I had not heard of Ballast Point before, and would not have picked it off the shelf if it weren’t for the Ratebeer label next to it (It scores 98). I hadn’t heard of the brewery before, but if it scores a 98, it had to be pretty good..
Look
Big Eye IPA is deep gold to amber in colour, and pours with a tight off-white head. It leaves some lacing. A beautiful beer to photograph.
Smell
The typical aromas of American IPA are present – a little bit of caramel malt, and lots of piney, fruity hops. In this case, the pine is dominant. The hops smelled very fresh.
Taste
The taste is more complex than the aroma. It starts with the resinous, piney hops, supported by caramel/toffee and toasted malts. It leaves enough bitterness in the mouth for you to notice it, but isn’t one of those IPAs that you can still feel on your tongue hours later.
Feel
Big Eye is smoother, and creamier than the typical (American) IPA. It is medium bodied and moderately carbonated.
Drink
Tasting this beer reveals a lot more than the aroma gives away. I found it quite drinkable, and was surprised to see that it was 7% alcohol. Very drinkable for a substantial IPA – I would buy this again.