Tag Archives: India Pale Ale

Sculpin IPA – Ballast Point Brewing Company – San Diego, CA

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Brew:  Sculpin IPA

Brewer:  Ballast Point Brewing Company

Style:  American IPA  ABV 7%

Ballast Point Sculpin pours a light amber with a fluffy white head.  The aroma is hoppy with hints of citrus and grapefruit.  Sculpin IPA epitomizes a great IPA and is widely accepted as the quintessential American IPA.  The taste is smooth and refreshing but with a hoppy bite and floral overtones. Emanating from the hops are notes of fruit as well as a slight background maltiness. Within the fruit flavors are tastes of citrus (grapefruit, orange, and lemon), tropical fruit, and apricots.  Even with all these flavors playing a part in a symphony of taste, Sculpin IPA manages to maintain a refreshingly clean drinkability. I have had the pleasure of drinking dozens, probably hundreds of IPAs in my time and Ballast Point Sculpin has consistently made an impression as one of the best (and the one pictured that I enjoyed on El Matador beach in Malibu, CA was no different). When it comes to IPAs, we expect very high quality from well-known Californian Breweries. With Sculpin, Ballast Point goes a step further than the rest to deliver a tried and true American IPA experience. ABV: 7%

Seller Description: A trophy beer that’s a testament to our homebrew roots. Our Sculpin IPA is a great example of what got us into brewing in the first place. After years of experimenting, we knew hopping an ale at five separate stages would produce something special. The result ended up being this gold-medal winning IPA, whose inspired use of hops creates hints of apricot, peach, mango and lemon flavors, but still packs a bit of a sting, just like a Sculpin fish.

Sweetwater India Pale Ale – Sweetwater Brewing Company – Atlanta, GA

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photo 5 (2)-2-2 Pours a brassy chestnut color, has a very fruity nose with sweet herbal, floral aromas.  Honey and a slight malty molasses flavor are present as well as the stronger lemon zest,  grapefruit, and tropical fruit flavors that emanate from the earthy hops.  The flavor can be slightly tart or sour but maintains an impressive smoothness.  Sweetwater’s IPA epitomizes a great IPA, it has depth, hoppiness, West coast character but maintains a clean drinkability.

Seller Description:  This mammoth India Pale Ale is loaded with intense hop character and subjected to an extensive dry-hopping process. Our IPA is unfiltered, leaving all the natural flavors intact.  ABV 6.3%

Swamp Ape Double IPA – Florida Beer Company – Cape Canaveral, FL

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DSC_0009Pours a golden orange with aromas of citrus and funky tropical fruit. A little spicy with a background maltiness, this beer is dominated by fruit flavors and a noticeable liquor taste.  The fruit flavors dominate with slight tastes of pumpkin and gourd flavors.

This beer is great when Fresh… but is Not great when it is Not fresh.  According to bad reviews outside of Florida it seems Swamp Ape is only to be enjoyed when it is fresh or has been well cared for.  Who knows if it is sitting on store shelves to long, or if it is subject to a transformation along the transcontinental journeys but regardless, people are hopping on the bandwagon to say negative things about this beer.

The truth is:  If you have the privilege of tasting this beer when it is FRESH it will be great.  Sadly, when it is not fresh… it is flat, the head dissipates in seconds and it has very little taste in general, and this is what many have experienced.  Fresh Swamp Ape is fruity, has a great head, a nose encompassing a range of citrus scents, nice hoppy flavors with complex depth, and a smooth funky West Coast IPA finish.

Seller Description:  Florida Swamp Ape IPA is an Imperial IPA, The fresh and lively hop character is derived from using 5 distinct varieties of hops.  This beer has an intense hop bitterness., Flavor and aroma balanced by complex alcohol flavors,  moderate fruity esters and a medium malt character.