Inside Passage Ale (IPA)
Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro

Inside Passage Ale (IPA)Inside Passage Ale (IPA)
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From:
Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro
 
Washington, United States
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #2,503
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
86
Ranked #19,053
Avg:
3.82 | pDev: 11.78%
Reviews:
88
Ratings:
212
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 16, 2022
Added:
Apr 20, 2003
Wants:
  10
Gots:
  21
Our classic IPA, Inside Passage Ale, first graced the PNW with its presence in 1996. The big malt backbone and a heavy dose of Amarillo hops lead the way for the true Northwest-style IPA.

78 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by TheBungyo:
Photo of TheBungyo
Reviewed by TheBungyo from Washington

4.52/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
I had heard that they would no longer bottle this ... welcome back old friend!
The pour was no joke, like honey into my glass, poured by 'the gods themselves'. The piney aroma just cannot be beaten, no matter how much the malt screams from the back, 'hey notice me'!
The taste is dominated by pine and followed by grapfruit and meek caramel and a grainy taste. I wish I could give it a 4.75 for taste!
The mouthfeel is creamy and full, you'll swish it around for way too long!
This beer makes me proud to be on the west coast. Man, do we have it good out here. I could drink this all night.
Nov 18, 2005
More User Ratings:
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.06/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a can at fridge temp. Pours a nice transparent orange with off-white head. Good lacing. Tons of bubbles throughout. The nose comes through with a tropical note (pineapple), citrus peel, and toffee. Bread and a sweet candy note. The taste is great. Pine resin, grapefruit peel, oak, toffee, a touch of pepper (mostly on the aftertaste). More malty on the nose than in the taste. Mostly bitter hops at this point, which is just fine. Mouthfeel is light and dry. Overall, I really enjoy the mix of hoppy and malty notes. Great IPA!
Jun 16, 2022
Photo of ovaltine
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana

4.42/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours an absolutely crystal clear golden copper color with a a dense, creamy oatmeal colored head that laces the glass perfectly during your entire journey with this beer. The picture in the beer nerd dictionary for an old school American IPA. Absolutely gorgeous beer, IMHO.

The nose is some citrus (grapefruit rind) and a LOT of resiny pine, along with caramel and toffee notes. I’m breaking out in a cold sweat, anticipating this beer.

The citrus is forward, but it’s the resiny pine mid-palate and the caramel and toffee notes at the end of the taste that make this beer for me - it is a great example of the flavor profile for the quintessential American IPA, which is nicely bitter (78 IBU’s) but with a sturdy malt backbone to keep the beer deliciously balanced.

A medium mouthfeel that is very dry closes out this magnificent example of the NWCIPA properly. What a pleasure it is to enjoy a beer of this caliber.
Oct 17, 2021
Photo of BNSlums
Reviewed by BNSlums from Germany

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The Northwest Original IPA of '96. It goes way back for craft beer. In the glass, it appears nearly amber. It is copper orange and bright. Cloudy with much carbonation and a floppy inch head. It looks thinner for 7.5abv. Described as: Lively.
On the nose I am struck by rye, followed by rounded bread malt notes. Citrus and caramel intermingle eloquently. Most notable is the resinous spruce character that undertones all.
The IPA bites heavy right away, but mellows nice and slow to a boozy semi-sweet finish. Candied orange peel with Pillsbury biscuits. Feeling hefty yet drinkable, the flavor isn't too aggressive.
It feels rather slick and dense, lightened by the hops. Still a beer to drink on a hot day, however. I feel it truly exemplifies the Northwest IPA variety: High Hops, Citrus, a bit of resin and wet spruce/pine, and a bigger abv. Not an IPA style for all, but one of the best of its kind, and oldest. I adore the rye notes upfront.
Jul 13, 2021
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.52/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
i had higher hops for this, after really digging some of their more ambitious beers in the past. this looks like their flagship, and it tastes like it was born a couple of decades ago, malty and bitter, without a ton of hop flavor at all, and a somewhat fuller body as these go, even though its not objectively sweet or anything. i had it at an old irish pub in spokane, and it tastes a bit like the lines may not be amazingly well maintained, so i wont be too harsh on the beer overall, except to say that its a dated recipe for the style, especially in this part of the world. some sharp citrus in here, bitter pithy orange and grapefruit, a little bit of a grassiness there too, but it doesnt seem all that fresh, and it certainly isnt distinct. enough crystal malt in here to cover up the hop nuance, im not even sure i can recognize a varietal in it, and there are lots of minerals here at the end, almost enough to make it seem a little metallic. i like the balance, always have in these sort of beers, but there isnt enough here to bring me back after this pint or two, its generic now, even if that wouldnt have always been true. ill look to try this again sometime in another place where perhaps quality is a little better looked after, but im expecting a similar experience. good bitterness, some pine at end end, malty depth and body, but it leaves something to be desired in terms of hop flavor overall...
Oct 27, 2019
 
Rated: 3.7 by Taphouse_Traveler from Florida

Jul 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.86 by Griz4062 from Washington

Jun 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.79 by Mister_Faucher from Washington

Apr 26, 2019
Photo of pianoguy
Reviewed by pianoguy from Washington

3.84/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
22 Oz bottle. No bottling info.

Pours a clear golden body with a white head that dissipated quickly. Not much visible carbonation. Little sustainable lacing.

Nose is malt forward. I had soda crackers at first pour but it sweetened out a little as it warmed. A little pine hop but soda cracker malt seems to dominate.

Taste doesn't exactly follow. The malts are present but with a nice bitter hop finish.

It seemed a little under carbonated. (Or maybe I got an old one?)

Overall: The balance of this beer was VERY interesting and worth revisiting on draft.
Apr 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by sqpat from Washington

Mar 02, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by Birdlegs from Washington

Dec 23, 2018
 
Rated: 3.77 by 2beerdogs from California

Nov 21, 2018
 
Rated: 3.73 by grittybrews from Washington

Aug 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.47 by mintzmeet from Washington

Aug 01, 2018
 
Rated: 3.15 by IPAQuester from Texas

May 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3.65 by rodlavers from Maryland

Jul 30, 2017
 
Rated: 4.1 by AnitaBrewski from Massachusetts

Jul 17, 2017
 
Rated: 3.63 by GeorgeAKeim from Oregon

Nov 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.69 by shelby415 from Oregon

Nov 12, 2016
Photo of beerjerk666
Reviewed by beerjerk666 from Florida

3.74/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a shaker pint. No visible date on the bottle.

Appearance: Deep orange-amber-golden body with a finger's worth of head from a semi-aggressive pour.

Aroma: Smells like orange juice spike with serano peppers. Plenty of citrus coming out the glass as well.

Taste: This one isn't easy for me to put my finger on...it's almost like a backwards IPA. Smooth malt-like sweetness up front and a bitter bite on the end. It's not bad, just different.

Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel and it does have a lingering bitterness, probably due to the fact of the hops coming in at the end, rather than coming in on the front end. Very little carbonation.

Overall: A decent easy drinking IPA, again probably due to those malts coming in first. Not mind blowing, but still very tasty.
Oct 16, 2016
Inside Passage Ale (IPA) from Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 212 ratings