El Toro IPA - El Toro Brewing Co.

djbreezy

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - transparent, nice fluffy head, amazing retention

Smell - pine hops and sweet malts

Taste - very balanced, malts are strong, followed by pine hops

Mouthfeel - medium, dry finish, sticky

Overall - not a great example of a west coast IPA, expected it to be more hop forward

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 05:20:23 | More by djbreezy

prock180

Arizona

2.75/5  rDev -30%

06-07-2013 04:57:30 | More by prock180

flagmantho

Washington

3.76/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: medium orange hue with a fair bit of haze and a moderate effervescence. Head is a finger of frothy ivory foam. A good looking beer!

Smell: sweet malt with a bready, very slightly biscuity character and a funky, resinous hop component. Not exactly my bag, but pretty good nonetheless.

Taste: bitterness right up front, unusually, with sweetness developing later and finishing with a hoppy, caramelly melange. Hops are quite citrusy and smooth, and there's a little bit of a dusty character here as well. Not bad.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good level of carbonation. Not super creamy, but engagingly fizzy.

Overall: this is a pretty decent middle-of-the-road IPA. I would like to try it on tap sometime.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 19:49:03 | More by flagmantho

slimntubbs

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

04-21-2013 01:34:02 | More by slimntubbs

ocelot2500

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clear copper color with a pillowy, off-white head that leaves little bits of lacing.

Smells of pine and citrus hops.

Tastes of the bright hops with a solid malt backbone. Hops lead off with grapefruit, pine, and a touch of tropical notes on the backend. Moderately bitter. Malts add some caramel sweetness on the end to cut a bit of the bitterness, but this is definitely all about the hops. Ends with a lingering pine note.

Mouthfeel is medium with a slightly assertive amount of carbonation.

Overall, this is a good fruity IPA, but I knocked it down a bit due to price, $2.30 for 12 oz.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 00:28:42 | More by ocelot2500

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +1.8%

11-19-2012 01:37:09 | More by t0rin0

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a pretty thorough IPA. Lots of malts and hops coming together nicely. Consistent and thick, but not really trying to blow me away with any kind of showy character. A bit heavy to be drinking in this pleasant and warm California weather, but it's good.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 16:39:17 | More by RblWthACoz

KimenTshom

California

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

08-19-2012 19:34:21 | More by KimenTshom

punkhim

Washington

1.5/5  rDev -61.8%

04-19-2012 06:55:07 | More by punkhim

barleywinefiend

Washington

2.3/5  rDev -41.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A: Poured a burnt orange color with good carbonation, nice white cap and some soapy like bubbles and lacing remains

S: Toasty, grapefruit, some spicy notes witha whiff of toasty smoke

T: Oh boy. I'm not exactly how fresh this IPA is but it needs help. First sip is bittering orange peel, grapefruit, spicey, biscuity, toasted with a faded hop presence. The back end is a slick, grapefruit hop bite with a annoying buttery bite blended with hop bitterness, some astringency and booze.

M: Heavy, unplesasnt and disturbing

O: Wave the white flag.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 22:53:46 | More by barleywinefiend

GJonesy

California

4/5  rDev +1.8%

04-10-2012 23:39:09 | More by GJonesy

shelby415

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

02-25-2012 06:56:48 | More by shelby415

sharpski

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

02-15-2012 21:54:55 | More by sharpski

JeremyDrinksBeer

California

5/5  rDev +27.2%

11-21-2011 06:48:31 | More by JeremyDrinksBeer

SnacksMcBillings

Oregon

2.88/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass.

Aroma: Flowery and perfume like hop aroma. Light presence of pale malts, slight fruity ester aroma.

Appearance: Rocky white head, thick lacing as the beer went down. Light golden color. Good clarity.

Flavor: Initial taste was puckering. Extremely bitter trending towards astringency. The strong floral hop flavor tastes almost soapy. Very unbalanced, no malt backbone to support this level of bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Highly carbonated, light body.

Overall: Disappointed. Was told by one of the local bottle shop clerks that this was the best IPA out there. Totally unbalanced. Either tone down the bitterness or build the grain bill up to even this out.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 05:07:34 | More by SnacksMcBillings

Reidrover

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle from "Lifesource" Salem. $2.25 Burnt orange hazy body to this beer with a lovely creamy,thick off white head. Handsome. Floral,spicy, fruity hop aromas abound..invigorating. An intensly hoppy taste..yet not harsh at all but smooth..i think this is because it HAS a substantial malt back bone..even if its not obvious under the hop attack.Semi dry finish some marmalade flavours aslo. Good. Great thick,luscious palate..smooth..very nice. I really liked this IPA..very smooth and easy.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 19:31:46 | More by Reidrover

thudstaffer

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle purchased at LifeSource Natural Foods in Salem, OR. Brew batch 1512.

Poured into Oregon pinot wine glass.

Appearance: Slightly hazy, dark for an IPA, true amber and copper tones. Head is lingering and thin.

Nose: Yeasty, floral (honeysuckle), good complexity.

Palate: Rich, pungent, lingering. Weighty, complex. Notes of caramel, w/ a bitter finish.

Overall: Solid, well-made brew. Stands out among other IPAs. Richness can be overwhelming, which is good or bad depending on personal preference. Body and complexity accurately reflect the price point of this beer; worth the money.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 05:28:24 | More by thudstaffer

olmatty

Oregon

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an orange amber with a huge pillowy off white head. The beer is crystalline and clean.

Light spice of hop aroma, grainy and a hint of honey sweetness.

Flavors of solid cereal grain body well balanced against a spicy, piney hop.

Moderate body, palate flooding flavors.

Very pleasant and delicious IPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 04:53:10 | More by olmatty

kscaldef

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured into a pint glass, 2-finger dense off-white head over a clear copper color with streams of bubbles.

S: citrus, marmalade, a little bready

T: More in the English style than I was expecting, this has a rich, bready body. A hint of butter, but in a pleasing way. Hops are definitely there, but don't dominate, rather clean the palate with a mild bitterness that leaves you ready for another sip.

M: Smooth, maybe a little oily, with a slight astringent finish. Low carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 00:19:16 | More by kscaldef

DousedInStout

Washington

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Brew #1486, picked up at Belmont Station in Portland (it was recommended by the clerk, otherwise I would've never looked twice at it!)

One of the most pleasantly surprising bottles I've purchased in years! Nice bright white head, pretty clear orange in color, and spot on carbonation. Aroma is of tangerine, lemongrass, and grapefruit. The taste is similar - a solid, pleasant, citrus forward IPA. Nice and attenuated finish, with quenching bitterness. When fresh, this is one of the most drinkable, impressive, and unassuming west coast IPAs out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 03:18:31 | More by DousedInStout

DoubleJ

California

1.68/5  rDev -57.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

12 ounce bottle picked up in the Bay Area on a recent trip. I'm looking forward to this offering which I can't get in Orange County. On to the beer:

Little is wrong with the appearance. The head is thick and sports plenty of its original self, peach colored body has the "glowing" illusion at some spots. The nose could be better. There seems to be a phenol problem that pushes juicy grapefruit and white wine notes aside. Dry, husky malt and the everlasting band-aid are buzzkills to its potential.

I'm getting depressed. The bitterness is there, but the hop juice walked away. There's a tiny hint of grapefruit that the palate can sense, and from there hell breaks loose. It's just one bitter mess with some soap and soft waves of phenols (more specifically, pllastic) that don't belong and the beer becomes even more unpleasant. The aftertaste lingers of some phenols and lots of pure bitterness. The liquid on its own is fine, nice and smooth, but the rough aftertaste ruins the mouthfeel.

Second major egg lay in a row. It's time to dump the remaining 10 ounces in the toilet, because my sink doesn't deserve this kind of torment. Now where's my Ovila?

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 05:13:33 | More by DoubleJ

chumba526

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appears hazy orange/yellow with a small off white head.

It smells very citrus and pine like. I get a grassy and fruity hop smell. There is also a mild malt sweet smell as well.

It tastes initially of sweet citrus hops. I get a strong orange flavor. I also get a pine like hop flavor to the beer. There is a very mild hint of malt sweetness but hops are king in this beer. The beer ends with a strong, brutal bitter flavor. This is a great tasting beer. It is pine like, citrus and bitter as fuck.

There is a crisp mouthfeel to this beer. It also has ample carbonation.

The drinkability is very good. It is bitter but multi-dimensional. The beer goes down very smoothly.

Overall this is a great IPA if it was a little less expencive I could see myself buying this beer often.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2011 02:36:01 | More by chumba526

johnnyboy76

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Surprisingly delicious.

Looks like a bottle you would take a look at and pass by in the cooler, but this beer does not disapoint.

Totally worth a try,and not too expensive either.

Good smell, with a robust taste. Typical IPA flavor, has a smooth finish, and the hops don't sit on the back of your throat too long like some lower grade IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 05:55:02 | More by johnnyboy76

Lukafer

Indiana

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to MilwaukeeCrusher for this one!

Pours a hazy orange with off white head of about a finger that doesn't stick around. Smells like citrus, oranges and some bitter hops. Taste is caramel malts, slight grapefruit and some bitter pine. First time I've had this beer and it's pretty good, I imagine it'd be even better if I could get an extremely fresh one.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 00:51:30 | More by Lukafer

ThreeWiseMen

California

4.4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on-tap at the brewpub earlier today. Following review is based on notes taken during the tasting.

Served in a standard 16oz. pint glass.

Appearance: Crystal clear, gold-colored body shows very active carbonation inside. A short, creamy, white cap sat on top initially; it eventually settled as a thin film and held as such for the duration of the session. Head left a wall of web-like lacing around the interior of my pint glass - it was very impressive!

Smell: Caramelized resinous hops, moist pine, lime, and clean grains. Very hop-forward, which I like; however, the overall smell is far from a bouquet. Still good.

Taste: Caramel and toasted wholegrain bread are quickly overtaken by strong earthy and piney hops. Bitterness is strong and long-lasting. This beer could use a bit more sweetness in the form of citrus fruits and floral esters, but I'm totally digging this right now!

Mouthfeel: Oily, prickly, dry, and bitter. Leaves me with some pretty intense citric, earthy cotton mouth (good cotton mouth). Medium in body with light carbonation. Really well done.

Drinkability: Far from complex, El Toro IPA provides an intense hop kick that lasts and lasts. I'll definitely be ordering it on-tap again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2010 02:56:45 | More by ThreeWiseMen