I first ran into this beer at a liquor store in San Diego while visiting my brother for the day. I was instantly filled with excitement and joy, being that I am a huge Sculpin fan already, and love me some grapefruit. I couldn’t wait to get this beer home and give it a try. However, I wondered how Ballast Point could improve on Sculpin’s already unique flavor. I’ve always followed the motto, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” but, in this case, it works. The tart freshness of grapefruit perfectly complements the IPA’s citrusy hop character. It pours a brilliantly clear, golden, honey color with a large layer of perfectly white foam, which quickly fades to a very thin layer with good cling. It draws in a strong aroma of citrusy fruit, mostly grapefruit, go figure, with the apricot, peach, mango & lemon I’ve grown to enjoy with the original Sculpin. There is a light pine scent with floral hints and subtle alcohol. Taste is very fruity and very citrusy. Grapefruit is unmistakable, mostly in the backend, which is surprisingly crisp. This finishes clean, dry-bitter with pine notes and lingering citrus flavor. The balance between pine and citrus has been tilted way to the favor of the citrus, which is not a bad thing in this case. Grapefruit is known as a winter fruit, but this easy-drinking ale tastes like summer. Overall, a great IPA.
Salud!
Jason
