25th Anniversary San Diego-Style IPA
Coronado Brewing Company

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American IPA
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. snifter glass
Price: $3.25
From: Trader Joe’s in College Area (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: Sept. 15, 2021
Consumed: Sept. 22, 2021
Misc.: Canned on Aug. 6, 2021

Grabbed a can of this along with eight other singles (and three Coronado Weekend Vibes) at the campus Trader Joe’s. Untappd description read “25 years is a long time. It’s a ¼ of a century. It’s two and a half decades. Needless to say, we’ve learned a few things over the last 25 years brewing in San Diego. We’ve learned how to brew award-winning IPAs and how to cook the perfect fish taco. We’ve learned what it means to “stay coastal” and that supporting our fellow SD Brewers is really what it’s all about. While this beer celebrates a milestone in the CBC story, we know this is still just the beginning. So, let’s raise two pints this time. One for the last 25 years and one for the next. Cheers & Stay Coastal!”

Poured a light amber clear color with three fingers of frothy white head. Could see some bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Perfect spiderweb foamy lacing. Perfect retention. What a great looking beer. (Sight - 5.00)

No mention of hops but the first thing I thought of was Motueka and hints of Sabro, although there appeared to be many. Also chewy caramel, pine, lime, floral, vanilla, iced tea, lemon, herbal and berry. About the same from the can. (Smell - 3.75)

Tasted maybe as good as the nose. Kind of mixed feelings after the first sip. Still leaning toward Motueka, and also chewy caramel, pine, iced tea, lemon, herbal, berry, lingering peppery spice, anise, black licorice, cedar, plum, toffee and red apple. Somehow reminded me of Fuller’s (either London Pride or ESB). I think Simcoe was involved as well. (Taste - 3.75)

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.25)

This was a nice change of pace. Very good overall. (Overall - 3.75)

3.88 | 87 | B+

 

Clear golden amber brew with long-lasting foam in the GameCraft One-Year Anniversary glass. May they have at least anothet 24 since Coronado has survived with what my reviews suggest are mostly mediocre beers. But this one has nice aroma of lime, mango, and bread. Also likeable is the lush and sudsy mouthfeel. Interesting pound cake taste with a lemony finish. Not very bitter.

Overall this is a very pleasant brew. You almost forget it's an IPA, which is fine for quaffing, but might make a better entry as "San Diego goes down easy style." From the 16 oz can dated 07/28/2021. Probably from the big box wine store as I haven't seen it anywhere. Anywhere I normally would buy beer, I mean.

Pours a clear golden yellow. The aroma is juicy, with a bit of a spicy kick—think sweet citrus with some pineapple. More new school than throwback. Clean finish, with decent bitterness.

Pours golden with little to no head even though I tried to create one. Nose is slightly dank, but not too much. Taste is citrus with pine resin. Aftertaste is slightly white peppery with nice bitterness.

 

 

 

 

Moderately dank and herbal on the nose, along with a slight sharp citrus. On the palate, it's more balanced, but suffers from a distinct lack of body. This is a thin beer, shockingly so for the fairly high ABV (7.5%). The result is that while it tastes good, it lacks impact. I'm not sure why they would choose this to represent their 25th anniversary, as overall, it's good but far from great.

 

great beer to celebrate their 25 years -hoppy fresh ipa pick a few up , maybe i'll save one for their 30 year-

Canned on 7/21; consumed on 8/29. Poured from a tall boy into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Light amber body, not quite clear, 4 fingers of off white soap up top. Superior retention, sticky lacing, no legs.

Mild citrus tinged slightly herbal/fruity nose.

Slightly dank palate entry with berries and a hint of tangerine. Mild bitterness, and more pronounced malt presence than expected with a hint of clover honey. Medium finish with well disguised ABV.

Medium-light bodied and faintly sticky mouthfeel.

Disappointing expression of the style, and lacking bitterness, complexity, and tropical notes I normally associate with San Diego.

Canned 08/06/21 and consumed late August 2021. I was at the brewery for a work event and saw these 4/packs and got excited. Figured it had to be an exceptional IPA if it’s their 25th anniversary. But nah, just mediocre. Which is sad. To represent your talent and the west coast, brew a properly hopped and clear IPA. Not this average example that I could brew from home with extract.

canned 7/28/21. Consumed 8/21. 16oz can poured into a 16 oz tall tulip. Pours a clear a light yellow with no haze. Head characterized by short longevity and large bubbles. No real lacing or very little lacing. very little smell, balanced but not highly remarkable flavor. I can not even pick out a flavor that I can distinguish even though it is generally likeable. I certainly would not characterize it as "fruity". Perhaps the merest hint of pine/resin? Certainly not an easily identified or dominant hop character. Moderate carbonation/ medium body. Overall unremarkable although not bad, but not what I expected from a 25yr anniversary effort.

16 oz. can poured into a tulip glass. Pours a clear deep straw/golden in color, half inch of whitish cap fizzles out in a minute or so yet keeps a light film on the surface.

Aroma of moderate dank and mildly resinous hops with some classic pine notes. Touch of citric oily notes at times help cloak any hint of ethanol. Taste follows with a restrained malt body, touch of muddled citrus, and a moderate depth of bready malts. Feel is fairly light but matches color/character of the beer. Offers a moderate carbonation and a fairly subdued bitterness on the finish. Overall a bit at a loss as for a San Diego Style IPA but seems to match just a few others I've seen in that they are at the low end in color and the high end in ABV. Nice but maybe expected a more robust hop punch for a 25th celebration.

Note: Canned 7/21/21