Lupulin Lust - Rip Current Brewing

ehammond1

California

3.98/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Clear dark orange and golden with a creamy near-white head. Leaves irregular lines and spots of stick on the glass. Very pretty.

Floral hops and pine character lead the way, with only mild citrus complementing. A bit of biscuit, but this is definitely hop-forward. Not quite as expressive as I've found in other Rip Current hoppy beers.

Pine and floral hop notes make up the largest flavor characteristics along with bold bitterness, but the flavors are crisp and this is an exceptionally drinkable beer. A bit of citrus as well, though I would suggest more lemon than orange character.

Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation. Very appropriate.

Bitter but very drinkable. Tasty DIPA I would happily order again.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2013 16:35:48 | More by ehammond1

AndrewDrinksBeer

California

4.81/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I finally got a chance to try Lupulin Lust on draft at the Epic Beer Festival in San Diego on 3/16. Usually large venues and festivals don't provide a great environment for tastings, I made sure to hit them up first with a clear palate and a clear head. I went back to their stand for about 5-6 pours. I've been a big fan of Rip Current's previous offerings, and I've had some of their homebrews before that really hit the mark.

A: Poured nicely without a huge head. Coloration was light golden, exactly the right amount of carbonation.

S: Solid hop aroma, a little piney with citrus notes. Hit the style right on the nose.

T: Exceptional. I think my favorite thing about Rip Current's beers is their ability to balance flavors with the relative strength of the beer, and Lupulin Lust is no exception. Instead of getting boozy, or unbalanced hops, Lupulin Lust threads the eye of the needle of what separates a great beer from an amazing beer. I love IPAs, and this is probably one of the best, if not the best representation of what I want out of a San Diego IPA.

M: Like I said before, very smooth and balanced for a heavy hitting IPA. After sampling most of the breweries at the festival, I kept coming back.

O: I've been a fan of craft beer and specifically IPAs for about a decade, and this is as good as it gets. Rip Current's got a mastery of fermentation conditions, QC, water quality, and the knowledge of what works and doesn't. I'm putting this up there with Stone's "Enjoy By" series and some of the best fresh homebrew DIPAs I've had. Exceptional beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2013 23:27:57 | More by AndrewDrinksBeer

UCLABrewN84

California

4.06/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Rip Current Brewing in San Marcos, CA.

Pours a clear honey orange with a foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, and citrus zest. Taste is much the same with a pine-like flavor on the finish. There is a medium amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2013 18:27:58 | More by UCLABrewN84

Nugganooch

California

4.05/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

From SS swing top growler – 10oz taster nonic style glass
*Notes taken from 02/23/13

A: Light caramel color body that takes on a nice burnished gold when held to the light. Some fine clarity to the beer. Nice soapy white foam cap with a decent amount of retention and sticky splash left upon the glass after each sip.

S: Aromas are rather tame for a highly hopped San Diego style IPA. Has some real floral qualities to it with light pine and a distinct lemony herb note. A bit of a let down on the nose but what is present seems nice.

T: Flavor on the other hand brings a super hop fruit punch assault comprised of tangerine, mango, and juicy lemon. Has a real concentrated hop zing like whoa…supplemented with sappy pine, dank, and floral herbs. Lightly sweetened with a caramel kiss and some bready malt at the base. There is a very high level of mouth puckering bitterness to the brew which I rather enjoy. Lingers long after the drink. Alcohol is present and warming at times but well incorporated. This hits the hop spot for sure. Intense hop flavors with some very unique hop character. Really digging this.

M: Medium body brew with ample carbonation and overall lush consistency. Some lightly warming alcohol and a peppery bitterness that constricts at the palate leaving a substantial drying cottonmouth feel left in the wake. Sticky, resinous, and lingering.

D: A real nice IPA with ample hop power. Very drinkable you almost forget this is over 8% ABV. Aroma leaves some more to be desired but the flavortrain definitely delivers on the name.

Come to find out I actually had sampled this beer a few years back at the Holiday Wine Cellar Homebrew competition. I liked it then and can say that I like it now.
Wish these guys the best and looking forward to many more delicious Rip Current brews.

Serving type: growler

02-28-2013 22:09:50 | More by Nugganooch