Big Barrel Double IPA
Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Big Barrel Double IPABig Barrel Double IPA
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From:
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
Ranked #1,511
ABV:
9%
Score:
90
Ranked #8,882
Avg:
4.04 | pDev: 10.15%
Reviews:
99
Ratings:
281
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 11, 2023
Added:
Nov 15, 2009
Wants:
  48
Gots:
  55
No description / notes.
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Ratings by augustgarage:
Photo of augustgarage
Reviewed by augustgarage from California

4.24/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Karl Strauss is rather easy to overlook in the San Diego beer scene - there are just so many great brewers at work in the area. I enjoy their sessionable ales once in a while, but here we have an attempt to make a BIG beer on par with some of the offerings from their more renown neighbors.

Poured from a 22oz bomber into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Deep tangerine colored body toppd by a thick, lasting, soapy beige foam finger. Ropy lacing and faint glassy legs.

Nelson hops are readily apparent in the nose, adding a candy/berry like fruit note with a hint of guava and grapefruit as well (from the Ahtanum I suppose). Malts are present with a vague sweet/spicy/smokey element too.

Big citrus (grapefruit) flavors up front with a pungent pine-like element, but smoother than most C-hops. Hay-bale like backbone, sweet and grassy, but rather bitter, probably from a mixture of malt and (Warrior) hops. Smooth, almost cocoa or even oat-like finish once the bitterness finally recedes, though the fruit persists as well.

Medium-bodied, well carbonated, and very lightly astringent - alcohol is well disguised/integrated.

Unique, subtle, and very tasty - I'll be picking up the rest of this series of "big" beers over time.
Jul 15, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by mpenske from California

Feb 11, 2023
 
Rated: 3 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 16, 2020
 
Rated: 3.71 by EdFed from Illinois

Nov 16, 2018
 
Rated: 4.36 by riderwbd from Vermont

Sep 04, 2018
 
Rated: 4.23 by RBuckley73 from Nevada

Jun 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4.09 by Red5StandingBy from Maryland

May 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.96 by CScott12 from Michigan

Apr 29, 2018
 
Rated: 4.17 by Corburk from Pennsylvania

Apr 29, 2018
 
Rated: 4.21 by FrankCastle from California

Aug 30, 2017
Photo of TheRougeBastard
Reviewed by TheRougeBastard from North Carolina

4.24/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
True west-coast D/IIPA! i love my annual pilgrimage to So. Cal for this very reason! Big Barrel is an excellent example and even at 9.0%abv (hidden well too btw), this is an extremely drinkable beverage!
Jul 03, 2017
Photo of whatthehull
Reviewed by whatthehull from California

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a hybrid glass from a 22 oz bottle

A - bright orange copper, one finger white fluffy head and some nice lacing

S - the huge roasted and sweet malts abound up front, dank/citrus and floral hops, very sweet, huge yeast, a bit of funk, lots of earthiness, nice boozy note, light scent of fresh cut grass

T - tons of sugar, nice alcohol, floral citrus rinds, citrus fruit, pine, sweet and toasted malts/grains, nice Mary Jane notes, very bright bitter hops, baking yeast,

M - medium plus body, well balanced, nice complexity, medium plus acidity, medium plus carbonation and a huge hop malt bomb

D/O - this is a hell of an DIPA and how. Up front it has huge hop and if not at the same time surely after you have tons of sweet and toasted malts and it melds so well. I have never been a huge fan of KS brewing, but this ale is awesome. A lot of TLC makes this one special. This all year around and all weather ale is really well conceived and done.

Final thoughts - this ale is only $6-7 and a huge 9% ABV that makes one great or even better to share. Get this one on tap if you can!
May 30, 2017
Photo of ZJSimon
Rated by ZJSimon from California

4.61/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
A bit of an aftertaste, but a joy for any IPA lover.
Apr 09, 2017
 
Rated: 4.09 by Curt3 from Ohio

Mar 28, 2017
 
Rated: 3.25 by Hayley_86 from Netherlands

Mar 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.79 by Gagnonsux from Texas

Mar 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.09 by wisegreensoul from Idaho

Jan 20, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by mrcraft from California

Dec 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.16 by JCarson410 from Maryland

Nov 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.38 by CJNAPS from California

Oct 22, 2016
Big Barrel Double IPA from Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 281 ratings