Prodigal Sun IPA (Brewmaster Reserve)
Full Sail Brewing Company

Prodigal Sun IPA (Brewmaster Reserve)Prodigal Sun IPA (Brewmaster Reserve)
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From:
Full Sail Brewing Company
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.63 | pDev: 12.4%
Reviews:
55
Ratings:
61
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 14, 2020
Added:
Jun 20, 2008
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Hojaminbag:
Photo of Hojaminbag
Reviewed by Hojaminbag from Colorado

3.41/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Another one of the dozen or so beer I got from Wasatch in our recent trade. Yet another thanks to you, John.

A light copper body with a moderate amount of carbonation movement in it. About one and a half finger of tan head that disappates quickly, leaving some lacing behind.

The nose has some floral hop prescence, but is dominate by sweet, caramel malts.

The taste hoppier than the smell for sure, but still not as hoppy as I would like. Up front comes a little bit of bitter grapefruit flavors, but it is overcome by caramel and even slightly chocolatey malt flavors. The finish is nicer: rather bitter, citrusy, hoppy. Even tasting of lemon.

Body is light with a moderate amount of carbonation. Slightly oily on the finish.

Ok drinkability. A decent beer overall.
Jan 09, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.43 by DOCRW from Kentucky

May 14, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by t0rin0 from California

Nov 19, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by beerpadawan from California

Aug 26, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by shelby415 from Oregon

Feb 25, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by buckyp from South Carolina

Jan 01, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by twelveinches from Washington

Nov 20, 2011
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

3.33/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Heady, a little lacing, dense amber-yellow, slightly cloudy. Strong and long lasting carbonation.

Smells sour and citrusy and damp.

Taste is sour, then citrus, then hoppy bitterness completely overtakes the aftertaste. Very little sweetness if any at all.

Mouthfeel is decent, probably due to the strong carbonation. Feels light on the tongue and not filmy or sticky.

Pretty drinkable. I'd say this is a fairly run-of-the-mill IPA.
Jun 06, 2009
Photo of Mebuzzard
Reviewed by Mebuzzard from Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
An off orange, lightly murky pour topped with a head that was somewhat dense and about 2 fingers. Good lacing throughout and a some light swirling recalled the original head.

Citrus dominates this beer. A bit sweet, not sure if that's from the malt of from the citrus and peel. Not a balanced IPA, but it isn't a bad brew. A bit syrupy at the end, and a nice bite. Could use more balance, or just go balls to the wall with the hops. It's a bit indecisive.
Mar 31, 2009
Photo of BretSikkink
Reviewed by BretSikkink from Mexico

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Orange color with lighter golden highlighting. White head also has a golden tint. Spotty, stratified lacing.

The nose is very citric; almost smells like fermented orange juice. Probably Cascade hops here, just a lot of citrics going on. Pale malts are doing very little work.

The flavor is so bright and citric, it could be in a Sunny D commercial. Very hoppy and full of zest, from orange and lemon to grapefruit. The malts are very much in the background; got some pale malts, maybe a little caramel sweetness. Very late there's a touch of honey.

Mouthfeel is just right, avoiding being overly thinned by the hops, but also bringing plenty of alpha acid. Good bubbling. I love the how the brewers have let the hops shine, even using malts that seem to complement the sprightliness of the citrics.
Mar 31, 2009
Photo of srandycarter
Reviewed by srandycarter from California

3.32/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A - Pours a beautiful murky honey with a clumply, clingly, lacy head. Starts about 2", reduced to wonderful clumpy rocky 1" base.

S - Pretty subtle. Citrus, some sweet malt, some yeasty aroma.

T - Small malty bready center of flavor, bludgeoned by bitterness in the final thought. Seems a little out of balance for me.

M - Medium body, fair coating, lots of carb.

D - The lingering bitter would get to me pretty fast.
Feb 13, 2009
Photo of Imstillthegman
Reviewed by Imstillthegman from Delaware

3.81/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Received this one from Mhewes as part of my Secret Santa package. Thanks!

Pours a nice coppery-amber color with a BIG light tan head. Tons of lacing clings to the glass. This is what I expect from an IPA/DIPA.

The aroma is of citrus hops, a little bit of pine resin, and a substantial dose of bready caramel malts. The hops offer an initial smack but it's quickly soothed by the sweetness.

The taste follows the same lines. Nicely bitter grapefruit and herbal hops balanced out by the sweet, doughy, caramel malts in the middle. The finish is more of the biting hops. Some sips are sweeter than others...I can't figure that one out.

Solid medium body with good, crisp carbonation. Aftertaste is fairly smooth...not too bitter or dry. This is a pretty good example of an IPA. Another satisfying brew from Full Sail.
Jan 13, 2009
Photo of Gueuzedude
Reviewed by Gueuzedude from Arizona

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A solid pour into my 25cl tulip glass produces an almost four-finger thick, light tan colored head. The head has quite a bit of structure to it as it leaves ample lacing and forms all sorts of interesting structures as it slowly recedes. The beer is a nice amber hue that shows a mostly clear, bright copper color when held up to the light. The aroma has a nice resinous hop character to it with some citrus fruit and a touch of malt character thrown in for good measure. Aromas of pine, a hint of hemp and peppery tobacco are tempered a bit by notes of Meyer lemon, grapefruit zest and some watered down orange juice notes. The malt adds a hint of cracker-like malt to the finish that is more noticeable as you really dig for it, but never supersedes the hop character.

A biting, dry bitterness up front yields to a touch of sweet malt and a citrus hop character, but then moves back to a solid bitterness and a dry finish. Herbal, pine accented hops dominate the flavor profile along with the bitterness with notes of tobacco, hemp oil, a touch of garlic chive, menthol and pine tar. Notes of grapefruit and tangelo peel are noticeable in the middle, but at times can be completely drowned out by the more herbaceous hop notes. This has a nice, light, drinkable body to it for an IPA. There is just enough malt to not let the hops become completely overwhelming, but it could probably use a touch more malt to balance the aggressive hop character just a smidgeon..

With its herbaceous hop focus this is definitely an aggressively hopped IPA. It is fun if you like to be slapped around by hops, which I admit can be fun at times.

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ
Dec 19, 2008
Photo of Spikester
Reviewed by Spikester from Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Prodigal Sun IPA from a 22 ounce bottle.
Copper amber with generous light tan head and plenty of lacings. Aroma is piney, resinous. Taste is big citrus hops with a strong grapefruit note. It reminded me of the old white grapefuit juice we used to have before the more pleasant ruby-red was
available. The sweet malts are well represented and are sensed mostly toward the front of the tongue. A good crispness on the palate marks this as a classic West Coast IPA.
Overall a very bold and tasty IPA.
The drinkability is pretty good due to the 6.2% abv.
Dec 11, 2008
Photo of magictrokini
Reviewed by magictrokini from California

3.3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I'm not really one for the English IPA. Pours clear copper with a short white head. Metallic, peppery hop aroma with earthy, caramel malt. Taste is astringent, like an over-hopped ESB. Bready and metallic with the dry-hopping. It seems like Full Sail has a hard time committing on a style of IPA.
Dec 08, 2008
Photo of maximum12
Reviewed by maximum12 from Minnesota

3.69/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Found this 22 oz. bottle of Prodigal Sun displayed in full glory at a local bottle shop under a $1.99 sign. Against my better judgement, I picked up a bottle. I've wasted two dollars in worse ways (I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!).

I am happy to report that his IPA is not repulsive. Nor is it dark & malty. It is neither Dark Lord, nor Dark ness, but rather something light, with a pleasing scent like a just-recalled shower, & a taste of fairly clean hops with only a touch of musty age creeping into the palatialness. Even with some time on it, this summer brew is eminently quaffable & doubtless worthy of its IPA label.

Easy to drink, easy to slug, & even after following a couple of hard-to-follow draughts of Black Butte XX & Surlyfest, this beer doesn't disappoint. Not top notch, but drinkable, smooth, light, & wholesome. Good beer.
Nov 27, 2008
Photo of joe1510
Reviewed by joe1510 from Illinois

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz Bomber

I have to thank russpowell for this IPA, thanks again Russ! Full Sail's Brewmaster Reserve Prodigal Sun fills my pint glass with the deep orange of a setting sun. A fingers + worth of bone white fizzy head formed on a slow pour and quickly fell to a thin skimming and small collar. Small patchy lacing is left here and there. There is a mild haziness and barely any noticeable carbonation through the body.

The smell of this IPA is very unique and at first I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. It is growing on me though. Lightly toasty grain and biscuity malts lay down behind a big herbal hoppiness accompanied by a touch of citrus. The citric qualities are orange and grapefruit but both are in moderation. Something or other left behind a slight butteriness that actually adds complexity to the brew.

The flavor follows the aroma stride for stride. The toasted grains and biscuity malts create a solid foundation while staying in the background where they should. That buttery quality is back and very faint in the back. The herbal hoppiness jumps in mid-palate and never let's go, leading all the way through the finish. There's a solid bitterness that continues to grow throughout the drink.

The body on this IPA is medium and surprisingly soft on the tongue. The carbonation is mellow which allows this beer to work through at its own pace. The bitterness grows and grows.

Now that my glass is almost empty I find myself wishing I had some more. The flavors are unique but this beer goes down very easy.

I wasn't sure if I liked this IPA or not at first but the more I drank the more I appreciated it. Very interesting hop aromatics and flavors explode on every drink. Thanks for the IPA Russ!
Oct 10, 2008
Photo of jwc215
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

4.55/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Thanks to Wasatch for including this 22 oz. bottle in a trade!

Pours orange amber with tight-bubbled carbonation forming a foamy white head that stays and leaves lacing.

The smell is of citrus - tangerine, orange, and grapefruit with some pine. A very nice hop aroma.

The taste is of citrus - tangerine, orange, grapefruit - with some pine. Rounding caramel becomes sweeter and more obvious as it progresses. Bitterness remains in front throughout. Alcohol is very well-covered.

It is creamy, slightly buttery, in a smooth medium body.

This is a very drinkable, refreshing IPA! Thanks again, John!
Oct 08, 2008
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Reviewed by cswhitehorse from California

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The Prodigal Sun poured a hazy , cloudy burnt dark orange color with a 2 finger foam head and some sweet lacing. The head retained for a good bit of time.

The aroma seemed to be a lovely assortment of hops with a NW Cascade coming to the forefront. The sweet malts emanated as the brew warmed. It had a strong malt profile with an equally aggressive hop presence. In the mouth it was stingingly good and overall I thought it to an excellent brew which I imbibed multiple times.
Sep 30, 2008
Photo of ClavisAurea
Reviewed by ClavisAurea from New York

3.13/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2
22oz bottle served in a tulip glass.

Appearance: dark honey with a hull head

Smell: hops and flowers

Taste: bit me in the ass, flowers, complex hops

Way too hoppy for my taste. I respect IPAs but this one was a little on the hoppy side and didn't focus on the other aspects of good brewing.
Sep 28, 2008
Prodigal Sun IPA (Brewmaster Reserve) from Full Sail Brewing Company
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 61 ratings