Ballast Point Sculpin IPA (North Star)

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
San Diego, California USA

On tap @ Obriens. Orange yellow pour, off white head. Huge hop aroma, tropical fruits, citrus, pine. Flavors of bright pine, light fruits, ans citrus/citrus rind, very fresh. Bitterness holds largest presense with mild sweetness and dry finish. Awesome, aroma was more powerful than the Pliny I had before it, which was plenty powerful on its own.

By far the cleanest, most well balanced IPA I have tried. Not too heavy and complimented by a citrus aroma. Not overly hoppy but remains full of flavor. The body is solid throughout. Overall one of my top 5 beers. Try it!

Overall an exceptional beer. Very unassuming given the competition out there in CA and this style. Really seaking out more and more of the Ballast Point seasonal / rare beers has become an addiction. This was widely available, but very very quickly dissapeared, though lost forever. Very lucky that a friend had some extra bottles that got "lost" for me to have the opportunity to purchase again. Will drink 1 more soon, and keep the other 2 for the next several years. Has more oil and orange flavors than other IPA’s. Complexity of hops thru the finish is what makes this stand out. I can now see why you would ever want to buy a case of a craft beer after this experience. Usually you want to move onto the next one, here you want to come back again and again. Re-tasted again last night... This beer continues to WOW me. The smell is mesmorizing. The hops perfume are very complex and creamy on the nose. Intense and balanced. Great mid and finish also but the star is the nose. Glad I was able to buy more again this week from a hidden stache, which is now no more. Maybe rating this too low.

From the brewery to my fridge in a few days courtesy of annapolisbeer. Dank/resinous, beautiful nose. Loads of citrus, and some papaya and strawberry – even a little Kiwi? I could smell this for a long time. Taste is upfront a lot woodier than expected –some resiny, piney hops, then the citrus returns with a really nice balancing sweetness, just enough malty character to add a touch of balance and an oily , really resinous and just slightly mouthcoating finish (yeah – the finish is pretty much weed in a glass). This is a world class IPA. Thanks a ton, Kevin. I may hit you up for more freshies of this one in the future.

Draft at The Thirsty Monk. Pours a golden off-white , lasting head with a golden-amber body. Smells of citrus and floral hops...apricots, mango, and pineapple. Flavor is much the same as the aroma. Finish has the lasting fruit flavors and a slight bitterness.

Colour... pours a medium amber. The nose... OH MY! WHAT A NOSE!! Take the me down the hop-a-dise city, where the hops are green and ale is pretty!! The palate... Indian River grapefruit, impetuously hoppy bite runs amuck over the entire palate, piney, resinous, dangerously quaffable, quite a fetching IPA!

Very piney scent but not an overpowering piney taste well balanced. Nice frothy feel a and nice bitter finish. Not the best but its a great single.

Pours a fairly pale golden yellow. Very clear with a nice moderate sized head and gobs of lacing. Nose is dominated by c-hops, big and bright and fresh smelling. Taste is pretty damn dry, very little sweetness, tons of hop bitterness, and a full range of hop flavor starting with a slightly harsh bitterness, then some floral flavors, and finishes huge on grapefruit and citrus.