Best Coast IPA
Drake's Brewing Co.

Best Coast IPABest Coast IPA
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From:
Drake's Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #2,144
ABV:
7%
Score:
87
Ranked #16,982
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 10.08%
Reviews:
238
Ratings:
600
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 19, 2023
Added:
Jun 09, 2003
Wants:
  23
Gots:
  91
Formerly known as Drake's IPA

Drake's flagship beer! A "West Coast" interpretation of an India Pale Ale. Copper-colored from additions of light Crystal malt, and body-building Caramalt, carry the malt weight of this hop bomb. The hoppy aromas of pine and grapefruit are delivered from the abundant Columbus and Cascade hops.

64 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mikesgroove:
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Another new one I was sent as an extra recently. I have had a number of their regular lineup but this one was new to me. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this was consumed on 11/04/2009.
 
The pour was solid, nice dark amber in color with a rich head of white creeping up and over the top quite nicely. As it settled in some good lacing formed on the sides and the bottom of the glass. Aroma of light citrus, orange mostly with a nice touch of fresh grapefruit like notes to it. Nice mixture up front I have to admit. As it warmed some buttery notes start to come out and the caramel malts really start to show off. Nice medium feel was almost chewy at times. Rich notes of hops are offset well by the caramel and biscuit like flavors mid palate. Nice balance here and nothing is really dominating over one an other, really comes across as a solid pale ale for me. No hint of abv and a nice dry finish led this one to be very drinkable and really just completely solid all around.
 
Overall I would gladly have another and really think they have done some nice things here with this one.
Nov 05, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.25 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Nov 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by heerboth from Pennsylvania

Aug 16, 2023
Photo of mpyle
Reviewed by mpyle from Maryland

4.23/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Deep golden color, fairly clear. Pours white head, creamy and lingering

Rich maltiness and some piney hop notes, and a bit of stone fruit. Lovely hop aroma.

Flavor matches the aroma, with nice malt and pine heavy hop flavors. Transitions to a fairly assertive (by modern standards) hop bitterness.

Medium body and carbonation. No astringency or warming, but the hops do linger on the tongue.

Nice take on an old school west coast IPA. Hits the classic flavor profile with a bright hop character.
Dec 21, 2022
Photo of ivanbrew
Reviewed by ivanbrew

5/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
From my home town definitely a nice west coast IPA East bays awesome brewery and with some historic events when I home brewed back in the Area does beers definitely taste like a homebrew
Jul 15, 2022
Photo of ShamroX
Reviewed by ShamroX from Utah

3.66/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Seriously nostalgic taste! Reminds me of caramely IPA’s of the early 2000’s. It’s a bit too sweet for current WCIPA’s, but still enjoyable. Probably wouldn’t be a go-to 6 pack for me, but I’ll definitely mix it in every once in a while to remember those amazing days of beer nerddom!!
Jun 05, 2022
 
Rated: 3.74 by Tiernan from Texas

May 10, 2022
 
Rated: 4.4 by Beecham from California

Apr 08, 2022
Photo of Millertime2000
Reviewed by Millertime2000

2.53/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
This beer finally made me sign up for beer advocate for all the wrong reasons...
What is it with these bottled beers that have this metallic cardboard stomach churning make me pour out the rest of the bottle kind of finish ?
Do all their beers have this problem. That would be a shame. But ... quite likely. Is it the equipment? Cant imagine its a conscious decision.
Blech !!! ...
Go back to the drawing board Drake!
P.S. This would have been the best beer in 2002.
Mar 11, 2022
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.87/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a can into a pint glass
Appearance – The beer pours a lightly hazed golden amber color with a one finger head of white foam. The head fades rather fast leaving a great sum of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is strong of a herbal and pine hop smell mixed with a bready malt aroma and a little bit of grapefruit. Some light caramel and yeast are there as well, diving a slightly more dank smell overall.
Taste – The taste begins with a bready malt base mixed with a little bit of caramel sweetness and a whole lot of hop of a herbal and pine nature. As the taste advances the caramel fades, all while some earthy hops and a little bit of a grapefruit hop arrive on the scene. The herbal and pine get slightly stronger and some almost “dirt” like flavors develop as well. Toward the end some light grain comes to the tongue as well, leaving one with a nice, somewhat dank, but very drinkable taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is medium in thickness and creaminess with a carbonation level that is average. Overall, the feel is good for the flavors and the abv. making it approachable and easy drinking
Overall – A quite nice and flavorful IPA. One that I will certainly come back to again.
Feb 23, 2022
Photo of ilikebeer03
Reviewed by ilikebeer03 from Texas

3.71/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pour lightly copper with a lasting off white head. good lacing.
Nose is lightly malty, citrus rind, pine
Taste follows. Pine, pineapple, citrus rind, orange rind supported by a caramel-y malt backbone. Enjoyable West Coast IPA.
clean and crisp. good beer.
Jan 18, 2022
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A: The beer is slightly hazy yellow in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high white head that quickly settled down, leaving a thin collar and streaks of bubbles clinging to the sides of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of pine resin hops are present in the nose along with notes of grapefruit and hints of caramel malts.
T: The taste is nearly a mirror image to the smell except that hops also lend a moderate to strong amount of accompanying bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and very crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This West Coast IPA is a nice selection if you are looking for something classic and very bitter.

Serving type: bottle
Dec 28, 2021
 
Rated: 3.79 by heymikew from California

Nov 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.84 by Gagnonsux from Texas

Sep 30, 2021
Photo of vette2006c5r
Reviewed by vette2006c5r from Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Best Coast IPA pours a hazyish orangish, bronze color, with a large, long lasting, lacing head. Big earth aroma. Flavor is big earth, some dirt, bitter, bit floral, earthy hop notes. Good body and feel. Overall, very earthy, too earthy, with some big strong flavors.
Sep 25, 2021
 
Rated: 3.81 by Casey_L from Texas

Aug 02, 2021
 
Rated: 3.92 by Boone757 from Virginia

Jun 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.87 by Hefsbeercaps from Ohio

Dec 19, 2020
 
Rated: 3.64 by JamieDuncan from Maryland

Dec 02, 2020
Photo of BB1313
Reviewed by BB1313 from Ohio

3.32/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Canned on 11/9/20. 12oz can poured into a tulip. Pours golden with solid clarity; off-white head that fades leaving really nice retention and nice lacing. The aromas have a subtle blend of tropical, citrus and floral. Some crackers and fresh bread. Malts are there. The flavors basically follow the nose. Some grapefruit, lemon and orange coming through. Lots of fresh grass. Hints of pine in the mix. More crackers and bread. Solid bitterness. Malts do their thing. Finishes dry. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with moderate to active carbonation. It's sharp, fluffy, creamy, smooth and easy to drink.

This is an alright IPA. It's honestly nothing too crazy. I definitely appreciate old school, traditional and timeless examples of the style, but this isn't the best one, in my opinion. It's not bad or anything like that, I just don't love it.
Nov 23, 2020
Best Coast IPA from Drake's Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 600 ratings