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:
14,659
Status:
Active
Rated:
Wednesday at 08:37 AM
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 superspak:
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 8/22/2016. Pours slightly hazy medium orange/amber color with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Dense soapy lacing clings around the glass. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, peach, pineapple, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, pine, light caramel, toasted biscuit, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of bright citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, peach, pineapple, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, pine, light caramel, toasted biscuit, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Good amount of pine/citrus rind/grassy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, apricot, peach, pineapple, mango, lemon/orange rind, pine, toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of bright citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and minimal lingering hop astringency after the finish. Moderate dryness from bitterness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, sticky/resinous, and lightly creamy/grainy balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Minimal warming alcohol for 7%. Overall this is an incredible IPA. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of bright citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink despite very resinous bitterness. A highly enjoyable offering.
Oct 16, 2016
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
Sculpin from Ballast Point Brewing Company
Beer rating: 97 out of 100 with 14659 ratings