Big Balboa
Cloud 9 Brewery

weird beer, not sure if the recipe or the execution or both are a little bit off, but this doesnt drink much like ipa, and i wonder now if i finally get it, the inconsistent ratings, the system is so small here, sometimes they have a good brewer and things are dialed, as they can and should be at this scale, but then they go elsewhere and get new folks in, and some of them revert back to basically homebrew, and i dont knock homebrew, but you know what i mean. i know nothing of their personnel situation, if its changed recently or not, but after some months away we were unimpressed with the liquid on this recent visit to one of our old standby places. truly amber in color, malty even by old school strong ipa standards. the nose and taste on this are sweet and toasted, graham cracker and homemade bread, with some definite richness to it, but for me its at the expense of the hops, or maybe the hops just arent boldly dosed enough for something strong enough to borderline be a double ipa, like not even close, subtle pine resin to it and even grilled pineapple, but its a little like i have to go looking for it, and the proportions just seem wrong, even by english specs. there is a yeast aspect which isnt all the way dialed in, and this seems a little underwhelming overall, sweet with some oily linger but very little bitterness, almost generic strong ale here in the glass, leaving a bit to be desired, especially in the summer on the patio where it warms up and heavies up pretty quick. wanted and expected more from this, a less than stellar visit here this time from a beer standpoint, food was solid as always.

Draft at Cloud 9. Dark, clear amber, thin layer of off-white head, lacing. Malty aroma, leathery. Taste is malty, tannic, dry. Taste falls off quickly.