Lost Sailor India Pale Ale | Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.




Brewed by:
Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.
Massachusetts, United States
berkshire-brewing.com
Style: English India Pale Ale (IPA)
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.80%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 07-03-2001
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 746 | Reviews: 334
Reviews by Apellonious:
3.69/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
22 oz bomber from Liquors inc. poured into a standard Guinness pint glass. Best by 2/11/14
A - pours golden and clear, with a fluffy one finger head. Moves to a thin lace.
S - pine, bread. Not much else.
T - biscuity malts, very faint hop presence. Mild zest. Zest. Yep. That's the first time using that word on a beer description.
M - decent, medium heft
O - good offering, was expecting more hops, but I enjoyed it.
423 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
22 oz bomber from Liquors inc. poured into a standard Guinness pint glass. Best by 2/11/14
A - pours golden and clear, with a fluffy one finger head. Moves to a thin lace.
S - pine, bread. Not much else.
T - biscuity malts, very faint hop presence. Mild zest. Zest. Yep. That's the first time using that word on a beer description.
M - decent, medium heft
O - good offering, was expecting more hops, but I enjoyed it.
423 characters
More User Reviews:
4.2/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A cloudy amber beer with a creamy sticky head. Quite the floral aroma with that distinct spicy, raw, citrus and leafy character of East Kent Goldings. Flavour is near sugary sweet, malty and smooth on the palate with a balancing leafy tea-like hop character with a nice woody bite.
A damn fine IPA, and one of the best in MA. This IPA really appeals to me because it shows off both a big malt and big hop character, but the beer is so in balance and the flavours are so smoothed together.
491 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A cloudy amber beer with a creamy sticky head. Quite the floral aroma with that distinct spicy, raw, citrus and leafy character of East Kent Goldings. Flavour is near sugary sweet, malty and smooth on the palate with a balancing leafy tea-like hop character with a nice woody bite.
A damn fine IPA, and one of the best in MA. This IPA really appeals to me because it shows off both a big malt and big hop character, but the beer is so in balance and the flavours are so smoothed together.
491 characters
4.24/5 rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Presentation: 22 oz. brown bottle. Picture of the two brewers lost in the desert in a boat … hence “Lost Sailor”. Freshness date marked.
Appearance: Deep orange amber with a slight chill haze which is common for this beer, with a moderate pour it formed a tiny bubbled two fingered head … that shows the quality of the brew.
Smell: Sweet to the nose of flowery fruity hop oil and a pale malt back ground. Slight minty aroma also from the hops, very aromatic.
Taste: Muscular medium body with a light carbonation and smooth mouth feel that throws a handful of crispness in the mouth. Round malt palate of pale malt sweetness and toasted grain, faint esters leave a mild berry fruitiness behind. Hops a quite prevalent though certainly not overbearing, bitterness is marked to balance and produces a wonderful hop flavour of sweet floral, hop leaf and a pinch of earth. Hop flavour and remnants of toasted grain faded very so softly into the finish.
Notes: One of the better domestic English Style IPAs I have had in a long time, well balanced and poised as a session beer.
1,107 characters
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Presentation: 22 oz. brown bottle. Picture of the two brewers lost in the desert in a boat … hence “Lost Sailor”. Freshness date marked.
Appearance: Deep orange amber with a slight chill haze which is common for this beer, with a moderate pour it formed a tiny bubbled two fingered head … that shows the quality of the brew.
Smell: Sweet to the nose of flowery fruity hop oil and a pale malt back ground. Slight minty aroma also from the hops, very aromatic.
Taste: Muscular medium body with a light carbonation and smooth mouth feel that throws a handful of crispness in the mouth. Round malt palate of pale malt sweetness and toasted grain, faint esters leave a mild berry fruitiness behind. Hops a quite prevalent though certainly not overbearing, bitterness is marked to balance and produces a wonderful hop flavour of sweet floral, hop leaf and a pinch of earth. Hop flavour and remnants of toasted grain faded very so softly into the finish.
Notes: One of the better domestic English Style IPAs I have had in a long time, well balanced and poised as a session beer.
1,107 characters
4.16/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Serving: Sampler at Supreme Liquors in Central Square, MA
Serving: 19 September 2014
Appearance: Pours a nice golden color, lighter than many other IPAs, and lacking a lot of the robust copper/golden deepness we see from a lot of West Coast IPAs. I attribute this to the English IPA style and fact the malt backbone is thus reduced. Looks great though! 4/5
Smell: Smells very herbal and floral, some malt sweetness. The hops don't beat you over the head and are rather subdued in the nose. 4.25/5
Taste: Another great one by Berkshire. The flavor on this one is fantastic, especially considering it's an English IPA. The hops and malts interplay wonderfully, leading to a slightly sweet, floral beer where the hops add a lot of flavor without being ridiculous. What's notable here is that the hops don't take center stage, but share it with the malt, which provides some nice sweetness and requisite depth. Really love the hop flavor in this one too- it's very floral and reminds me someone of how your hands smell after holding a bouquet. 4.25/5
Feel: Excellent carbonation and body. 4/5
Overall: Another marvelous beer from Berkshire. I'm glad to see them really hit the ball out of the park with this English IPA. I think it's rated lower by people who expect an American style IPA and are then surprised by the subtlety in this one. The hops used in this beer are magnificent and provide a really rare flavor for those used to the traditional American varietals. I would highly recommend this beer, with the caveat that you know it's not an American IPA and you should not expect it to taste like a citrus bomb.4/5
1,623 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Serving: Sampler at Supreme Liquors in Central Square, MA
Serving: 19 September 2014
Appearance: Pours a nice golden color, lighter than many other IPAs, and lacking a lot of the robust copper/golden deepness we see from a lot of West Coast IPAs. I attribute this to the English IPA style and fact the malt backbone is thus reduced. Looks great though! 4/5
Smell: Smells very herbal and floral, some malt sweetness. The hops don't beat you over the head and are rather subdued in the nose. 4.25/5
Taste: Another great one by Berkshire. The flavor on this one is fantastic, especially considering it's an English IPA. The hops and malts interplay wonderfully, leading to a slightly sweet, floral beer where the hops add a lot of flavor without being ridiculous. What's notable here is that the hops don't take center stage, but share it with the malt, which provides some nice sweetness and requisite depth. Really love the hop flavor in this one too- it's very floral and reminds me someone of how your hands smell after holding a bouquet. 4.25/5
Feel: Excellent carbonation and body. 4/5
Overall: Another marvelous beer from Berkshire. I'm glad to see them really hit the ball out of the park with this English IPA. I think it's rated lower by people who expect an American style IPA and are then surprised by the subtlety in this one. The hops used in this beer are magnificent and provide a really rare flavor for those used to the traditional American varietals. I would highly recommend this beer, with the caveat that you know it's not an American IPA and you should not expect it to taste like a citrus bomb.4/5
1,623 characters
3.68/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a standard pint glass a full rich golden with an almost creamy-like head atop settling into a white froth leaving broken globs of lace behind as it settled slowly.Not a real big hop element in the nose somewhat leafy and citric with a little caramel and juicy malt fruit for sure an English interpretation.Mild hop flavors leafy and herbal with a tinge of citrus,a big sweetish caramel biscuit base goes toe to toe with the hops making it more of a balanced IPA.Eh its ok not remarkable but drinkable.
513 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a standard pint glass a full rich golden with an almost creamy-like head atop settling into a white froth leaving broken globs of lace behind as it settled slowly.Not a real big hop element in the nose somewhat leafy and citric with a little caramel and juicy malt fruit for sure an English interpretation.Mild hop flavors leafy and herbal with a tinge of citrus,a big sweetish caramel biscuit base goes toe to toe with the hops making it more of a balanced IPA.Eh its ok not remarkable but drinkable.
513 characters
4.5/5 rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I've had this in a growler and 22oz. bottle, it was great both times. I have been very pleased with everything that I have received from Berkshire so far, so I expected nothing less from this one.
A bit darker than most IPA's, which is just fine. Nice little bite of bitter on the back of the tongue, and a slightly fruit finish, with apples coming through very clearly, especially in the aftertaste. Superbly session able though as this was a very easy drinker and I could have thrown this one down all night long to be honest.
530 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I've had this in a growler and 22oz. bottle, it was great both times. I have been very pleased with everything that I have received from Berkshire so far, so I expected nothing less from this one.
A bit darker than most IPA's, which is just fine. Nice little bite of bitter on the back of the tongue, and a slightly fruit finish, with apples coming through very clearly, especially in the aftertaste. Superbly session able though as this was a very easy drinker and I could have thrown this one down all night long to be honest.
530 characters
2.72/5 rDev -28.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Cloudy pale with a slight orange hue to it. Retains a small head forever.
The expected floral hop nose. Maybe a bit sweeter on this beer.
This IPA has a pleasantly mild flavor to it. Really different from any other ipa I've ever had. There's no real kick or harshness to the hops, which is very interesting. The bitterness is there, but sitting in the background, instead of up-front & in your face. A certain fruitiness comes through underneath.
The mouth is also very mild. Not a whole lot of carbonation. Somehow this beer retains the mild mouthfeel without being watery.
I would like to have this beer again. I have a feeling there's more to it than you can really tell from one bottle.
702 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Cloudy pale with a slight orange hue to it. Retains a small head forever.
The expected floral hop nose. Maybe a bit sweeter on this beer.
This IPA has a pleasantly mild flavor to it. Really different from any other ipa I've ever had. There's no real kick or harshness to the hops, which is very interesting. The bitterness is there, but sitting in the background, instead of up-front & in your face. A certain fruitiness comes through underneath.
The mouth is also very mild. Not a whole lot of carbonation. Somehow this beer retains the mild mouthfeel without being watery.
I would like to have this beer again. I have a feeling there's more to it than you can really tell from one bottle.
702 characters
3.38/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Looks good. Surprisingly cloudy for an IPA. Maybe a little light, but not bad.
Wow. Not hoppy at all. Its not citrus, but its close. Like a lemon zest or something.
Not very hoopy. Does have a smooth hop flavor. Might be a special non-traditional hops that I havnt had before. Does taste fresh and yummy.
Sits well. Very very smooth. Nice change for an IPA. ABV not noticable at all.
I like this IPA. Above average and I would have again because of the freshness rating.
482 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Looks good. Surprisingly cloudy for an IPA. Maybe a little light, but not bad.
Wow. Not hoppy at all. Its not citrus, but its close. Like a lemon zest or something.
Not very hoopy. Does have a smooth hop flavor. Might be a special non-traditional hops that I havnt had before. Does taste fresh and yummy.
Sits well. Very very smooth. Nice change for an IPA. ABV not noticable at all.
I like this IPA. Above average and I would have again because of the freshness rating.
482 characters
3.73/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A 22oz bomber poured into a pint glass. Hazy orange color with a medium head and some decent lacing. It had a predominately floral aroma. A nice, subdued citrus flavor, a little peppery later. Not overly hopped, a very pleasant beer. You could drink a few of these without blasting your palate.
294 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A 22oz bomber poured into a pint glass. Hazy orange color with a medium head and some decent lacing. It had a predominately floral aroma. A nice, subdued citrus flavor, a little peppery later. Not overly hopped, a very pleasant beer. You could drink a few of these without blasting your palate.
294 characters
3.92/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
220 oz. bottle, marked best before October 2003, with the brewers shipwrecked on a dinghy in the desert holding a sign saying "Send More BBC!!" Deep amber/orange, with a big fluffy white head that hangs around for a long time. Aroma is like a Cascade cone dipped in peach or maybe apricot nectar - citric, piney, bittersweet.
Interesting - the flavors needed for a worldbeating IPA are all there, but seem a bit out of focus. Starts out with a round, sort of nutty-peachy maltiness and a good amount of earthy, resiny hop flavor, slightly fizzy mouthfeel, but not a lot of bitterness. Then the dryish peach aspects comes forward, along with some slightly grainy maltiness and the bitterness I was expecting earlier. Not a helluva lot there in the aftertaste save for a lingering bitterness and some peach/grain flavors. Great hop-burp at the end. Nice, round body, like just about every Berkshire brew I've ever tried.
Definitely worth trying a few times, just to figure it out.
984 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
220 oz. bottle, marked best before October 2003, with the brewers shipwrecked on a dinghy in the desert holding a sign saying "Send More BBC!!" Deep amber/orange, with a big fluffy white head that hangs around for a long time. Aroma is like a Cascade cone dipped in peach or maybe apricot nectar - citric, piney, bittersweet.
Interesting - the flavors needed for a worldbeating IPA are all there, but seem a bit out of focus. Starts out with a round, sort of nutty-peachy maltiness and a good amount of earthy, resiny hop flavor, slightly fizzy mouthfeel, but not a lot of bitterness. Then the dryish peach aspects comes forward, along with some slightly grainy maltiness and the bitterness I was expecting earlier. Not a helluva lot there in the aftertaste save for a lingering bitterness and some peach/grain flavors. Great hop-burp at the end. Nice, round body, like just about every Berkshire brew I've ever tried.
Definitely worth trying a few times, just to figure it out.
984 characters
3.92/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Sampled/tasted from a fresh growler. orangy amber, bit cloudy, off white head, settling to a thin tiny bubble film, wispy lacing. Citrusy/piney hops in the nose. Full bodied and tasty. Hops bold, pine, resiny and also a wiff of grapefruit. Adds up to a complex hop offering. Lovely, smooth mouthfeel, flows over the tongue on a velvet blanket of sweet malt. Quality IPA, balanced, nuanced and worth checking out
411 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Sampled/tasted from a fresh growler. orangy amber, bit cloudy, off white head, settling to a thin tiny bubble film, wispy lacing. Citrusy/piney hops in the nose. Full bodied and tasty. Hops bold, pine, resiny and also a wiff of grapefruit. Adds up to a complex hop offering. Lovely, smooth mouthfeel, flows over the tongue on a velvet blanket of sweet malt. Quality IPA, balanced, nuanced and worth checking out
411 characters
3.53/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours clear, gold with 3/4 inch head. Taste is caramel, grass, grain, and oily herbal hops. Really sweet at times and also really bitter at others. Above average sipper. Glad I had it, would not pass by it, but would not rush to get it again either.
250 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours clear, gold with 3/4 inch head. Taste is caramel, grass, grain, and oily herbal hops. Really sweet at times and also really bitter at others. Above average sipper. Glad I had it, would not pass by it, but would not rush to get it again either.
250 characters
4.2/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
poured into a flared tulip glass from a 220z brown bomber with a crimped on cap split it with WVbeergeek my wife brought this back from a trip to RI.
Cloudy,med amber color 2" creamy white head dissapated down a bit quick to some chunky islands of head leaving rings of lace down the glass.Good carbination streams of tiny bubbles rising from the center and some from the sides of the glass.Non pasturized and unfiltered lots of slurry at the bottom of the bottle
Faint,delicate,pleasing aromas of citrus and sweet malts. Not ipa like but very nice and clean.
Mild tastes of citrus and sugary sweet malty tastes. Very pleasing and inticing. Not an english style ipa to me as listed reminded me more of an american pale ale. No complaints I loved the subtleness.
So smooth and creamy could just sit here and drink bomber after bomber. As easy drinking as can be. I would love to get my hands on more of this delicious brew.
934 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
poured into a flared tulip glass from a 220z brown bomber with a crimped on cap split it with WVbeergeek my wife brought this back from a trip to RI.
Cloudy,med amber color 2" creamy white head dissapated down a bit quick to some chunky islands of head leaving rings of lace down the glass.Good carbination streams of tiny bubbles rising from the center and some from the sides of the glass.Non pasturized and unfiltered lots of slurry at the bottom of the bottle
Faint,delicate,pleasing aromas of citrus and sweet malts. Not ipa like but very nice and clean.
Mild tastes of citrus and sugary sweet malty tastes. Very pleasing and inticing. Not an english style ipa to me as listed reminded me more of an american pale ale. No complaints I loved the subtleness.
So smooth and creamy could just sit here and drink bomber after bomber. As easy drinking as can be. I would love to get my hands on more of this delicious brew.
934 characters
3.56/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 1 PT. 6 FL. OZ. bomber into a DFH torpedo glass. No freshness date.
Appearance - Deep burnt orange, hazy. Nice, sudsy head that revives itself with a quick swirl of the glass.
Smell - Crisp hops. Very floral and light, not terribly alcoholic, a little spicy.
T/M - A little thin in the mouth at first, gets more sticky/rounded as it warms. A leafy and light citrus character define this beer. There's also some interesting tang or spice or something that i can't quite put my finger on when i swallow the beer, but ts definitely a uniquely good thing. Soft and delicate for an IPA. Very pleasant, balanced, and non offensive. A sweeter, floral IPA. Mildly carbonated.
D- I consider this a very "dignified" IPA that doesn't punish the drinker at a modest 5.5%. I personally appreciate this and I think this beer is full of character. It's nice to drink an IPA bomber to myself and not feel irreparably impaired with a scorched tongue (don't get me wrong, sometimes I crave these ipa's, its just nice to see some diversity). Very nice.
1,051 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 1 PT. 6 FL. OZ. bomber into a DFH torpedo glass. No freshness date.
Appearance - Deep burnt orange, hazy. Nice, sudsy head that revives itself with a quick swirl of the glass.
Smell - Crisp hops. Very floral and light, not terribly alcoholic, a little spicy.
T/M - A little thin in the mouth at first, gets more sticky/rounded as it warms. A leafy and light citrus character define this beer. There's also some interesting tang or spice or something that i can't quite put my finger on when i swallow the beer, but ts definitely a uniquely good thing. Soft and delicate for an IPA. Very pleasant, balanced, and non offensive. A sweeter, floral IPA. Mildly carbonated.
D- I consider this a very "dignified" IPA that doesn't punish the drinker at a modest 5.5%. I personally appreciate this and I think this beer is full of character. It's nice to drink an IPA bomber to myself and not feel irreparably impaired with a scorched tongue (don't get me wrong, sometimes I crave these ipa's, its just nice to see some diversity). Very nice.
1,051 characters
3.3/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap poured into an 8oz glass.
Pours a light amber to almos orange with no head
at all but some light white lacing. Nose is very mild with more malt than hops.
Taste is hoppy but not in your face, easy drinking and smooth. Mouthfeel is very full and crisp with a good malty backbone. Carbonation is light, perfest for an english ipa.
339 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap poured into an 8oz glass.
Pours a light amber to almos orange with no head
at all but some light white lacing. Nose is very mild with more malt than hops.
Taste is hoppy but not in your face, easy drinking and smooth. Mouthfeel is very full and crisp with a good malty backbone. Carbonation is light, perfest for an english ipa.
339 characters
Lost Sailor India Pale Ale from Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.
Beer rating:
3.82 out of
5 with
746 ratings
0 characters. We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters.
In English, explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.