidity that makes the drink finish a bit slick.

It's not a hop bomb but I throughly enjoyed this, a west coast ipa that gets away from the typical pine, citrus and absurd bitterness. Airy and summery hops. Malt base is artfully crafted. First rough draft beer, would revisit.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 05:49:17 | More by rawfish

codysjb

Florida

3.23/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass
A: Decent head that takes a little while to dissipate.
S: Fruity, some mild hops and some pine. Definitely some citrus going on here.
T: Grapefruit comes up with some hops (not much).
M: Grapefruit and lemon flavor, not very much hops.
O: Average IPA, certainly tasty but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 00:06:40 | More by codysjb

fox227

California

3.34/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Blind purchase. This is not a terrific representative of what San Diego IPAs are capable of.

A: 22oz. Bomber into a Russian River Chalice. Pours a pale gold with a paper thin white head. On the refill, the head was rocky and quickly fell into nothingness (old bottle? who knows...no date.)

S: Aroma contains sweetness, lemon zest, and pine.

T: Although I detected sweetness on the nose, not so on the tongue. I picked up the lemon and pine, but also a straw-like malt which is slight but noticed most in the aftertaste.

M: Medium carbonation, somewhat medium to thin bodied, perceived hop bitterness slight, with some astringency present. The beer is on the dry side, as per style.

O: I'm not impressed. It's passable for the style, but not worth my time considering what San Diego really has to offer.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 02:12:16 | More by fox227

Mic-Lee

3.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Nice translucent golden color, with some substantial lacing and a foamy head that doesn't subside for a little while. Appearance is a strong suit.

S: Smells a little malty, actually. Sweet.

T: Caramel. Pine. Toasted grains. The flavor is unique, so I have to give 'em that. Medium bitterness and the alcohol is somewhat present.

M: Looks lighter than it actually is. Slightly creamy, medium body. Low carbonation.

I didn't love this brew. I'm not so into sweet overtones, so caramel flavors are a turn off. It's pretty much an ehhh, although it had some unique qualities. I tried it because it is new and local but I won't be buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 02:22:46 | More by Mic-Lee