-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Tower 10 IPA
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
- From:
- Karl Strauss Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
Ranked #3,268 - ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #24,375 - Avg:
- 3.65 | pDev: 12.6%
- Reviews:
- 129
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 23, 2023
- Added:
- Mar 15, 2009
- Wants:
- 14
- Gots:
- 132
Tower 10 IPA boasts hops from beginning to end, and everywhere in between. We fill the brew kettle to the brim with assertive Chinook hops, giving the beer its intense grapefruit and pine flavors that linger through its dry finish. After fermentation, we dry hop with a blend of Cascade and Centennial hops for a floral citrus aroma. A touch of lightly kilned caramel malts make Tower 10 a well balanced, full flavored IPA.
Mission Beach, the late 1980s. Amid a sea of neon bikinis, Tower 10 marked the spot where two college grads and a 75 year-old master brewer drew up plans for the first local craft brewery in San Diego since Prohibition. Named in honor of our first good idea, Tower 10 IPA is brewed to inspire the next one.
Mission Beach, the late 1980s. Amid a sea of neon bikinis, Tower 10 marked the spot where two college grads and a 75 year-old master brewer drew up plans for the first local craft brewery in San Diego since Prohibition. Named in honor of our first good idea, Tower 10 IPA is brewed to inspire the next one.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by lacqueredmouse:
Reviewed by lacqueredmouse from Australia
3.75/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.75/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
330ml brown bottle purchased with two other Karl Strauss beers from Dan Murphy's in Alexandria.
Pours a pleasant light golden colour with a firm and persistent, almost creamy head of vanilla white. Lacing is specked intricately and all about the place. Body is relatively, light, but holds a very nice fine carbonation. Overall, it looks good.
Nose is brash, sharp and direct from the outset: big clean lemon-citrus hops with a leafy undertone to give some breadth. Some sweet sherbet characters give some juicy tones, while there's a slightly flat malt tone that seems to be there only because it was forced to come along by its parents. But no matter, the hops are the life of this beer and they're lively and exciting.
The taste, however, reins in a lot of these big exciting hop characters. Mild entry with a slight peppery bite, before some fleshy malt provides a structure that nothing really seems to want to fill. Wavering to fleeting hop bitterness has a somewhat English flavour to it: some earthy, herbal notes and a tannic flavour. Finish is quite empty and a little flat. It's fine, but it needs more oomph, especially after the nose was so pungent.
Feel is smooth, but is hampered by the lack of really exciting flavour. It doesn't really have anything to do here.
But, overall, this is actually good stuff. If nothing else, I can just breath in the heady aromas. And if the palate is a little flat: well, that just may just make it more approachable, and something I'd be happy to drink more often.
Apr 21, 2013Pours a pleasant light golden colour with a firm and persistent, almost creamy head of vanilla white. Lacing is specked intricately and all about the place. Body is relatively, light, but holds a very nice fine carbonation. Overall, it looks good.
Nose is brash, sharp and direct from the outset: big clean lemon-citrus hops with a leafy undertone to give some breadth. Some sweet sherbet characters give some juicy tones, while there's a slightly flat malt tone that seems to be there only because it was forced to come along by its parents. But no matter, the hops are the life of this beer and they're lively and exciting.
The taste, however, reins in a lot of these big exciting hop characters. Mild entry with a slight peppery bite, before some fleshy malt provides a structure that nothing really seems to want to fill. Wavering to fleeting hop bitterness has a somewhat English flavour to it: some earthy, herbal notes and a tannic flavour. Finish is quite empty and a little flat. It's fine, but it needs more oomph, especially after the nose was so pungent.
Feel is smooth, but is hampered by the lack of really exciting flavour. It doesn't really have anything to do here.
But, overall, this is actually good stuff. If nothing else, I can just breath in the heady aromas. And if the palate is a little flat: well, that just may just make it more approachable, and something I'd be happy to drink more often.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut
3.77/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a slightly hazy straw yellow with a finger and a half of foamy head that settles to a thick cap with strata of lacing. Aroma is pineapple and pine. Taste follows nose.
Apr 23, 2023Reviewed by timon from California
4.02/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I like the look of this one a lot. Lots of lacing and a hazy golden color. Smell is of melon and grapefruit and the taste follows, with the addition of some lemon rind flavor in there. Very well balanced between hops and malt. Drinkable for 99% of the population at 7% with minimal bitterness.
Feb 07, 2020Reviewed by mpavilion from California
3.86/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
3.86/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Dry, citrus-piney bite upfront, with a rich, malty finish. Creamy mouthfeel is a standout. Aftertaste a tad sweet, but it goes down easy and I could drink several with pleasure!
Aug 11, 2019Reviewed by Beers-es from Virginia
4/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap in the OC airport, pours a clear light gold. Webby lacing. Grapefruit and pine in the smell and flavor. Good classic West Coast IPA. Glad to find it here.
Jul 10, 2019Rated by Hecklermtbr from California
2.36/5 rDev -35.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.25
2.36/5 rDev -35.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.25
Surprisingly weak ipa from Karl Strauss. It’s just ok.
Apr 22, 2019
Tower 10 IPA from Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
465 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!