Sculpin
Ballast Point Brewing Company

SculpinSculpin
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From:
Ballast Point Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #11
ABV:
7%
Score:
97
Ranked #583
Avg:
4.38 | pDev: 9.82%
Reviews:
2,629
Ratings:
14,658
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 09, 2024
Added:
Apr 02, 2006
Wants:
  1,596
Gots:
  6,200
Originally named Northstar IPA. Debuted in 2005.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by MattSweatshirt:
Photo of MattSweatshirt
Reviewed by MattSweatshirt from Texas

4.3/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12oz bottle enjoy by 11/30/12 poured into a tulip.

The beer comes out a golden copper colored body that is slightly see-through. Not much of a white head lays atop a glowing brew. Good head retention and lacing.

The nose on this is just a big ol punch of sweet fruits. There is orange, grapefruit, tangerine, peach, and pineapple.

A more pronounced grapefruit in the taste. There is a punch of bitterness that mellows quickly into a nice soft lingering bitterness. There is also enough sweetness to hold up to the bitterness. More of the other fruit like orange comes out a little underneath the grapefruit.

Medium bodied and just the right amount of carbonation. It drinks fairly smooth.

I’ve had this before and thought eh, but this fairly fresh(from what I can tell) bottle is amazing and totally worth the price point.
Sep 01, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.18 by Miles_Nilges from New York

Mar 09, 2024
 
Rated: 4.46 by moysauce from Illinois

Mar 06, 2024
Photo of whitro17
Reviewed by whitro17 from Florida

4.34/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look - clear golden with a bubbly white head
Smell - piney, citrusy, lemon rind, grapefruit
Taste - piney, lemon rind, mango, grapefruit, apricot
Feel - med body, moderate carbo, bitterness on the finish
Overall - At 7% and 70 IBU's this is a hoppy bouquet of tropical fruity flavors with a firm bitterness. A Championship brew that has won many awards throughout the years and for good reason. Just a well-crafted brew and still great after all these years. Pairs well with We Are the Champions by Queen.
Mar 06, 2024
 
Rated: 4.47 by eak3 from Missouri

Feb 04, 2024
 
Rated: 4.15 by gongfu from Connecticut

Jan 31, 2024
 
Rated: 4.46 by BLVBBERGIXLL from Arizona

Jan 30, 2024
 
Rated: 4.36 by Smithbo from Pennsylvania

Jan 01, 2024
Photo of jbolger
Rated by jbolger from Connecticut

4.29/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Classic West Coast IPA. Prefer the Grapefruit version. Would be a favorite if they distributed in CT.
Dec 30, 2023
 
Rated: 3.77 by TheWaySheGoes from Illinois

Dec 06, 2023
 
 
Rated: 4.5 by Nyoder

Nov 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.58 by owenmeaney from District of Columbia

Nov 17, 2023
Photo of Danmooney40
Reviewed by Danmooney40 from Virginia

4.42/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
One of the first IPAs I ever drank many years back. What I now know as a WCIPA . It started me down the path in the right way. I haven't been able to find it on the East Coast in recent years.

From can poured into a 10 oz pub glass, showed a 2 finger head that lingered. A dark golden colored .

Still as good as I remembered.
Oct 14, 2023
 
Rated: 4.18 by rajreddy from Tennessee

Oct 02, 2023
Photo of nwalke16
Reviewed by nwalke16 from Michigan

4.84/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
I haven't reviewed this beer yet on here, but the last time I had Sculpin IPA was seven months ago and it's still as great as I remembered. This is what I am looking for in a West Coast style IPA and it is the best one. It is hoppy, yet the most nicely well balanced flavor that I crave for when trying an IPA. I highly recommend buying this one if you can't get it at Ballast Brewery.
Sep 20, 2023
Photo of Burrocreek
Reviewed by Burrocreek from Arizona

4.42/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
This beer, and Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, are the best two widely distributed old school IPAs in America. This one leans bitter and the other leans sweet. Both are exceptional and difficult to surpass. Cheers!
Sep 06, 2023
 
Rated: 4.17 by ctbeerman1 from Connecticut

Sep 01, 2023
Photo of eWell
Reviewed by eWell

4.57/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
It’s my favorite among American IPAs. Has slightly sour taste but comes across as very fruity. Unfortunately, this beer (and the grapefruit version, which is perhaps the even more gifted sibling) is hardly ever available around where I live.
Aug 23, 2023
Photo of soma5
Rated by soma5 from Texas

5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This is a ridiculously good beer. Unfortunately we can't seem to get it any more here in Texas. Bottles are always better than cans.
Aug 21, 2023
Sculpin from Ballast Point Brewing Company
Beer rating: 97 out of 100 with 14658 ratings