Tag Archives: Ballast Point

2017 High West Barrel Aged Victory at Sea by Ballast Point Brewing Company

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Rating: 6/6

2017 High West Barrel Aged Victory at Sea by Ballast Point Brewing Company is a 12% ABV Imperial Porter aged in High West Whiskey

 

Our Ballast Point Victory at Sea Imperial Porter is a bold, smooth brew with just the right amount of sweetness. We infused this robust porter with whole vanilla beans and San Diego’s own Caffe Calabria coffee beans. The subtle roasted notes and minimal acidity of the cold brewed coffee, balances perfectly with the sweet caramel undertones of the malt, creating a winning combination for your palate.

 

Awesome oak and vanilla whiskey goodness

Unfiltered Sculpin by Ballast Point Brewing Company

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Rating: 5/5
 
Unfiltered Sculpin by Ballast Point Brewing Company is a 7% ABV India Pale Ale
Description:
Our Unfiltered Sculpin IPA packs extra hops into every sip, enhancing the classic Sculpin notes of fresh apricot, peach, mango and lemon with a slight haze and less bitterness.
 
Freshness is key to every beer, but especially true for this extra-hopped IPA—store cold and drink soon. This limited release is now available at all locations and rolling out nationwide soon!
Review:
Smooth, creamy, lots of tropical juice! Freaking amazing!

 

Barmy by Ballast Point brewing

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Rating: 5.5/6

Barmy by Ballast Point brewing is 12% ABV is an Imperial Golden Ale brewed with Apricots and Honey.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Made with only six ingredients. Malted 2-row barley, palisade hops, orange blossom honey, White Labs California Ale Yeast, apricots and San Diego carbon filtered tap water. Low bitterness is balanced by tart apricots with a sweet but not cloying finish. Barmy Ale can be aged up to eight years with a strong honey wine character emerging if cellared. Be careful not to be the barmiest of them all.

==Introduction==

Obtained at www.craftbeerkings.com at Plaza Market in El Monte California. I have really been liking some of the new releases for Ballast Point. Especially since they are fish inspired. In this release, they came out with a Golden ale that is 12%. This beer is definitely the strongest, alcohol wise, that I have ever tried form Ballast Point. The others being Sea Monster and Victory at Sea. For a golden and sold in a 6 pack, this is a crazy selection. It will definitely get ya drunk! Being as it was the strongest, I definitely wanted to bring it to the website. Let’s have a look at this new monster, cheers!

Aromas:
Tropical fruit kiwi, honey dew melon, papaya, strawberries, honey, Stone fruit apricot, peaches, lychees, mango, coriander spice, vanilla, tangerine gummies, peppercorns, bananas, clove spice, phenolics, cane sugar, raspberries, biscuit bread and waffle cone.

Flavors:
Rich Stone fruit apricot, peaches, lychees, mango, citrus blossom wild flower honey, orange preserves, tangerine gummies, peppercorns, bananas, clove spice, phenolics, cane sugar, white grapes, pineapple, biscuit bread, rye bread, grapefruit spread, peach cobbler, floral notes, waffle cone, lemon notes, coriander spice, vanilla, raspberries, blueberries, tropical fruit kiwi, honey dew melon, papaya, strawberries, dragon fruit and passion fruit.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with lots of honey, stone fruits, cane sugar, banana, tropical fruit and biscuit bread.
Slight alcohol in the taste, Golden clear in color, smooth, crisp, velvety and refreshing along with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
An exceptional brew! Something I would definitely love to have more of. Yes it is 12% and it will take a toll right away but still, you can’t beat good beer for the price. Although my only gripe is that while it is complex, the booze does creep up and you can tell it is there. A few years and this will be much better to the point where it will be drinkable better. I highly recommend this one.

Anime Corner:
Princes Zelda from Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild was used in this pairing as I wanted to mainly go with the colors of the label with the orangey yellow fish and the blue sea so the colors worked well. The barrel is essentially an innuendo for her bottom. While it did become a meme when Nintendo focused on Zelda’s rear, the way barrels sit for months is similar to how big butts are big due to long points of sitting around. Although, Zelda isn’t lazy, she’s actually very athletic.

Sources:
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_Y70XAW0AEoLJP.jpg
https://img.fireden.net/v/image/1485/02/1485027607142.png
http://i.imgur.com/9yqT4D0.jpg
http://orig05.deviantart.net/2929/f/2017/062/5/a/zelda___breath_of_the_wild_by_genzoman-db11zxo.jpg
https://babylon.naurunappula.com/screen/c1/d1/c1d153ea4ef8777c/0/1390288.png

 

Sea Rose by Ballast Point

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Rating: 2.95/5

Sea Rose by Ballast Point is a 4% ABV American Wheat Ale brewed with Tart Cherries and Pomegranates.

Commercial Description:
A crisp wheat ale with a tart cherry twist.
Our Sea Rose tart cherry wheat ale is a fresh take on fruit beers. Originally conceived during an employee-led R&D brew, it’s one of our most imaginative recipes yet. The American wheat style is light and clean, while fresh cherry juice adds a soft coral color and fruity nose that gives way to a dry, slightly tart finish. It’s approachable, yet unexpected—exactly what we love to brew.

==Introduction==

I first heard of this one while searching online for information for the Red Velvet on nitro from Ballast Point. So since it was a new fish to the list of fish added to the Ballast Point labels, I wanted to bring it to the site. It looked awesome so I chose it for that reason. Tart Cherry Wheat brews are something that I like since the Sam Adams Cherry Wheat and my own homebrew, Heff By Black Cherries. So based on my experience, they are typically awesome brews. So one made by Ballast Point has got to be awesome. Let’s take a look, cheers!

Aromas:
Wheat grain, cereal notes, cherry hints, biscuit bread, cane sugar and lemon notes.

Flavors:
Cereal grains, pilsner malt, pomegranate hints, tart cherry, cranberries, wheat bread, cane sugar, honey notes, lemon and seltzer notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishing very dry with tart cherry, cranberry and pomegranates along with biscuit and cereal hints. No alcohol in the taste, super clear amber to honey light body, crisp, clean, refreshing and smoooth mouthfeel and very easy to drink.

Overall:
Close to Average at best. While I feel this is super great for non craft beer drinkers and a great entrance for those that want to try other beers since it is so light and refreshing. Ultimately, it falls short on flavor with only notes of the mentioned fruit flavors. I personally would like more flavor but that is just me. I really feel for those that hardly drink craft beer and want something that is only hinted and still super light, this is an awesome beer for that. Worth a try if once but there is better out there.

Anime Corner:
Kneesocks Daemon from Panty & Stocking W/ Garterbelt was used in this pairing for the colors mainly of cherries and pomegranates. I also wanted to find something to pair with the red fish and that is where Kneesocks comes in. She is a red hot devil with a spiky hair looks frilly like the waves of the fish.

Sources:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfIw4QIUYAAPPcn.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh186/erik_zorninsson/eec23fdbf997b33890d54f7fcafe2911.jpg
http://i57.beon.ru/45/32/793245/79/64651079/14873385.jpeg
http://tbib.org/images/5142/1e5a290ff1744f9ee2feddaa40b7d6f5b3972834.png?5656721

Nitro Red Velvet by Ballast Point

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16463436_10103973263594870_2426886073992062179_oRating: 5/5

Nitro Red Velvet by Ballast Point is a 5.5% ABV Golden Oatmeal Stout with Beets, Chocolate and Natural Flavors added.

Commercial Description:
This stout takes the cake.
Our Red Velvet oatmeal stout is a mind-bending beer. Like the cake that inspired it, the deep red color comes from beets, which add a rich, earthy character that complements the chocolate flavor and aroma. The foamy head of the nitro pour is our “icing”, adding a creamy smoothness to the mouthfeel. But this liquid dessert still finishes like a beer – not sweet, but just as satisfying.

==Introduction==
16423180_10103973263629800_6473432184822888339_o
It has been a very long time since I tried a Red Velvet Cake like beer. In fact, the only one I can remember was the Red Velvet from Buffalo Bayou brewing that my friend Aaron Mendiola from BeerMetal.net provided me with. That one was damn amazing and one I would have greatly love to get again. Now with Ballast Point creating their own, I feel like this would be supremely interesting. First and for most is the color. They took a pale golden stout and with the beets were able to get a red stout color. Something I have not seen before. Finally, the chocolate and other flavors would the stout flavors and mouthfeel. Let’s take a good look at how this turns out, Cheers!

Aromas:
Vanilla, chocolate, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, red velvet cake notes, raspberry cheesecake notes, coffee notes, cinnamon, Danish cream and dark fruit.

Flavors:
Rich red velvet cake, chocolate, milk chocolate, vanilla, toffee, dulce de leche notes, white chocolate, dark fruit raisins, cranberry, cherry, fruit cake, cinnamon, Danish cream, beet juice hints, Irish cream notes, strawberry shortcake notes, raspberry cheesecake notes, roasted coffee notes, lactose, flan notes, brown sugar, pecan pie, cherry cordial notes and sweetened condensed milk.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with lots of notes of vanilla, chocolate coffee, dark fruit notes, earthy hops and white chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, Ruby and Magenta clear body, smooth, creamy slightly thin but slightly velvety mouthfeel and very easy to drink.

Overall:
Now that’s insane. This is damn liquid Red Velvet cake!! I think if it was more full bodied and richer it would be much higher in my opinion. Although this being nitro and smooth gives points as well as this being very unique. Enough to be not just a perfect beer but exceptional. Regardless, this beer is one I want to get more of whether on tap or on bottles. Red Velvet beers are hugely uncommon so this is something you definitely want to get. I highly recommend it.
16422327_10103973263689680_6041328157762706442_o
Anime Corner:
Asuka Soryu Langley Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this pairing as I wanted to get a pairing that would fit the whole feast fit for a king/queen theme. I have used 2 of these of pictures before but I had to bring them back as well as an additional one with Asuka wearing the crown and the eye patch. Not only does it fit with the king on the label but the Ballast Point theme of Fish and Pirates. A pirate king/queen. That and the whole red theme is all over with Asuka.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/JboO4Cq.jpg
http://arhivach.org/a_cimg/?h=462d7471529bfb9a650cf676aea4ea28

Coconut Victory At Sea by Ballast Point

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15440465_10103803517382640_6340659360454904972_oRating: 5.75/6

Coconut Victory At Sea by Ballast Point is a 10 % ABV American Porter brewed with Coffee and Coconut.

Label:
Our favorite porter with just a touch of the tropics.

This Coconut Victory at Sea takes our popular Imperial Porter to another place. We added sweet roasted coconut to our robust porter brewed with Caffe Calabria coffee and vanilla, the perfect complement to this beer’s subtle roasty intensity. A favorite at our annual Victory at Sea Day, but it’s worth enjoying anytime you need to be transported.

==Introduction==
15403639_10103803517287830_7670806324279494733_o
It has been years since I had Victory at Sea. It was such an awesome brew when I was looking for it so long ago that it was a rarity. Before the times that it became more readily available, it was one of the best beers for Ballast Point right next to Sea Monster in my opinion. Today, you can find these more readily available and recently, they have been experimenting with ingredients. I know there is a peppermint version of this one which I should bring forth in a future review but I could definitely not pass up on this one especially since it was a coconut beer. With that being said, let’s see if this one out does it’s original. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, coconut milk, toasted coconut, macaroons, roasted coffee, steamed milk, coffee cake, vanilla, mocha, caramel, maple syrup, cotton candy, Cocada Mexican Coconut candies, flan hints, earthy hop notes, roasted barley, Dark fruit currants, prunes, raisins, marshmallows and rocky road ice cream.

Flavors:
Rich toasted coconut, macaroons, roasted coffee, steamed milk, coffee cake, vanilla, mocha, caramel, maple syrup, Dark fruit currants, prunes, raisins, marshmallows, rocky road ice cream, smores, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, coconut milk, almond milk, Danish cream, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, marzipan, rye bread, anise, molasses, lactose, Cocada Mexican Coconut candies, flan hints, earthy hop notes, roasted barley, macadamia nuts and cotton candy hints.

Aftertaste:
Finish with roasted coffee bitterness, earthy hops, coffee cake, dark chocolate, toasted coconut, hazelnut and mocha hints. Slight hints of alcohol at the end but not detracting from the overall flavors of the beer. Deep dark body, creamy, smooth, velvety and chewy mouthfeel with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Definitely an exceptional brew! I love how is smells and taste. There is so much awesome coconut and chocolate and coffee cake that it is crazy. I think I liked this one more than the original but then again I really like coconut beer. While it is not in par with some of the best coconut beers I have ever had, it definitely surpasses even the most perfect ones that usually stop at the 5/5 rating for me. Even with no barrel aging, taking the base beer and amping it up to the next level really did for me. I highly recommend this one especially if you are a coconut beer lover!
15493430_10103803517302800_5739574969142764755_o
Anime Corner:
Nami from One Piece was the right choice for this pairing as she is literally a pirate. I wanted to go with the theme and something tropical. Since Coconut is in the mix with a beer about pirates, why not make it tropical. Speaking of tropical, Nami does have some of the colors on her of nice toasted coconut and coffee cake and to some extent, the colors of the label. I really enjoyed bringing her into this pairing.
15440492_10103803517297810_8344525397432603776_o
Sources:
http://wallpaperflix.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/nami-wallpaper-1.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pL6WXuH61WY/VxX_0R_dL2I/AAAAAAABy2U/aPk24HEQw0g/s0/018.jpg?imgmax=2000
http://kizaru89.deviantart.com/art/One-Piece-Burning-Blood-Nami-609367201
https://cdn3.patreon.com/1/patreon.posts/kCrNQc4w9qaoqzjM7ySELbgXXW6DIw3l522KVifM07op9VLLqZwhGi3tO3KdToHk.jpeg?w=1600&v=wSURMzV9B94QzBdy_P5zSk1uPOHDuxsd8fkK8zymiFg%3D

Orange Vanilla Fathom by Ballast Point brewing

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14525128_10103586622317090_5070427260887884130_o 14444796_10103586622307110_1178157421089251358_oRating: 4.75/5

Orange Vanilla Fathom by Ballast Point brewing is a 7% ABV India Pale Lager made with Orange and Vanilla.

Label:
A sweeter take on an award – Winning IPL
Our Orange Vanilla Fathom India-Style Pale Lager continues our quest for exploration. The piney and citrus hop aromas of our India-Style Pale Lager combine with sweet orange and creamy vanilla – while staying true to classic lagering techniques. Brewed with a touch of nostalgia, it may remind you of a childhood treat, but this one is just for adults.

==Introduction==

I first tried this as my friend Augie’s friend’s house for a BeerBumz beer session. They are a close community of beer tasting enthusiasts and when I was invited for a second time, someone brought this beer. I remember it for being very delicious and easy to drink. Not to mention the fact that it was like an orange cream sickle beer. Ballast Point has been making some really nice variants of their original beers and definitely something I personally enjoy even if they do add fruit to their beers. So let’s take a look at this one and see what it is about.

Aromas:
Biscuit bread, honey, lemon Heads candy, lemon zest, grapefruit, floral, honey dew melon, hints of Orange cream-sickle, strawberry hints, tangerine peel, lemon starbursts and stone fruit.

Flavors:
Orange cream-sickle, vanilla, biscuit bread, honey, lemon Heads candy, lemon zest, grapefruit, floral, piney and grassy hops, herbal notes, stone fruit peach, apricots, lyche, mango, tropical fruit papaya, pineapple notes, honey dew melon, kiwi, passion fruit, strawberry hints, tangerine peel, lemon starbursts, cherries and flan hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with hints of orange and vanilla in the aftertaste along with grapefruit, piney, citrus and floral hops with tropical and stone fruit hints. No alcohol in the taste. Clear golden body, smooth, crisp, clean and refreshing mouth feel with a very easy drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious and refreshing brew. Definitely Orange creamsickle beer. The vanilla and orange flavors definitely play a good role in making the sensation that this is liquid creamsickle. Some of the brews by Ballast Point have been on par while others are decent at best. This one is definitely worth the try if you like hoppy lagers but would enjoy a creamsickle brew.

Anime Corner:
Kid from Chrono Cross and an original character were both used in this pairing to represent the colors of the ingredients, flavors and the label. As it goes with the theme of deep ocean and the name. Kid under the depths was a really good pairing.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/fKBnfYg.jpg
http://cfile24.uf.tistory.com/image/11363242517E840612FA8D

Pineapple Sculpin by Ballast Point

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12747486_10103068363776360_7149669895786199153_o 12669586_10103068364385140_4829048760648427393_nRating: 4.85/5

Pineapple Sculpin by Ballast Point is a 7% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Natural Pineapple Flavor.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Hopped in 5 different stages, this beer has flavors of apricot, mango and lemon. But this isn’t your regular Sculpin IPA – this version has the addition of 100% fresh pineapple pure to create a new twist on an old favorite.

==Introduction==

Obtained this one at one of my local shops. With the release of another awesome Sculpin variant, I had to definitely bring it to the website. The different ones have elevated the original gold standard to new heights. The IPA community has been changing so much that even Sculpin is not number 1 anymore. While it is a fan favorite even for me, this is just another step in innovation of the brew market as new hop breeds are being made which bring new flavors to IPAs. Even with that being said, nothing wrong with making the gold standard into higher standard. Aside from that, I really want to try this pineapple one and recommend you do the same or at least after this review.

Aromas:
Stone fruit peaches, Pineapple hints, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, honey dew melon, grapefruit, citrus, piney, herbal, floral and grassy hops, biscuit bread, vanilla and toffee.

Flavors:
Rich Pineapple notes, grapefruit, citrus, piney, herbal, floral and grassy hops, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, honey dew melon, guava notes, prickly pears, cherries, biscuit bread, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, lychee fruit, lemon starburst, tangerine gummies, cocada Mexican coconut candy, Malibu Rum hints and sweetened condensed milk.

Aftertaste:
Flavors linger of pineapple, mango, tropical fruits, stone fruits, biscuit bread, floral and piney notes.No alcohol in the taste. Clear golden body, smooth, crisp, clean and refreshing mouth feel with a easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very delicious that just became more perfect as it warmed up. Initially, I did not give it a chance too much in the colder temperatures but as it warmed up, more of the pineapple and tropical fruit sweetness melded together with balancing out the hop bitterness. The only reason it did not get a perfect in my opinion is because I have had more delicious Pineapple IPAs. This is definitely one to must have several. It is still very good and most likely will be a common. This definitely takes the original sculpin to a new level of awesome and makes it even more tropical than what it was before.

Anime Corner:
Temari Sabaku from Naruto and one of my top 4 favorite anime characters was used in this pairing as I always wanted to pair a pineapple beer with Temari. Quite simply since Temari’s hair is reminiscent of pineapples. She’s damn cute and her character complements the bitterness of an IPA as she tends to be cold at times but kind hearted the majority of the time. I also enjoy how the artworks pair well with the label and the sculpin fish which Temari wearing the googles and slanted almost looks like the fish itself. Anyways, I really like how this turned out for sure.

Sources:
http://narutoclan.ru/_ph/635/2/224230581.png
http://media.animegalleries.net/albums/userpics/57294/Pineapple.jpg?=123

The Commodore by Ballast Point

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12573928_10103044318338610_3021627919185846747_nRating: 3.75/5

The Commodore by Ballast Point is a 6.5% ABV American Dry Stout.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
American Stout. Black in color with roasted flavor and noticeable hop bitterness.

==Introduction==

It has been a long time since tried a beer from Ballast Point and brought it to the site. Aside from their main Imperial Stout and Vanilla Coffee Porter, there really hasn’t been a regular stout from them before or at least that I can remember in bottle form. So after picking this one up, I wanted to bring this for a rolling review and see who good the brew is. This is a common beer and you may find it at local shops where they sell Ballast Point or even online. Cheers!

Aromas:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, earthy hops, caramel, toffee, vanilla, molasses, dark fruit cherry, anise and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Coffee, Dark chocolate, earthy hop notes, brown sugar, caramel, toffee, roasted malts, vanilla, molasses, anise hints, dark fruit cherry, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal hints and marshmallow hints.

Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with some roasty malt hints, earthy hops, chocolate, vanilla and caramel. No alcohol in the taste, super dark full body, creamy, smooth and dry mouthfeel with an easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A pretty good and decent stout. It is not too complex but just right. Maybe enough for those that may not like stouts to give this one a try. I for one think it is something you would choose if there really is nothing else around that is craft related.

Anime Corner:
Original Pirate girl by Einlee of deviantart.com was used to represent the pirate captain in the label I tried to get it as close as the label too with the colors which you can also say compliment the artwork and the flavors a like.

Sources:
http://orig01.deviantart.net/c4cb/f/2015/130/2/7/pirate_bones_by_einlee-d8sut7q.jpg

Calm Before The Storm by Ballast Point

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11754361_10102736455697810_1483837603471660684_oRating: 4.25/5

Calm Before The Storm by Ballast Point is a 5.5% ABV Cream Ale brewed with coffee and vanilla beans.

Description:
Calm Before the Storm came from a quest for a warm weather alternative to our Victory at Sea Imperial Porter. Like its more robust cousin, we infuse a punch of flavor using cold brewed Caffé Calabria coffee and a hint of vanilla. But this time, we added it to a lighter-bodied golden cream ale. The end result is a surprisingly bright, coffee-forward beer that’s perfectly refreshing.

==Introduction==

A beer inspired by the original Victory at Seas. I sure as hell had to try this and see what all the fuss about this one was about especially for being a cream ale I figured it would be just another awesome dessert like the original Victory at Seas. While I did brew a similar beer that I will be reviewing in the up coming days, I wanted to see what flavors of this I can contrast with the Belgian Golden Stout I made with Milk, Coffee, Chocolate and Vanilla. Either way, I think the fact that this is light, maybe it will be so drinkable too and would be the best for those who like to drink several on a summer day. Let’s check this one out and set sail!

Aromas:
Coffee notes, milk chocolate, vanilla, toffee, smokey hints, grains, caramel, coffee cake, brown sugar, pecan pie hints, toffee, oatmeal hints, Irish cream hints, cookie dough and coconut hints.

Flavors:
Coffee, vanilla, chocolate milk shake, marshmallow smores, graham crackers, peanut butter hints, light grains, coconut hints, cookie dough, vanilla flan hints, caramel, coffee cake, brown sugar, pecan pie hints, mild smokey notes, earthy hop notes, toffee, oatmeal hints, Irish cream hints and milk sugar.

Aftertaste:
Milk shake notes, earthy hop notes, marshmallows, caramel, flan hints, smokey notes and white chocolate hints. No alcohol in the taste, Golden amber clear light body, creamy, milky, crisp and mildy silky mouthfeel with a easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very good ale if you want something sweet and flavorful but also light. Some of the flavors were not super bold and rich like the Victory at seas, but the fact that it is light and drinkable, the fact that there is so much flavors and characteristics going on this beer that you forget that you are drinking a light beer and can definitely keep drinking another bottle or 2. Nice job Ballast Point. It really is hard to compare my beer to this as it is not the same style but the flavors I get in this is only a small amount of the flavors I get in my beer for sure. Mine has cool skeleton too 😛 . Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Marika Kato from Bodacious Space Pirates was used in this pairing as I wanted to go with the whole pirate thing and a calm one at that. The whole scenario in space where there is nothing going on and Marika being calm and collective represents the gentleness of flowing through the sea of starts in a ship similar to the skeleton in the label. Just a great pairing overall.

Sources:
http://img2.3lian.com/2014/f5/16/d/85.jpg

Grapefruit Sculpin by Ballast Point

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10610783_10101996999913130_7485295118430853980_nRating: 5.25/5

Grapefruit Sculpin by Ballast Point is a 7% ABV World Class India Pale Ale brewed with Grapefruit.

Commercial Description: (BallastPoint.com)
Our Award-winning IPA, with a citrus twist.
Our Grapefruit Sculpin is the latest take on our signature IPA. Some may say there are few ways to improve Sculpin’s unique flavor, but the tart freshness of grapefruit perfectly complements our IPA’s citrusy hop character. Grapefruit’s a winter fruit, but this easy-drinking ale tastes like summer.
___

Picked this one up at the www.craftshack.com website. This is the next variant to the Sculpin IPA. I have tried the other variants such as the Habanero Sculpin and the regular one. This time, Ballast Point brings the sweet grapefruit infusion to the mix. I am not sure if this has been done locally at their brewery before but this is rather intriguing for being a world class beer. Let us see if it is just as good as the regular or if it is amped up just a notch. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Grapefruit, Grapefruit peel, grapefruit hops, floral, piney, grassy and herbal hops, mango, dragon fruit, orange preserves on rye bread, cucumber, biscuit bread, caramel, vanilla, honey, pineapple, stone fruits like apricots and peaches.

Flavors:
Lots of rich grapefruit, grapefruit peel, grapefruit hops, grassy, piney, floral and herbal hops, citrus, apricot, mango peach, orange preserves on rye bread, cucumber, biscuit bread, caramel hints, tangerine, honey, pineapple, dragon fruit, papaya, passion fruit, prickly pear and vanilla hints.

Aftertaste:
Grapefruit still lingers sweet along with the tropical flavors, floral, grassy and herbal hops at the finish. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel along with a light gold to orange body.

Overall:
Debating on which one I like better will definitely depend on the day and the situation. I love this one just as much as the regular sculpin but I find this one a tad more appealing because of the sweet tropics it provides. It is a winning beer and even if others have taken its title of the best in the world, It won’t change my mind about the fact that this is should be a staple standard for IPAs. Well at least the regular Sculpin. This one is just an awesome bonus. I really enjoy the grapefruit forward that this version of the gold winning sculpin has to offer. You should definitely pick up a 6 pack of this for sure, I highly recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Jo from Bakuretsu Tenshi/Burst Angel was paired with this beer because I wanted to go with the whole white shirt hair bad ass look as I showed with the previous sculpins. While Sculpin fish are supposed to be venomous, Habanero was plain evil while Sculpin was somewhat evil, Jo is quite the opposite. While understanding where she comes from, she has surpassed the previous Sculpins in the sense that she is not evil. She is a better person and wants to protect her friends. While her past shows that she was made for other purposes, the fact that she was able to establish herself as an awesome individual makes for one hell of a beer here. The colors of her pair well with the unleashing of tropical fruit flavors and the unleashing of a grapefruit barrage. Jo is a bad ass femme fatale and that is just about all you need to know about her. So check her out in her series and go get this beer now. Also, the bitterness she represents sometimes only shows her cold side. She is a very sweet person once she opens up though.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/1712610#full

Habanero Sculpin by Ballast Point

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10390497_10101858697816640_8364848508237888774_n 10440229_10101858698515240_1984487527363044706_n 10413367_10101858699109050_9124426730206297903_n 10386832_10101858699548170_3344568013161907109_nRating: 4.75/5

Habanero Sculpin by Ballast Point is a 7% ABV World Class India Pale Ale brewed with Habanero Peppers

Description: (http://www.ballastpoint.com/beer/sculpin-with-habanero/)
Our popular IPA, with a punch of heat.
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.
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Ballast Point finally decided to get this beer out to the masses. I have had this beer plenty of times before and let me put it this way, I can already tell you that this one is HOT!! So basically, if you don’t like heat driven beers, or chile in general, there is a high chance you will not like this. So yes, this is a chili head type of beer basically. However, it is not just a pure heat beer, it definitely has a great amount of complexity provided by the original sculpin.

Aromas:
Grapefruit, grassy, floral and piney hops with habanero chile pepper in the aromas. Yes, that means this ones hot, A warning. The aromas follow up with mango, papaya, dragon fruit, citrus, apricot, peach, caramel, biscuit bread, cucumber, hibiscus, tangerine, bell pepper, pineapple and honey.

Flavors:
Forward Habanero heat but the flavors of the sculpin IPA pull through. Caramel, biscuit bread, honey, cantaloupe, cucumber, flowers, grapefruit, pine resin, grassy hops, tangerine, mango, citrus, papaya, dragon fruit, apricot, peach , passion fruit, candied mandarin orange and mild rye.

Aftertaste:
He searing heat keeps on burning but dissipates unlike crime and punishment from stone. Caramel, pineapple, grassy and grapefruit hops linger. No alcohol in the taste but while this is crisp and refreshing, it is a highly sipping beer.

Overall:
Great Beer if you love IPAs and chile beers. The heat varies in each bottle and in this case, these are fucking HOT!!. I really had to take my time with this one. The heat dissipates as the beer gets warmer since I believe the sweet tropical fruits kind of mellow some of the heat. Highly recommended if you love chile beers or chile in general. This is best paired with something to eat as drinking this on an empty stomach….well… lets just say I warned you. If you like regular Sculpin, this is good to try but like I said, stick to regular sculpin if you don’t like the heat.

Anime Corner:
This one’s one mother of a beer. Like the previous Sculpin which I did with Terese Rose, it represents a delicate flower like the fish. But test it out, you will find that this flower is deadly!! Ragyo Kyuruin from Kill La Kill and Kushina “Bloody Habaneo” Uzumaki from Naruto are the mothers of the main characters, Ryuko Matoi and Satsuki Kyuruin and Naruto Uzumaki respectively but different series. Ragyo’s colors represent the tropics and beauty that is brought forth in this tropical IPA but she also brings death and destruction which is represented by the heat. Kushina is very kind and sweet but when she gets mad, she unleashes all hell, hence why they gave her the nickname, “Bloody Habanero”. I can’t stress how awesome, beautiful but deadly this beer is. Patience is key!

Sources:
http://cs618417.vk.me/v618417231/4b17/8QEd1B3jW_w.jpg
http://31.media.tumblr.com/844e72c621c85d99eecc19a625b2becb/tumblr_n21s1uKGtm1rxojvro2_1280.jpg
http://static.tumblr.com/5896fa2eabf96eadc51f04bf373d8ef1/qgfktsz/YrTn1sh3u/tumblr_static_c45290ab1faddebe43e90c5ac766676b.pnghttp://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/223/5/9/kushina_uzumaki__childhood__by_shinoharaa-d5as14l.png

Indra Kunindra by Ballast Point

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Rating: 4.5/5

Indra Kunindra by Ballast Point is a 7%ABV India-Style Export Stout. It is an ale brewed with Curry Spices, Coconut, Kaffir Lime Leaf, Cayenne & Cumin. This is made extra robust made specific for travel through long journeys. This is the first and best beer that really brings about India cuisine to the world of beer. 

Label:

San Diego is home to the greatest craft beer culture in the country. World class breweries, beer bars, bottle shops, and home brewers make our city a beer lovers utopia. To honor our brewing community and Holiday Wine Cellar’s 46th anniversary, Ballast Point and Holiday Wine Cellar are proud to offer a unique collaboration between home brewer and craft brewery. The result of our commemorative endeavor? An India-style Export Stout brewed with Madras Curry and lime leaf. Definitely not the same old-same old. Award winning brewer Alex Tweet really pushed the limited on this one – so enjoy it, and thanks for celebrating with us! 
—-I have had some nice Indian cuisines in the past. Hot Curry is probably one of my favorites. Although I believe that Indian cuisine in India would be way better than stuff we can find here. So if you never had curry or Indian cuisine before, it would be hard to explain. One thing to not about this beer is that although it has its sweet flavors, the cayenne makes the beer hot and spicy like a chile beer. The balance to the heat is the coconut, vanilla, coffee, chocolate, lime and berry like flavors. While Curry is headstrong here, the cinnamon, cumin and sweet flavors bring it to a nice balance. I really think this beer would go great with Indian cuisine. I would recommend it if you love Indian food, especially hot and spicy curry. I do emphasize the hot and spicy as it may be too hot for some folks…but being a man who enjoys spicy food, this is awesome.