Stoner
Big Lake Brewing

Pours a semi hazy amber orange with a thin cap of head with nice lacey stick after each sip. Inviting on the nose, piney, tropical fruits, resinous, dank, earthy. Hop blast up front- layers of piney, dank, earthy hops, not overpowering and nicely balanced by some fruity hops as well. Full bodied mouth feel and a bit of a palate wrecker, but that is what I signed up for here. Overall really solid offering from Big Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saw at AJs in Zeeland and decided to try a new Big Lake mix. Came in a 4pack. $13 . Decent but I was hoping for a more hoppy brew. I guess a good first swing at the pitch, it was aggressive but definitely a strike. Can be refined and perfected, good luck BLB, looking forward to the next draft.

 

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 2/11/2019. Pours slightly hazy medium golden amber color with a 1 finger dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big red grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, honey, cracker, toasted biscuit, light caramel, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and moderate bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big red grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, honey, cracker, toasted biscuit, light caramel, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of red grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, melon, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, honey, cracker, toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and moderate bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and no lingering hop astringency after the finish. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready, sticky/resinous/rindy, and fairly crisp balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 6.3%. Overall this is an excellent IPA. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and moderate bready malt flavors; very smooth, easy, and fairly crisp to drink; with the modestly bitter/resinous/drying finish, not overly aggressive. Feels like Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo. Very vibrant, juicy, dank, and earthy balanced hop complexity; with a great balancing bready malt backbone. Minimal residual sweetness from lingering crisp resin dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on West coast style example. Great classic hop profile. I was guessing either Chinook or Columbus would be the dominating hop before I even opened the can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was everything I want in an IPA. Color is a tan amber with nice foaming. There's a pleasant bouquet with some citrus that has a rewarding melony undertone. Big bitterness, drying finish, lots of hops. I found this one to be delicious.