Proving Ground IPA
Magnolia Pub & Brewery

Proving Ground IPAProving Ground IPA
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From:
Magnolia Pub & Brewery
 
California, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
7%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 10.08%
Reviews:
52
Ratings:
159
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 01, 2019
Added:
Jan 03, 2004
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  30
One of Magnolia's most-loved and asked-for beers, an over-the-top IPA we've been brewing since 1999. It's a hybrid, built around English Maris Otter malt and fermented with our English ale yeast but then packed with a powerful hop charge like an American IPA, including big dry hop character. American hops dominate but Maris Otter comes through with a malty counterpoint in a way not often found in this style of beer.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bbothen:
Photo of bbothen
Reviewed by bbothen from California

3.97/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the tap at the pub.

100 IBU's.

Light amber almost straw color with a nice big bubbly head.

Smells big of citrus hops along with a decent amount of breadt maltiness.

Tastes well balanced. Citrus & piney hops balanced by a nice malt sweetness. Finishes sweet.

Medium bodied with a lingering oily, resiny, hoppiness.

My favorite of the beers I tried at Magnolia.
Aug 17, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by BeerMeCJS from California

Mar 01, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Nov 02, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by AngEo from Texas

Oct 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Fremont897 from California

Sep 30, 2018
Photo of MeanMotaScootah
Reviewed by MeanMotaScootah from California

3.74/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a hazy gold straw color. Not much on the aroma front - smells like a standard IPA. Taste is clean with mild hops and malts. Big beer as far as ABV goes but no alcohol heat. It's labeled as a British hybrid - can't detect much of the standard butterscotch notes common to the British style so not sure how this lives up to its description. Not a bad beer - nothing ground breaking but definitely a nice IPA. Reminds me of an East Coast style.
Jul 04, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by Noelito76 from New York

Jul 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.41 by NixTL from Tennessee

Jun 10, 2018
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.65/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Have had this at the brewery in the Haight/Ashbury district as well at the Bistro's ipa festival. Old school orange is the color, here comes the maris otter! 3/5" white head. Aroma is dry hopped but its still older proprietary C hops I believe.

Taste was decent, plenty bitter and hoppy, that grapefruit and pine combo is a classic one. The maris otter and crystal malt is working overtime from a land before (beer shitlord) time. Malt almost has that earthy woody feel to it compared to a diet of hazy low ibu flaked malt beers. I dunno if bc they used an English yeast that they thought it should be lower carbonation? I dunno. Its not terribly low carbed like a cask, but it does seem to be lower than I would like it, especially in conjunction with the heavier malt usage for an ipa here.

I like it and its a good throwback overall.
May 30, 2018
Photo of summitsix
Reviewed by summitsix from California

4.46/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
12 oz can poured into tulip glass
Wayne’s Basement 03/29/18 is printed on the bottom of the can

L: Hazy golden orange, delicate white lacing spread across the top
S: Dank hoppy goodness
T: Wow, peach, mango, passion fruit, bright, very well balanced by the proper malt background
F: Very pleasant, easy to drink
O: This is a wonderful representation of a West Coast Syle IPA. It does everything it should (cheers!)
May 30, 2018
Photo of Act25
Reviewed by Act25 from New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Proud to be 49th review of this gold standard, since '99.
a) Hazed dark gold color indeed, sending up a 1 finger frothy, creamy head, that fractures onto shards of coverage and lace.
s) Too faint, but sharp speciality hops and malts that bring welcome cutter ship from San Fran to China kind of a brew, West meets English.
t) Ample following of the smell, if you like strongly bitter and malty, with lots of piney, cedary, woody notes, this is for you. Immaculate wood shop sharp, tight finish.
f) The finish makes this woody brew, with ample carbonation and mid-twisting weight.
o) Highly original, hugely flavorful, try 24.
May 03, 2018
 
Rated: 3.77 by Daniellobo from District of Columbia

May 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by redfox405 from Virginia

May 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.96 by gefinley from California

Apr 18, 2017
Photo of Jason
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

4.06/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz can, sample from the brewery.

A Hybrid of sorts but clearly leaning more American due to the hopping. Mildly hazed pale golden color, lacing stays around for a while. Aggressive hop nose of harsh citrus rind, dried grapefruit peel, hemp seeds, & tobacco. A whole lot of bitter here which I can really appreciate, no worries on wondering if this is an IPA. This is truly what West Coast IPAs are about IMO.
Mar 21, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by mpenske from California

Jan 15, 2017
Photo of dannydetox
Reviewed by dannydetox from Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
unfiltered orange-amber colored brew poured from a 12 oz sample bottle numbered batch #210. plenty of minute particles suspended in this beer. noseis faint - a little pink grapefruit, some toffee, something reminiscent of amaretto maybe, too. more grapefruit on the palate, and some nuttiness along with a dark breadiness-pumpernickel thing going on. carbonation is low, which detracts from the feel to me. the flavor was surprising at first, but grew on me as it warmed up ever so slightly. probably better off their taps. bitter finish let's you know this is an ipa, albeit with a more noticeable malt body.
Dec 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.57 by wlynch from California

Jun 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.88 by jack-ruby from California

Jun 07, 2016
Photo of bisonfort
Rated by bisonfort from Georgia

4.41/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Great hoppy high alcohol IPA. Had draft at cliff house
Jun 05, 2016
Proving Ground IPA from Magnolia Pub & Brewery
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 159 ratings