Ale Asylum Ballistic IPA

Brewed by Ale Asylum
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Madison, Wisconsin USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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I love love love how they showcase the amarillo hops in this beer! Great balance this brewery is known for using a lot of hops so I was really happy that while very hoppy they didn’t make something that made you feel like your chewing hops as you drink it.

Ballistic has a golden color w/ moderate hop aroma and flavor. Nothing about the hops is overpowering including the flavor which is perfectly balanced by the abundant smooth maltyness which caresses the insides of the mouth. The high ABV (7+) is noticeable only by the warm feeling and happy thoughts that won’t fail to come cascading in waves minutes after finishing a pint of this beauty. You can tell by counting the foam rings on your glass how many sips it took to finish this one; the head never disappears. This is truly a beautiful IPA and is perhaps the best of the hoppy beers from Ale Asylum, 1 of the Midwest’s premier breweries. Ballistic is like Two Hearted Ale on steroids! My only criticism is that Ballistic is perhaps a tad maltier than one might expect from an IPA, but that never stopped me from loving a highly hopped beer. This is a beer not to be missed.

UPDATED: MAR 5, 2009 superb IPA. Highly hopped yet not too bitter on the palate. Dryness of the high hop content is perfectly balanced by the malty finish. Very good IPA. The high alcohol content is noticeable only by the warmth you feel minutes after finishing this wonderful beer (you can’t smell or taste the alcohol). I’m told the ABV is 7+. Very, very smooth (like Two Hearted Ale on steroids!) Very nice, long-lasting head. You can tell how many sips it took you to finish this draft treat by counting the rings of foam left on your glass.

UPDATED: MAY 23, 2013 Tasted on tap at Ale Asylum. Cloudy amber color with a frothy head.propionate hop taste and aroma with just the right amount of bitterness. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

The hop aroma and flavor of this brew are a great example of a well-hopped American-IPA. What I enjoy most about the brew is that Ale Asylum brews it with only one hop variety (Amarillo I believe) so one can really appreciate and understand what that hop has to offer. Hopalicious and Satisfaction Jacksin are the same way, but with different hops.

UPDATED: NOV 29, 2012 Pours nearly opaque in a way that says "I dare you." This is amazing. Smoky, woody, tangy, savory and satisfying, maybe even bolder and wilder than Ale Asylum’s double IPA. I can see myself drinking a lot of these this winter.

Outstanding IPA from Ale Asylum. all components are suped up but the bitterness and crispness stay true to the basic IPA style. Personally I don’t mind when an IPA gets sweet in order to match a big hop content and beef up the ABV, but Ballistic IPA manages to do that while keeping that crisp bitterness- You don’t see that too often- nice job

Aroma was citrusy with a quickly catching up of caramel malting,others thought it was much more citrusy then I did. Taste is a monster shot of grapefriut flavor and tartness, not tremendously strong, but as distinct and clear as if you had licked a grapefruit,just enough malting to prevent you from puckering in the finish. On tap at the Malt House in Madison,hope the bottle is as good

Pours a dark amber.caramel color with a nice off white head. Great citrus aromas that are quickly consumed by the aromas of caramel malts.Flavor is of citrus hop that fades to a nice bitter finish. Seems to be just a slight malt backing, but not enough to out weigh the hop bitter. Has a medium body to it as well.This is a very enjoyable IPA! Thanks Ubamartian!

Thanks to Josh. Poured an orange amber with a smaller sized off white head. Aroma was very fruity and generally a nice hop aroma. Amarillo really coming across in the nose. Flavor was more of the citrusy hop bomb, some toasted/caramel malt to help balance. Love the Amarillo