Bombay By Boat IPA - Moonlight Brewing Company

elNopalero

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This pours a pleasing golden tan in color with light foam. There’s some grapefruit and citrus undertones in the aroma but overall it has a pine forward hop aroma.

There’s a slight toast that comes across as it warms, like a whisper of biscuit malt almost. The flavor has an intense bitterness upfront and develops piney with some nice chew on it. The carbonation keeps it spry. Definitely a winner.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2012 08:27:36 | More by elNopalero

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Hopmonk, Sabastol location. Medium mouthfeel, well hopped IPA. Lacey on medium coloured body. Decent drinkability. Tasty hop melange, and still decently malted and a tad toasty. Hoppy aromas.WOuld estimate IBU in 70 range.Carbonation right there.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 15:08:25 | More by northyorksammy

FosterJM

California

4.3/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

1550th Review on BA
Cask to Pint

@Toronado San Francisco

App- A big serious looking orange. Like orange water with how clear it was and how well it shimmered and moved. A bit of yellows and what I would call yellow highlights. A big frothy 1" head that left some great cling.

Smell- When things are on cask the warmth really seems to accentuate the aromas and this was no different. It was damper citrus aromas mixed with some dry pine and grass. One hoppy beer but integrated well.

Taste- I had heard many a good thing about this one and was not let down. Big and hoppy with some great balance. The warmth of the cask just made this incredibly smooth and creamy. The malts take a back seat on the continual sips and layers well with pine.

Mouth- Highly medium to full bodied with a full-low carbonation and deceptively creamy and silky. Residual hops that we're a bit citrus but meshed into a grassy flavor.

Drink- This thing was just a great beer. Had heard so many good things about Bombay and Reality had to try it for myself. So glad I did. Wonderfully creamy and layered.

Serving type: cask

10-07-2012 02:11:13 | More by FosterJM

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Not so obnoxiously hoppy for an American IPA, which is quite alright with me. The cask conditioning makes it much creamier than I'm assuming a regular offering would deliver. Nice spicy tones stay even. Earthy and citric tones define it. A pleasant IPA to drink.

Serving type: cask

08-30-2012 17:10:08 | More by RblWthACoz

ccrida

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On cask at the toranado, bombay by boat is clear dirty blonde with an off-white head leaving decent foamy lace.

Smell is pretty heavy on the lemon cirtrus. A little nit of dirty dish-soap. Overall a touch soft.

Taste is also robustly hoppy, a big smack down of lemony hops, as JM said, very impressive depth of flavor for the size of this thing. Firm, lingering bitterness. No malt of note.

Mouthfeel is soft and bone dry, tounge-prickly.

Drinkability is high, an intensely hopped IPA with a reasonable ABV.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2012 01:12:22 | More by ccrida

wethorseblanket

California

4.3/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From cask @ Toronado SF.

A: Pours clear gold with a finger thick white head which leaves unusual vertical columns of lace.

N: Floral and citrus with some pine hop notes. Grassy and herbal. Dank.

T: Follows nose with more pine and less citrus. Smooth finish with a fresh hop cone quality. Tremendous hoppy spice lingers long after the last taste.

M: Creamy from the hand pump with a medium body. Dry and semi-bitter finish.

O: Clean and fresh, just the way an IPA should be! If you ever see this, get it.

Serving type: cask

06-19-2012 03:15:39 | More by wethorseblanket

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Flavor Bistro today.

The beer pours a peachy orange color with very good head retention and considerable sticky lacing all around. The nose is pungent and impressive, showcasing considerable dry citrus, a hint of burnt toast and light pine. This beer smells as if it will an extremely bitter, well hopped IPA, which in fact it is. On the palate, this is an aggressively hopped IPA, with just enought malt to balance the avalanche of hoppy goodness. The hoppy bitterness dries this beer out in a big way on the finish, and there's no doubt this is one of the least malty/sweet IPA's I can recall having in some time. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, though given the abv., the amount of flavor this "no holds barred" IPA delivers is pretty astonishing. This beer drinks like an 8% or 9% abv. IPA, so I was amazed when I saw the 5.9% on this site. Drinkability isn't too bad, though this is one intensely bitter IPA, and so it's hard to imagine drinking a whole lot of this. Still, this is very well made, very well crafted IPA, that is very much in the West Coast style. Impressive...

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2012 02:15:31 | More by johnmichaelsen

flexabull

California

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On cask @ the Toronado.

Pours a bright gold color, slight haze, and a nice white head.

Aromas are of pine, bright and bitter citrus, like lemons and oranges.

Taste is just like the nose. Pine like, with citrus, a backdrop of bread dough, and some creamy sweetness. Finish has some resiny hops and lightly bitter notes.

Mouthfeel is great, very smooth, with plenty of body. Not heavy at all.

Overall, a very good beer, and better than the sum of it's parts. Very high drinkability, my glass was empty before I knew it.

Serving type: cask

12-22-2011 22:03:59 | More by flexabull

jkanavel

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Had a pint of this at the Barley and Hops Tavern in Occidental.

The head was clean eggshell white

body was a beautiful orangy-golden.

nose was very pretty and hoppy but not terribly distinguished. Grassy notes, some floral notes, a little slim on the citrus spectrum.

mouthfeel, thin as it warmed up. PBR thin.But rich and creamy when it had a little chill left on it.

Flavor is where it fell a little flat to me. It was served...not terribly cold. Which is fine, but as it warmed it became astringent, watery, thin, flat. Maybe I was near the end of the keg.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2011 03:27:01 | More by jkanavel

dgilks

Australia

3.63/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear golden colour with a medium creamy off-white head.

Earthy dank hops and a good dose of caramel malts.

Smooth caramel malts with moderate bitterness and an earthy, resinous, bitter hop character. A decent English style IPA.

Medium body with moderate carbonation. Pretty fizzy for a cask.

A decent, middle of the road IPA with an okay hop character and plenty of malt.

Serving type: cask

08-10-2011 12:23:57 | More by dgilks

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Served a clear copper-orange color with a thin covering of frothy white head. The head faded fairly quickly leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of traditional IPA aromas with some sweet caramel malts and some piney/earthy hops and some nontraditional IPA aromas including some wood and some yeast.

T - Starts off with a nice balance of sweet caramel malts and piney hops and a bitterness. Through the middle, the earthy flavors and bitterness kick in a bit more alongside a bit of wood and yeast. The finish is a nice balance of sweet and bitter that linger nicely.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. The beer is super smooth and a bit dry, which makes it really refreshing.

D - Very drinkable. Very nice mix of traditional and nontraditional IPA elements here create a really nice beer. Especially with the bit of wood from the cask.

Serving type: cask

07-28-2011 05:32:01 | More by ngeunit1

roodie

Texas

3.95/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

on tap at Dalva in San Francisco, poured into a pint glass.

A: pours a amber/orangish brown with 2 fingers of foamy head, nice lacing.

S: grapefruit and mango, ending with a delightful bitter piney hoppiness

T: same as the nose, the bitterness is very potent, but very pleasant

M: bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue, nice carbonation adds a spicy quality to the tip of my tongue with each sip

O: a very enjoyable brew, I have not been disappointed by Moonlight IPAs so far.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2011 04:16:50 | More by roodie

treyrab

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Went out to San Francisco to swim Alcatraz and made sure to try as many Moonlight beers as I could. Tasted at Toronado San Francisco for the full effect.

Pulled from the cask into a pint glass. Here goes nothing.

A: Pours in the glass a semi-hazy golden copper. More light gold than bronze. The haze is reminiscent of chill haze, as opposed to unsettled yeast. A nice white head forms and sticks around a bit, but eventually recedes and laces only slightly. Looks pretty still, with minimal carbonation (as expected). Looks nice.

S: An awesome West Coast IPA meets English Bitter. Smells like a nice blend between the two styles. A punch of orange (Cascade, Centennial) hit you first, followed by some English Hops (East Kent maybe) and a nice caramel backbone traditional of ESBs. Nice toast aroma to go with the pungent hops.

T: Pretty much along the lines of the smell. A softer taste and pretty bitter. A very drinkable American IPA and not overly bitter. The orange and mango qualities are there and pair nicely with the toasted malts.

Overall, a solid beer. Moonlight is impressing me with their work. This is no exception.

Serving type: cask

07-23-2011 19:37:19 | More by treyrab

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Off cask at the Toronado, in San Francisco.

Bombay by Boat is the exact shade of coppery golden you'd want to see in an IPA. And it's perfectly clear too. All it needs is a giant spongy head, but this pour came from an ambient temperature cask so I don't think... wait a tick! This has a substantial, fully bloomed capping that leaves little scabs of lacing, and lots of them, everywhere. In that case: perfect 5.

This beer stinks. It makes the smelly homeless guy sitting next to you on the subway seem like a breath of fresh air. OK, maybe we won't go that far, but the smell of these grassy, herbal hops is as strong and obnoxious as cigarette smoke, the kind of smell that could stick to your clothing for days. The hops cones must have been the size of pineapples.

Normally this is the kind thing I'd reward, but if anything it's too pungent! The beer's bland, cardboard-y malts do nothing to stand up to these dank, vine-y hops. In fact, I doubt I've ever had a beer that tastes so green and weedy and leafy. It's got as much ganja-like herbals as a 4/20 march... funny that it should be a staple on the hand-pump at the Toronado.

Usually beers this bitter are decorated with pleasant pine or fruity flavours, but this one just has the plain, excruciating, less-than-tasty bitterness of steamed greens. It's like licking a wet jungle floor; notes of birch, vines, leaves, herbs and far rotten fruits saturate the palate and, with no carbonation to scrub them off, they linger like a long-steeped black tea.

What this should be called is Liquified Green Hop Smoothie because that's what it drinks like. In the land of hops, this beer sticks out as a giant among them - and it's not even designed as a double IPA! It's also interesting for emphasizing English hop flavours by using aggressive, American hop quantities. Pleasure in pain - this was a well worthwhile pint!

Serving type: cask

07-10-2011 00:42:14 | More by biegaman

PerHops

California

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I've had this beer several times. I've had it on hand pump at toronado. On draft at a few different bars. Tonight I finally understand this beer. I love pretty much everything this guy does, but never really appreciated the IPA. The hops came through so much more than i remembered in the past. Great IPA one of my favorites, if I can find it this fresh.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2011 01:44:45 | More by PerHops

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From the handpump at Toronado, SF. Poured into a pint glass.

4.0 A: Lightly hazed dark yellow color. Two fingers of frothy white head with good retention and glass covering lacing.

4.0 S: Like most IPAs from a cask, this is full of woodiness. Tons of oak, pine, and a heavy though tolerable overall yeastiness. Earthy hops. Malts and yeast give a bready vibe.

4.0 T: For the most part follows the nose. Moderate bitterness, which is perfect for the format.

4.0 M: Lighter medium body. Super cask creaminess. Well carbonated.

4.0 D: Never had the regular version, but IPAs on cask are awesome and this is no different.

Serving type: cask

06-19-2011 17:46:41 | More by DavoleBomb

beagle75

Iowa

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Draft service into a shaker pint glass at Beachwood BBQ.

A: Clear, light amber color with less than one finger of persistent white foam head. Heavy lacing remains, with nearly continuous sheeting over much of the glass.

S: Crisp and astringent, with minerality and predominantly floral hops that smell distinctly of roses.

T: Begins dry, with toasty caramel malt, hop aromatics consisting of edgy herbaceous spice and pithy grapefruit citrus, and bright intermediate acidity. Sharp mineral salts emerge in the middle as malt fades, imparting some astringency that becomes amplified in the presence of surging bitterness. Bitterness becomes intense during the finish, tasting of wet coniferous foliage, and enduring on the palate for a considerable long time.

M: Thin viscosity, wet and acidic on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: This experimental IPA attempts to push the limit of how much bitterness can be realized, and in that respect it is a reasonable success. IBUs aside, this is one of the most bitter beers I have ever encountered--after having it on two separate occasions a year or more apart. It is also clean in its sensory profile, giving the feeling that malt, hops, and water have all left a mark but the contribution of the yeast (esters, diacetyl, etc.) is all but absent. Unfortunately this quality leaves gaps between those three components, with them seeming awkward and disjunct in their attempts to be relatable.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2011 03:05:36 | More by beagle75

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Mikkeller Bar. From notes.

A - Slightly hazy with a bright cold colour. Great creamy two finger, white head. Mild carbonation visible. Great lacing all around the glass as a solid thin cap retains the whole way. In terms of IPA this is spot on.

S - Nice resinous hops. Really citrusy and slightly bready. Slghtly zesty. Whlie I say it is nice and all that jazz, it seemed quite mild to me with all those notes being good but subdued in a way. They did not seem to jump out.

T - Lovely fruitiness that I was hoping would come out more than the aroma. Slight pine is there also with some breadiness. The finish is really resinous and juicy.

M - Nice tingly carbonation with a medium body. Not extremely bitter but you can definately feel it.

D - Standard IPA I guess. I was not overly impressed but enjoyed what I had. The flavour seemed to die towards the end though and I lost interest quickly.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2011 11:19:27 | More by tbeckett

Beerenauslese

California

3.7/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On cask at the Toronado during SF Beer Week

Body is yellow gold with a tan head with lots of big round pancake-like bubbles that quickly dissipated to a ring. Leaves some soft lacing.

Aromas of malt, grapefruit, and piney and grassy hops.

Tastes of sweet malt with a huge assault of piney and citrus hops. Finishes bitter.

Body is light and carbonation a bit low, mouthfeel seemed ordinary for an IPA.

I though this was a good beer, but the hop profile seemed harsh. I enjoyed one, but would not follow it with another.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2011 18:20:59 | More by Beerenauslese

Lothore

California

4.38/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Golden, straw yellow hue with a foamy off white head that coats the glass as it goes down.

S- Pine, grass, herbal

T- Slightly herbal, biscuity with pine notes that lead into a huge wave of bitter piney hops.

M- Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

D- This was a fantastic IPA and frankly i'm surprised it's not rated higher.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2011 02:07:28 | More by Lothore

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

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

Had this on tap at Bar Crudo in San Francisco. I had never heard of this beer or brewery, but I'm always up for trying another California IPA. Pours an amber-orange colour with nice white head, with some minimal lacing. Nice pine and citrus hops with some caramel malt. Nice bitterness in this IPA. Quite a smooth mouthfeel. I was pleasantly surprised by this.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2010 19:13:23 | More by kwjd

LittleDon

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A pint on cask at Toronado.

Golden, maybe with a bit of red (it was dark). Some head an fine lacing. No head retention. Light citrus aroma, almost lost. A bit on the hard side for a cask conditioned ale. Muted bitter middle and end with nondescript hop flavor. Bitterness fades quickly. Medium to slightly heavy mouthfeel. Not bad, but not interesting.

Serving type: cask

10-31-2010 16:12:27 | More by LittleDon

djmichaelk

Florida

3.8/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

On hand-pump cask at Toronado SF.

A - Slightly hazy straw-yellow, with the type of head that you only really get from cask beers. Not much retention but strangely, lacing was great -- it stuck to the glass forever.

S - Somewhat weak, with very muted aroma. A slightly grassy, herbal note at first, followed by some of the bitterness of the hops.

T - This doesn't quite fit the mold of an IPA -- seems more like an english bitter to me. The flavors are very subtle, with the aforementioned grassiness, along with some lemony notes. More bitterness from the hopes than the nose would imply. Long dry finish.

M - From the cask, it's a bit light in the mouth. Low perceived carbonation. Pretty much par for the course.

D - I could drink this all day, if it were available near me. Very little apparent alcohol and very smooth.

O - Solid brew, for sure. I probably had higher hopes for this that it warranted, but definitely above average and worth trying if you have it in front of you.

Serving type: cask

09-27-2010 18:44:02 | More by djmichaelk

augustgarage

California

3.78/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hand-pump cask @ Toronado in SF - served in a shaker pint.

Crystal clear amber body with a messy dollop of beige wave scum. Nice cakey lacing and a small head with good retention.

Resinous citrusy aromatics with evergreen and faintly sweet biscuity malts.

Grapefruit seeds, tangerine pith, pale malt, forest floor, etc. on the palate. Hints of wet wood and barley in the finish - fairly malty despite a forward NorCal hoppiness. Not as bitter (perhaps not as fresh?) as other reviews would indicate.

Creamy, mildly astringent mouthfeel, adequately carbonated, and slightly warm for the ABV.

A decent IPA, but not really on-par with many other offerings from this exceptional brewery.

Serving type: cask

09-09-2010 02:08:30 | More by augustgarage

Jmoore50

Nevada

3.98/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another cask at Toronado during their anniversary party. It was so bitter that Moonlight had to of dry hopped the cask, crazy mouthfeel.

The appearance on this one was gorgeous, a great dark burnt golden color with frothy head. If you read my reviews you will find that I am a very large fan of lacing and head retention on my beers, and the Moonlight casks were pouring beautiful beers. Lacing on the sides of the glass, just beautiful.

Smells of hops, really bitter hops. A gentle pizza crust malt backbone with lots of hops.

The beginning of the sip notes a great caramel and cracker malt presence paired with a great smooth wood flavor. There are some sweeter hops paired in the beginning, but the attack start after the beer is swallowed. Giving the beer a second to hit my stomach reveals a bitterness that is unveiled with my first breath. With eyebrows raised I was caught off guard, the bitterness was borderline harsh and totally unexpected. Wow.

The mouthfeel is actually hurt by this last minute rush of hop bitterness, for it is a palate destroyer. Mouth going numb from the bitterness accompanied by the smooth oak flavor from the cask is like tasting a small car crash. Maybe more accurately like tasting a one-two punch from Tyson, either way its unexpected an a bit much for me. It is a delicious beer and recommended, but should be done towards the end of a beer drinking session for your tongue going numb from bitterness is an expected effect.

J

Serving type: cask

08-16-2010 08:39:30 | More by Jmoore50