I picked up this bottle of Ballast Point Brewing’s Big Eye IPA in a mixed pack a couple of weeks ago and now wish I had gotten more. It’s my first beer from a company I’m not too familiar with but starting off with an IPA this tasty certainly makes a good first impression.
Brewed with American Centennial hops for just about every aspect of the beer (bittering, flavoring, dry hopping, etc…), this brew packs in everything a fan of hops could want. It’s a tasty, aromatic brew that I will most definitely get again now that the weather is getting warmer.
Appearance
Big Eye pours a medium amber in color with a large off-white head that faded slowly to a sticky lacing.
Aroma
Lots of pine and resin greet you with the first sniff. Overall the hops in the nose have an earthy, natural tone with a wonderfully light citrus character. There’s a subtle malt presence in there as well backing up the hops nicely.
Taste
I love the earthy nature to the hops in this beer. There is a good deal of resinous pine and light citrus mixing in with the subtle caramel malt for a nicely balanced brew. Mouthfeel-wise, it’s got a slightly creamy nature as it slides over the tongue — not that crisp and biting, but quite smooth. The finish is dry and bitter, but not over the top.
Overall
I enjoyed the heck out of this beer. It’s got a good hop presence that packs a wallop without decimating your taste buds and is nicely balanced with a subtle malt backbone. Big Eye IPA will be making a repeat visit to my fridge this spring/summer.
Rating: 4/5
