Dirty Dog IPA - Big Dog's Draft House

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.43/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The dim bar atmosphere makes for a difficult appearance assessment. This was my very first beer I had on this trip to Vegas, came in from the north, hit this place on/off/or near Cheyenne as I recall. It appeared to be orange, but might have been lighter than that because of the lack of lighting.

Aroma lacking, faintly pine/citrus (shocking!) but had to really search for it, especially with about 75% of the patrons smoking inside. Taste was a little better, lots of c hops for sure, and that's never a bad thing. Alcohol sting present, but not bothersome. Plenty bitter, the beer doesn't pull any punches. True to form, this Vegas ipa is like a West Coast IPA. . . from 10 years ago. Fitting, style wise.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2012 20:56:59 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Nugganooch

California

3.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Pizza Port Carlsbad
05-10-12

A: Dirty Dog pours a lighter yellowish golden hue with some real nice conditioning. Nice streaming carbonation. Capped with a thin rim of white that settles out to a collar leaving spots of lacing down the glass.

S: Smells of fairly sweetened pale malts with a nice layering of fruity hops. Good mix of citrus, apricot, and a bit of mango going on.

T: Taste is in line with the nose displaying a significant sweet toasted caramel and bread malt presence. Has a nice dash of hoppy orange flesh paired with overripe apricot fruit. Good even level of bitterness across the palate. Detectable ABV's. Kind of your standard IPA. Both malty and hoppy but never really tipping too far to one side or the other.

M: Medium body brew with some slight creaminess and a nice dry crisp finish on it. Solid carbonation throughout. Touch of resinous hop linger.

D: Good but not great. A tad more "East Coast" in style with a relative amount of caramel malt sweetness but with just enough American hops to pull it off.

Nothing to compare to Port's house IPA's but then again little do.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2012 22:41:58 | More by Nugganooch

RJLarse

Washington

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the draft house. Served in a 23 oz glass.

Pours a copper gold color and is clear. There is a frothy white head atop the beer.

Smell is a fairly nondescript citrus aroma.

Taste is representative of the style. There is no malt to speak of. The taste is primarily pine and sour grapefruit flavors.

Mouthfeel is crisp and fairly clean. The beer is well carbonated.

Drinkable enough but a 23 oz glalss at 7.5 ABV is plenty.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2011 16:41:00 | More by RJLarse

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Big Dog's Draft House, 6/2/11.

A-Pour is a clear orange amber, with a nice amount of frothy white head and some good sticky lacing.

S-Juicy citrus, mostly orange with some hints of grapefruit as well. Very nice.

T-Very tasty indeed. A nice malt backbone supports plenty of citrus flavors. Very juicy, flavorful hops, and a pleasantly bitter finish.

M-Medium bodied, crisp and nicely dry.

O-My favorite beer in a strong lineup of house beers. Had I been checking a bag, I'd have brought home a growler for sure.

HV

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2011 18:05:33 | More by sholland119

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Ratebeer's Best of Nevada has a number of brews from Big Dog. Their Imperial IPA is currently #1, unfortunately, they didn't have it. But they did have this IPA (currently #3).

A: Golden-bronze with a white head, good retention & lace.

S: Huge hop aroma, very fresh/green/leafy, weedy with a little citrus rind and tropical fruit.

T: Refer hopping is upfront, with some nice citrus & rind. This IPA is very fruity... must be combination of the hops and the yeast. Some slight underlying biscuit & toffee, but this is mainly about the hops. Moderate bitterness, alcohol is subtle.

M: Well-attenuated, moderate body has a slight hop acidity.

D/O: Like hops?

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2011 05:16:04 | More by Derek

busternuggz

Arizona

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had a pint on draft at Big Dog's Cafe.
Dark orange and clear with a creamy white 1/4" head, left thick lacing. Some retention.
Nice smells of juicy orange, grapefruit zest, and pineapple.
Grapefruit, pine needle, and a taste like a blended peach/ orange/mango juice. Ends dry, clean, & bitter, but with an unfortunate plastic-like note in the aftertaste.
Medium bodied with a nice smooth & creamy texture.
Engaging and smooth, very easy drinking.
A pretty solid IPA with some nice hop flavor. I would have gone with 4 for taste if not for the plastic aftertaste, but it was still enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2011 23:33:16 | More by busternuggz

PhageLab

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass at Big Dog's in Las Vegas.

A - Thin head came with this clear yellowish amber brew. Retention is decent, as was the lace.

S - Nice floral hop profile, not overpowering, but inviting.

T - Unfortunately the appearance and aroma are a bit misleading. Decently bitter, but not nearly as hoppy as it boasts. Flavor is lacking and is quite one-sided, which would be acceptable if it were a hop bomb. Alas, it is not.

M - Crisply carbonated, thin, almost feels like a lager.

D - Mediocre IPA, which is a shame, as every other brew I've had from Big Dog's has been quite good.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2011 22:31:19 | More by PhageLab

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.33/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured on-tap at the Ale House into a pint glass. The beer had a very light gold color for an IPA, with no head. The beer had minimal aroma, which I have always found to be a big part of IPAs. On initial tasting, the hops flavor hits mid-tongue, and there is a bland hops aftertaste. It is an easy enough beer to drink, but there are much better IPAs available.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2010 03:36:15 | More by GarthDanielson

nickd717

California

3.4/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First Nevada beer for me. Had this on tap at the '09 Bistro IPA Fest in Hayward, CA. Uploading now to get my ticking stats on BA up-to-date.

Golden amber color with a white head. Pretty nice lacing.

Big pine and citrus aroma with a little sweet malt. Smells great.

Flavor, however, falls a little flat relative to the nose. Pale malt and earth with somewhat muted citrus/pine hops and a little cheese.

Palate somewhat standard for the style. Average body and carbonation with some good hop resins to it.

Decent but not great overall. Drinkability is a little above average.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2010 23:12:11 | More by nickd717

elricorico

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From notes: Very orange gold, and clear. Slim white head with just a little lacing.

Aroma is quite nice, citric and piny at once. Very strong citric rind impression.

An unusual citric sweetness up front followed by bitter hops. Both flavours are a bit cloying at first, though that may come from the beer being a touch too cold. Flavours improve as it warms, becoming a nicer, citric hop heavy brew.

Light bodied and fairly well carbonated. Could use a bit more to the body, but it isn't bad.

First impression wasn't great, but it got better by the end. A bit better than the average brewpub IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2010 21:16:46 | More by elricorico

KNORDSTROM

Washington

4.72/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

WOW, It's great to see LV has an official great IPA. strong IPA smell. I believe 7.2%abv. Crisp, Pine citrus , with pretty strong grapefruit finnish. nice webbed head. poured in 15 ounce or 22 ounce for 5.50. what a steal!!. I recommend pairing with the chicken nachos. Half order unlees u have more than 3 people.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2010 23:04:03 | More by KNORDSTROM

mjr2377

California

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I am from L.A. and i make it a point to go to the big dog draft house when i am in Vegas just to drink their beer.
EDIT:
This IPA stands up to my favorites (i.e. Racer 5, Just Outstanding, Duet, Wipeout etc....) Great floral/citrus hop aroma. Not too sweet. Great hop to malt balance. Love getting growler fills to bring back to L.A. with me to share with my friends. Cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2009 19:32:12 | More by mjr2377

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sample at Chicago Brewing Co (they were out of their IPA, sampled at Big Dog's later that day). This beer pours a clear yellow-amber color with a thin white head that dissipates quickly. Stringy lacing. Aroma of grapefruit and hops. Medium-bodied and moderately bitter with pine and citrus hops flavors, plus a touch of malt. The finish is hoppy with a lingering grapefruit and hops aftertaste. Decent overall.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2008 18:38:31 | More by Dogbrick

hoegaardenhero

California

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap at Draft House

a: very light white foam on top that could not be called head; light lacing; clear amber body w/ very minor lazy bubbles floating up towards the top of the glass

s: piney citrus hops; zesty spicy hop; light malt backbone; really fragrant on the hops

t: strong dank ganja hops come in strong first and rise up again at the finish; piney hops; strong bitter hop kick; this beer has a big mix of strong hop flavors

m: crisp and refreshing

d: an interesting IPA w/ some hop tastes at the forefront that are usually more subdued in other IPAs

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2008 23:07:11 | More by hoegaardenhero

tonistruth

Nevada

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- dark straw in color with a good holding fluffy white head that leaves soap like lacing

S- strong citrus and citric rind, fresh and sweet

T- citric, spicy, and grassy hops, pleasant malt sweetness and dry toasted grain flavors, hoppy after

M- overall smooth with some hopfeel, well carbonated.

D- excellent IPA, very west coast with its citrus and pronounced malt flavors, satisfying

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2008 00:56:26 | More by tonistruth

JDV

Texas

2.68/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Medium gold colored pour with a semi-hopy aroma. Not as hoppy as some reviewers mentioned, at least when I had it. Taste was mild bitterness, with less hop flavor. I found the hop harvest to be a strong flavored, and better IPA. Needed more malty sweetness and hops to make it pop a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2008 19:44:42 | More by JDV

Gavage

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The last three times I visited Vegas, it was always tapped out. Now with a 12 day trip I was I wasn't gonna miss it this time. My favorite brew at Big Dog's.

Clear orange in color with a 1" head that lasts quite a bit. Some decent lacing develops. Carbonation levels just right. Aroma is full of floral hops and citrus tones. The flavor is well balanced as sweet malt and strong bitterness are met with tart grapefruit and sweet orange. Just a simple IPA that is big on flavor.

Mouthfeel is lightly crisp at the start, and the finish is long on the bitterness and grapefruit. Superb drinkability, several of these can be enjoyed in a session.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2005 12:46:26 | More by Gavage

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: Sampled on draft at Big Dog’s Brewing Co./Draft House as part of a Sampler during a visit with fellow BA UncleJimbo.

Listed on the large wall sign that has the names of some 12 or so house brews as ‘Dirty Dog IPA’.

Appearance: Golden amber color in the sampler, which exhibited a deeper orange color when held in the light. Nice layering of white head that lasts throughout. Good conditioning and head retention.

Nose: Deep fruity IPA aromas with lots of floral hops. Has a clean nose that exhibits a flowery hop character overall.

Taste: Lovely luscious crisp malt base start, fruity middle with a floral hoppy finish that is bitter with a fresh Granny Smith apple acidic bite in the back end. Clean and crisp – floral hoppiness wrapped in a rather overall fruity IPA.

Mouthfeel: Above average with a go anywhere body that suits both the malt bill and the fruity hoppy finish.

Drinkability: Very drinkable, the fruity middle and sharp hoppy finish all make this exciting in the short term, whilst the refreshing crispness which this has gives it a long term appeal.

Overall: Nicely balanced and Damn tasty stuff…..a classic American IPA in every sense. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2005 06:42:30 | More by TheLongBeachBum

Gusler

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer after separating from the tap pours a slight muzzy amber color with a large bright white head that is creamy in consistency and the resultant lace a fine veil to obscure the glass. Nice hop floral nose, sweet and crisp, fresh to the senses, start is malt sweet, the top modest in its feel to the palate. Finish is pleasingly acidic, the hops potent but pleasing to the palate, very dry aftertaste, a fine beer and quite refreshing on these hot summer days in the desert.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2004 17:11:16 | More by Gusler

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on tap at the brewpub.

This IPA poured a clear, orange-amber color with white foam that clinged and coated the glass smoothly. The smell was a very nice fruity hop aroma with some malt to back it up. The taste was a very nice, fruity hoppy flavor followed by some bitter hops, but with a good shot of malt to balance. The mouthfeel was smooth and hoppy with medium body and moderate carbonation. The fruity hop flavor lingered nicely as an aftertaste. This was a very nice and drinkable IPA, and made me want to have several. A very solid American IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2004 08:50:13 | More by UncleJimbo

yesyouam

New York

4.47/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big Dog's Dirty Dog IPA is a crystal clear and lively orange-golden ale with a big, frothy white head that's very persistent and leaves nice lacing on the glass. A huge, citrusy aroma fills the room with orange and grapefruit smells upon pouring it. It's a very resiny aroma when it's up close. It has a super smooth medium body and it leaves the mouth a little oily. There's plenty of bitterness but, moreover, plenty of hop flavor. Orange, grapefruit and pine dominate the taste. There is a touch of sweetness that's probably from the malt, but it may be an illusion caused by the candy-like hops. There is a long, bitter aftertaste that continues the resiny, citrus flavor. Wow. This is a bang-up American IPA!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 14:44:00 | More by yesyouam

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this from someones random growler that magically appeared after the Creekside Beer Dinner.
Poured a clear orangish color with good carbonation and a nice white head. Nose is pine, citrus, dry and toasted. Taste is good. Pine, citrus, grass first think that comes to mind is Centennial. Dry, bitter bite on the end, very crisp and clean.Mouthfeel is nice, smooth, not overly bitter, citrus, pine. Very easy to drink.

Serving type: growler

01-01-2010 19:16:37 | More by barleywinefiend

Wasatch

Utah

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this one from my buddy Dave from Las Vegas.

Pours a very nice dark golden yellow color, very nice carbonation, a very nice two-finger plus creamy/foamy white head, which does leave some nice sticky lacing afterwards. The nose is big on hops, lots of nice citrus and pines, with some caramel notes. The taste is slightly sweet, hoppy, very nice touch of citrus/pines/caramel. Medium body. The finish is bitter and slighlty dry. Very drinkable, this is my second brew from Big Dog's and both have been awesome. I still have another brew/growler.

Serving type: growler

06-09-2008 01:13:07 | More by Wasatch

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big 'ol growler, courtesy of b0ldfacelies - Thanks Jason!

Crystal clear, dark gold in color. Medium sized, rocky, white colored head.

Grapefruit & pine resin. I was told I could smell this from 10 feet away, but they lied. I had to get within 5 feet before I could smell it....There is some malt aroma in there as well, crackery in character. A little grassy at the finish.

Nicely bitter, but well balanced. Fairly mild for an IPA, but I've been drinking hop bombs lately, so take this with a grain of salt. Some peach and caramel in there. Other fruits showed up as it warmed -- pineapple and melons.

Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation was low to medium, but this was a growler with close to 2 weeks of age on it. Very refreshing and easy to drink.

A good IPA, not fantastic. I wouldn't hesitate to drink it again, and would love to try it fresh.

Serving type: growler

03-26-2007 18:51:10 | More by