Ballast Point 'Victory at Sea' High West Barrel-Aged Imperial Porter 2017. 12% abv. 35 IBU. Black in color, dense. Finger of foamy, mocha head. Outstanding retention and superb lacing. Even after ten minutes, there is still a thick surface. Nose of vanilla, bourbon, raisins, dark chocolate. Coffee aroma comes through as the temp changes.

Front taste is bourbon, bittersweet chocolate, walnut. Plum taste and wood expression stands tall in time. Aftertaste is ground coffee, rich chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, mild herbal hops, sweet forward with a dry finish. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, boozy, thick, clingy, carby, astringent on the back end.

This is an extraordinary beer, a big BBA that is an exemplary example of its category. The flavor profile is complex, with huge swaths of chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and bourbon, supported throughout by high notes of dark fruit, oak, sweet pastry, and herbal hops. Readers of this blog know that I am a huge fan of BBA brews, and this is a solid, steadfast example of the brilliance that can come from a barrel. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Imperial porter with coffee and vanilla flavors aged in High West bourbon and rye barrels... We partnered with our friends at High West® Distillery to create a barrel-aged version of  Ballast Point Victory at Sea, our award-winning Imperial Porter with cold-steeped coffee and vanilla. From a blend of Ballast Point Victory at Sea aged in High West’s own bourbon & rye whiskey oak casks, new layers of complexity emerge with notes of soft caramel and smoky oak over a dark chocolate and roasted almond body. High West crafts delicious and distinctive whiskeys to honor the American West, making it the perfect pairing with our signature San Diego-born porter."
[source: ballastpoint.com]

Ballast Point 'Mocha Marlin' Porter. 6% abv. 42 IBU. Black in color with two fingers of thick foamy tan head. Outstanding retention and superb lace. Nose of ground coffee, vanilla, cocoa powder, herbal notes. 

Front taste is roasted malt, bittersweet dark chocolate, black coffee, bitter dark fruit on the back end. Aftertaste is bitter cocoa, vanilla, herbal hops, black coffee underneath, dry finish. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is thick, creamy, carby, clingy, resin.

This is an excellent chocolate porter. The chocolate tastes fresh-shaved off a high-cacao dark chocolate brick, complemented well by a strong black coffee expression. Contrary to what the label says, I would describe it as a chocolate porter with coffee rather than a coffee porter with chocolate. 

The dark cocoa flavors are dominant throughout, with the black coffee taste faintly underneath, emerging fully only in the aftertaste. A ribbon of vanilla underlines the entire beer from nose to finish, with herbal hops merging as the temperature rises. An excellent chocolate beer that is supported by coffee. I suspect the coffee bean count is not as high as most would expect, including the brewers, but it's a fine brew regardless. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Coffee and chocolate come together in this brew. Our Black Marlin Porter is the perfect beer for a mocha mashup. The addition of coffee and cocoa plays perfectly off the roasty, chocolaty flavors of this English porter, while a hint of vanilla smooths it all out. It’s full-bodied, but not too sweet; try it for breakfast…or dessert."
[source: ballastpoint.com]

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Golden Road Brewing 'Point The Way' IPA. 5.9% abv. 60 IBU. Golden honey color. Nearly two inches of white bubbly head. Good retention, nice lacing. Nose of fruity hops, pineapple, bread. Notes of banana and faint corn emerge as the temp drops. Front taste of pine, grapefruit juice, biscuit, bitter floral hops. Aftertaste of light fruit, sweet light malt, citrus peel on the sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, tangy, somewhat thick, dry on the back.

This is a nice IPA, definitely of the WestCoast style, with bursts of fruity and floral hops, a light malt profile, and sweet citrus flavors throughout. Hop bitter is balanced well, as is the body, making a highly drinkable, almost sessionable brew. Slightly better than average for its category, if only because it's not a typical runaway hop train. I quite enjoyed this brew. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Point the Way IPA is our ode to the hop-crazed patrons of Los Angeles.  Its light malt body elevates the citrus zest, tropical and pine notes contributed by a generous hop dosing.  At 5.9%, this sessionable West-Coast IPA finishes dry for optimal repeatability."

[source: goldenroad.la]

Ballast Point 'Piper Down' Scottish Ale. 5.8% abv. 22 IBU. Ruby red color. Two fingers of creamy off-white head. superb retention and lacing. Nose of caramel, light fruit, faint orange. Front taste of roasted malt, caramel, sweet citrus, faint fruity hop bitter on the back end. Aftertaste of fruity hops, candi sugar, bittersweet orange rind. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, resiny, round.

This is a good Scottish ale. The malty flavor is accented well by notes of fruit and subdued hop bitter. However, the body is a bit thin for my taste for a Scotch/Scottish brew, and the aftertaste too sweet for such a light brew. Contrary to the marketing, the promised complexity is simply not there. What is there is an easy drinking Scottish ale, a malty lawnmower beer. It's not a great beer, but it is a good one. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"A Scottish ale with San Diego spirit. Our Piper Down Scottish Ale hits all the right notes for the Ballast Point Bagpipe Corps that inspired it. We created this very low hopped, malty ale for the band to enjoy using UK Maris Otter malt, roasted barley, UK hops and low fermentation temperatures. Then we let the brew’s sweet complexity build over a three-hour boil. Full of roasted caramel flavor, it’s a pub classic with Ballast Point personality."
[source: ballastpoint.com]

Ballast Point 'Grapefruit Sculpin' IPA. 7% abv. 70 IBU. Golden color with finger of white head. Excellent retention and outstanding lacing. Nose of sweet light fruit, bright citrus, sweet biscuit. Front taste of grapefruit rind, white bread, ample floral hops. Aftertaste of floral-bitter hops, light toffee, strong grapefruit rind on the sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is hot, tangy, sticky, some carb.

This is an exceptional IPA. The citrus flavor is foremost without being too tart, while the hop bill is strong and bitter but held in check by the fruity sweetness, almost like fruit candy. A wonderful brew. If you like tart or sour beers, and if you like hoppy beers, this one is a perfect balance of the two tastes. Highly recommended.

NOTE: Special thanks to Dave Renteria of the Central Valley Craft Beer Drinkers for the lead photo. (I had mine on tap at Peeve's Public House.)

From the brewery:

"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."

[source: ballastpoint.com]

I enjoyed this Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin on tap at Peeve's Public House.

Sierra Nevada 'Beer Camp 2015' Hoppy Lager. 7% abv. 55 IBU. Orange-honey color. Thick bubbly white head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of citrus, bread, light malt. Front taste of ample bright hops, light malt, slightly sweet. Aftertaste of bitter floral hops, fresh herbal, smooth back end. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, carby, hop bite.

This is an excellent beer, with its fresh hoppy profile and light fruit notes. The hop bitter taste pops, yet is smooth, easy drinking, on through the aftertaste sustain. Grab one of these limited-release brews while you can. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"This hop-heavy beer combines intense citrus and floral hop flavors with the clean, classic malt body of a hearty blonde lager for a crisp but aggressive take on the India Style Pale Lager... Last summer we teamed up with San Diego's Ballast Point for a hop-head twist on a crisp lager. We remixed this encore which is loaded with whole-cone hops in the brew kettle and in our Hop Torpedo to deliver a bold aroma backed by smooth malt flavor... Beer Camp is the ultimate brewing experience. We bring beer fans into our brewery nearly every week to create their own beer with us—the more daring the better—and each spring we’ll highlight one of the small-batch standouts. Last year, Beer Camp worked overtime. Along with our fan brews, we made 12 additional beers with 12 exceptional breweries. Choosing one for an encore wasn’t easy. Ever drawn to hops, we decided to reimagine our hoppy lager collaboration with Ballast Point."

[source: sierranevada.com]

Ballast Point Big Eye IPA. 7% abv. 70 IBU. Copper color. Thick head with excellent retention and lacing, even in a sampling glass. Nose of caramel. Malty taste with bright spots of hops. Aftertaste is rich, malty, hoppy, and sustaining. Best brew of the night. Unusually malty for an IPA, but I'm okay with that. Wonderful brew.

From the brewery:

"The beer that helped put San Diego IPA’s on the map. Our Big Eye IPA is a big hoppy brew, thanks to the abundance of American Columbus and Centennial varieties we use to flavor and dry hop. While the English originally added extra hops to preserve their beers for sea travel, we do it for the love of all that bold, intense flavor that makes India Pale Ale one of our favorite styles."