-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Big Barrel Double IPA
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
- From:
- Karl Strauss Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
Ranked #1,508 - ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #8,864 - Avg:
- 4.04 | pDev: 10.15%
- Reviews:
- 99
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 11, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 15, 2009
- Wants:
- 48
- Gots:
- 55
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by LongBeachHopHead:
Reviewed by LongBeachHopHead from California
4.42/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Tasted at Green Flash 7th and got a bottle at the tent.
The brewer said that it's limited to 300 cases and is at Bevmo's only at the moment. Hope they make more.
The appearance was a very nice light amber, very clear and a decent retaining head. Was poured very cold.
Smell was lots of citrus and pine, grapefruit hit pretty hard. Fresh hops and not much malt presence. Very clean DIPA.
Taste was surprising. I usually stay away from Karl Strauss in the store but this is being bottled! I've had good beers from KS but only at Festivals. Great floral, citrusy oil on the palate that lingers the bitterness for a while. This could compete with a Pliny or Sculpin in the IPA Quality department.
Mouthfeel was a little thick and coated the tongue with echoing hop flavor and bitterness. Very good beer!
The drinkability is pretty high. For a 9% double I would probably not go back again in the same night but this (fresh) batch was pretty enticing. I liked this offering from Karl Struss and hope they keep making it. It's about time they break out of their stale line up and this would help!
Nov 15, 2009The brewer said that it's limited to 300 cases and is at Bevmo's only at the moment. Hope they make more.
The appearance was a very nice light amber, very clear and a decent retaining head. Was poured very cold.
Smell was lots of citrus and pine, grapefruit hit pretty hard. Fresh hops and not much malt presence. Very clean DIPA.
Taste was surprising. I usually stay away from Karl Strauss in the store but this is being bottled! I've had good beers from KS but only at Festivals. Great floral, citrusy oil on the palate that lingers the bitterness for a while. This could compete with a Pliny or Sculpin in the IPA Quality department.
Mouthfeel was a little thick and coated the tongue with echoing hop flavor and bitterness. Very good beer!
The drinkability is pretty high. For a 9% double I would probably not go back again in the same night but this (fresh) batch was pretty enticing. I liked this offering from Karl Struss and hope they keep making it. It's about time they break out of their stale line up and this would help!
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by TheRougeBastard from North Carolina
4.24/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
True west-coast D/IIPA! i love my annual pilgrimage to So. Cal for this very reason! Big Barrel is an excellent example and even at 9.0%abv (hidden well too btw), this is an extremely drinkable beverage!
Jul 03, 2017Reviewed by whatthehull from California
4.28/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.28/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a hybrid glass from a 22 oz bottle
A - bright orange copper, one finger white fluffy head and some nice lacing
S - the huge roasted and sweet malts abound up front, dank/citrus and floral hops, very sweet, huge yeast, a bit of funk, lots of earthiness, nice boozy note, light scent of fresh cut grass
T - tons of sugar, nice alcohol, floral citrus rinds, citrus fruit, pine, sweet and toasted malts/grains, nice Mary Jane notes, very bright bitter hops, baking yeast,
M - medium plus body, well balanced, nice complexity, medium plus acidity, medium plus carbonation and a huge hop malt bomb
D/O - this is a hell of an DIPA and how. Up front it has huge hop and if not at the same time surely after you have tons of sweet and toasted malts and it melds so well. I have never been a huge fan of KS brewing, but this ale is awesome. A lot of TLC makes this one special. This all year around and all weather ale is really well conceived and done.
Final thoughts - this ale is only $6-7 and a huge 9% ABV that makes one great or even better to share. Get this one on tap if you can!
May 30, 2017A - bright orange copper, one finger white fluffy head and some nice lacing
S - the huge roasted and sweet malts abound up front, dank/citrus and floral hops, very sweet, huge yeast, a bit of funk, lots of earthiness, nice boozy note, light scent of fresh cut grass
T - tons of sugar, nice alcohol, floral citrus rinds, citrus fruit, pine, sweet and toasted malts/grains, nice Mary Jane notes, very bright bitter hops, baking yeast,
M - medium plus body, well balanced, nice complexity, medium plus acidity, medium plus carbonation and a huge hop malt bomb
D/O - this is a hell of an DIPA and how. Up front it has huge hop and if not at the same time surely after you have tons of sweet and toasted malts and it melds so well. I have never been a huge fan of KS brewing, but this ale is awesome. A lot of TLC makes this one special. This all year around and all weather ale is really well conceived and done.
Final thoughts - this ale is only $6-7 and a huge 9% ABV that makes one great or even better to share. Get this one on tap if you can!
Rated by ZJSimon from California
4.61/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
4.61/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
A bit of an aftertaste, but a joy for any IPA lover.
Apr 09, 2017
Big Barrel Double IPA from Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
281 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!