After a month of analyzing my own branded beer, I return to the world of craft brewing in an ongoing effort to experience, experiment, and enjoy different brews. This month, I decided that I was long overdue in reviewing a beer from one of my absolute favorite breweries, Ballast Point. It's one that I've long enjoyed and even got to visit this past September. In choosing just which beer to review, I went with their most well-known and awarded, Sculpin IPA.
Ballast Point is very clear and concise with how they brand their beers. Each one is nautical in theme, cleverly alluding to the specific beer style and taste profile they present while also tying in to the overall identity of a brewery focused on all things sea. This particular beer, Sculpin, sounds like a familiar fish; but to be honest, if it's not named Salmon, Bass, Catfish, or Shrimp, I really couldn't explain to someone how the beer and it's namesake are related. So, after a trip to my local Wikipedia, I discovered that a Sculpin is a brightly colored bottom feeding fish that has sharp spines rather than scales and large, sharp teeth that can inflict serious bites on people. Okay, I can jive with that in relation to this beer. Ballast Point's Sculpin is an IPA with a strong bite and sharp hoppy notes. It's color is a beautiful and clear orangish copper hue that alludes to the layered aromas of apricot, grapefruit, and lemon layered throughout. The taste is initially quite bitter and piney but quickly settles in with a sweeter aftertaste that doesn't linger or sticky up the palate. Simply put, the Sculpin is a crisp and tasty brew! I can see why it has won countless awards for the brewery. It's a perfectly balanced IPA in my opinion.
Before I sat down to drink my two 22oz bottles of Sculpin, I thought long and hard about even doing a proper review this week. I wasn't entirely in a mood to drink for one (quite rare, but possible), and secondly, I didn't know if I'd even make it to the second bottle before passing out on my own. You see, the night before I had stayed up late brewing my second batch of beer while sipping on a bottle of another Ballast Point brew (the seasonal and intense Sea Monster Imperial Stout) and foolishly followed that with a bottle of the rare (and disappointing) Faithful Ale from Dogfish Head Brewery. So, as you might surmise, I was a little hurt when I awoke that day and certainly quite worn out from so much beer the night before (making and drinking and reading about beer was becomming to be a bit much). Additionally, throughout the day, in an effort to cure my Sea Monster/Faithful hangover, I devoted myself to outdoor activities in the beautiful 70 degree weather we have almost year-round in Southern California. I manicured our lawn, walked our dogs, trimmed the hedges, played with the dogs, and weeded the yard. While my plan worked and I avoided any pitfalls of the dreaded hangover that I was sure I'd suffer, it had backfired somewhat in that my body was completely spent before I had drank a single drop of the beer I intended on enjoying all along. Yet, with help from a healthy and hefty Mexican dinner and the promise of an epic night of UFC fights, I mustered up the courage to crack open a bottle of Sculpin and enjoy my hard won sobriety. Whether it was the fatigue or mole burrito, I found that the buzz from the first bottle of Sculpin was very minimal. I took my time in drinking it, choosing to enjoy the developing tastes as it warmed in the glass; but found that the lack of any overpowering alcoholic presence allowed me to open bottle no. 2 about halfway through the night of fights. With a 7% abv, Sculpin measures in perfectly as far as I'm concerned in alcoholic content. It doesnt have the double IPA/imperial stout/barely wine punch that usually makes me balk at drinking more than one glass, nor does it have the minimal session beer levels that sometimes make me feel robbed when I'm looking for a nice mellow buzz. At 7%, and being so incredibly crisp and drinkable, it's the sort of beer that I wish I could have on hand at all times. It's no wonder that this is the most wanted beer from Ballast Point and the measuring stick of success for them. Between the awards and (presumed) sales, it's certainly a proud beer to stand behind.
As with the morning of my review, the morning after my review started out quite rough. Upon waking too early due to a restless dog, my head and body were completely broken. Fear that such a wonderful beer from a favorite brewery could find itself on a no-drink list filled me with dread as I popped some Advil and Pepcid to try and remedy these ailments. I couldn't possible have another Lagunitas on my hands, could I? Had I just avoided this pitfall with other Ballast Point brews before by temperng my consumption? Or was this pain specific to Sculpin itself? Whatever it was, I put it out of my mind, drank a large glass of water and went back to sleep for a few hours. When I awoke again, the body had healed somewhat, but the brain was still fractured. Optimistic, I took to the same remedy that had worked just 24 hours prior --- I went outdoors. Whereas the day before I consumed myself outside with activity, this time I opted to relax and enjoy fresh February air. A walk with Murdoch, our boxer, through the neighborhood was the most taxing thing I attempted throughout the day. And after a coffee and small bite to eat around noon, any remnants of a hangover disappeared. The brutality that other beers have punished me with in the past was not to be found from Ballast Point. Instead, a "normal" hangover, very likely a result of overindulgence two nights before combined with general weariness from work and chores, is all that I experienced. And the overall success of Sculpin was complete.
The Verdict:
Simply, briefly, Ballast Point's Sculpin is a beer that I will always buy a bottle of anytime I see it on the shelves of a store. Just one to have. Maybe two to share. But something I'd like to constantly have "in stock" anytime I feel the need for a supurb IPA.
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