Ballast Point in Washington

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by Smurf2055, Jun 9, 2013.

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  1. BuckeyeOne

    BuckeyeOne Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2008 Washington

    I'm confused by this statement. Are you suggesting that Workhorse and Descender are the only 'spectacular IPAs' we have access to here in Seattle?
     
  2. checktherhyme

    checktherhyme Pundit (890) Apr 8, 2008 Washington

    Anyone seen it in Spokane yet?
     
  3. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Hey, each to their own I guess, but I thought that a fairly funny comment as well. (descender IPA? Really?)

    We just started seeing BP stuff here in Eugene as well, with an event at Bier Stein on Saturday. I'm a huge sculpin fan, and so couldn't wait to get a glass of it (which I did on Sunday). I enjoyed it quite a bit, though I think the current recipe pales in comparison to what I was drinking several years ago (I've heard a number of friends make simiilar comments about the current recipe).

    That being said, at least to my palate, I thought the RPM and Hop Venom I had later the same day were superior to the sculpin I ordered. Even if the two beers were the same price (which of course they're not), I doubt I'll ever order sculpin again if I can have RPM or HV instead. Frankly, given what's available most of the time at the beer bars I typically frequent out here, I'm not sure how often I'll be ordering sculpin in the future. It's a very fine IPA, no doubut, but there seem to plenty of local IPA's that are every bit as good (or nearly as good), and they tend to be considerably cheaper than sculpin (it was $6 for a .5L glass at Bier Stein).
     
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  4. jpbebeau

    jpbebeau Initiate (0) Sep 11, 2011 Washington

    Yeah, at ~$15 for a sixpack, I don't think I'll be getting Sculpin with any frequency.
     
  5. waltersrj

    waltersrj Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2010 Washington

    Hit up Chuck's Thursday after work and missed out on Sculpin but tried VaS for the first time and was extremely happy with it. I generally dislike most Porter's as I prefer something heavier but the body on VaS was excellent as well as the coffee and vanilla flavors. Can't wait to try Sculpin as well as Sea Monster.
     
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  6. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I really enjoyed Victory at Sea when I had it down in San Diego last year, and I've been enjoying the hell out of the 6-pack of Sculpin I picked up last week. Yes, it's pricey and yes, comparable or superior Oregon/Washington IPAs can be had at a lower price, but I can't think of many that are as widely available in bottles or cans. For me, the convergence of quality and convenience that Sculpin offers is worth the couple extra bucks.

    Not that I won't continue to occasionally buy Workhorse, Wildcat, HUB IPA, Interurban etc. as well as RPM and Hop Venom whenever I get the chance...
     
  7. BuckeyeOne

    BuckeyeOne Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2008 Washington

    I bought a couple of bombers of Sculpin when it hit BW last week. Opened one on Friday night. I also had some pints of Fremont Interurban (from a fresh growler) and a bottle of Sumpin Sumpin. I can't say I thought Sculpin was any better (or significantly better if it was) than these two. At its price point, I can't imagine buying Sculpin on a regular basis. I'll tend to stick to my regulars --- growlers of Interurban and sixers of FW Union Jack, plus some Lagunitas varieties now and again.
     
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  8. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    That's almost exactly what I told the bartender over at 16 tons on Sunday (I didn't use interburon or Lagunitas as examples of course), noting that given the abundance of good IPA's around town, I just couldn't see Sculpin selling all that well, given the price point. He disagreed with me. He noted that a lot of people have been asking about Sculpin for a very long time, and so despite the high price tag, he thinks it will sell very well around town in Eugene. I can't see it, but I guess time will tell.
     
  9. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    On the price question, I don't recall anyone ever complaining about Pliny at $5 for a 16.9oz bottle ($0.30/oz)—not to mention, available only for a few days every five weeks or so. So I don't see the issue when Sculpin is ~$15 for 72oz 6-pack ($0.21/oz) and far more readily available. They're not the same beer of course, but we're not talking apples and oranges either.
     
  10. BuckeyeOne

    BuckeyeOne Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2008 Washington

    IMHO, Pliny is significantly better than Sculpin --- that's part of my point. Sculpin is not significantly better IMHO than the beers I mentioned at lower price points and, therefore, not worth the additional $3-4 more per 6-pack.
     
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  11. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Different palates I guess, although I agree Pliny is better. I like all the beers you mentioned, but probably not quite as much as Sculpin. Sculpin reminds me (as best I can remember anyway) of Icicle Bootjack, a beer I could happily drink by the pitcher. Bottom line, I'm happy to have yet another great choice available.
     
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  12. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    This is just my two cents on this, but...

    I've been drinking sculpin since it first became available in the Philly area, back in 2007 or 2008 (unfortunately, I can no longer check on my first review to verify the actual date). Granted, those were different times, but back then, sculpin on tap seemed to create the same sort of mass hysteria usually reserved for PtE. I still remember thinking I'd died and gone to IPA heaven the first time I found both PtE and sculpin on tap at a beer bar. I bought several glasses of both (they were only served in a tulip size snifter), and while different, I remember thinking I couldn't really decide which one was my favorite.

    Flash forward 4 or 5 years, and yes, both beers are a lot more readily available then they were in the Philly area back in 2008. PtE no longer sells out within a few hours every time a bar has it available. Sometimes it will even last a couple of days (though that's unusual). Sculpin has also become more available as well, but it tends to stick around a lot longer now than PtE does. I realize that by itselfs really don't prove anything, but I do know I don't go gaga over it (Sculpin) the way I once did (and still pretty much do for PtE), and I've had several people in the Philly area tell me the same thing, noting that BP has had to change up the recipe somewhat due to the availablity (or lack of availability) of certain hop varieties. I think it's still a pretty solid beer, but qualitatively, I really don't think it compares to PtE. Not any more at least.

    So draheim's comment that "we're not talking apples and oranges either..." I would have completely agreed with him back in 2008. Today I'm not so sure. I do know that given a choice between the two beers today, I would always order PtE. But hey, that''s just me...
     
  13. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I'll just add one more comment, for what it's worth. I bought a 6-pack of Sculpin last week and promptly opened the first one. Eh, it's OK I thought, but nothing to jump through hoops for. Just a standard SoCal IPA. (I've had it a few times before, but it's been a year or more.) Later in the week I had one back-to-back with Little Sumpin Sumpin and thought I enjoyed the Sculpin somewhat better, and I really like LSS. Last night I had Sculpin bottles 4 and 5 and found myself enjoying it even more. So I have no idea how the recipe has changed over the years, but I found that as I got a little more familiar with the beer, I only liked it more. But hell, it could have been my mood, or the weather. Who knows.

    I also had Stone RuinTen and Enjoy By over the weekend and, while these are definitely different beers, I decidedly prefer Sculpin to those. To me it's just a lot more approachable and drinkable. Maybe I'll do a side-by-side with some Interurban and a few other less pricey options, see how I feel then. Nice to have that option now without having to trade or pay for shipping costs.
     
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  14. BuckeyeOne

    BuckeyeOne Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2008 Washington

    OK. You've motivated me. My wife and I been on a diet for 30 days (that ended last Friday) that did not allow beer. While I wasn't drinking beer, I was still purchasing. I have in my fridge another bomber of Sculpin plus I have a bottle of Icicle Bootjack, a few Little Sumpin Sumpin, a bottle of Stone RuinTen, a couple of bottles of Union Jack, and can easily grab a growler of Interurban. It's time for a side-by-side.

    I do not have a Pliny, unfortunately --- not since the damn Seahawks choked!
     
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  15. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Did you find that Bootjack locally? I know 99 Bottles had some a while back but I have never seen it. Would looooooove to get my hands on some.
     
  16. BuckeyeOne

    BuckeyeOne Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2008 Washington

    I did get it at 99 Bottles. It's probably a month old. I got it a few days after I started my 30-day diet. Dude said they get a delivery every month, if I remember correctly.
     
  17. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I predict that all of these beers will taste fantastic BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T HAD A BEER IN 30 DAYS
     
  18. fsck

    fsck Initiate (0) Apr 13, 2013 Washington

    Does anyone know of a place with ballast point downtown right now?
     
  19. 510a

    510a Initiate (0) Jan 12, 2013 Washington
    Trader

    Not downtown but Try Super deli mart, he always seems to have stuff when no one else does.
     
  20. whiskey

    whiskey Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2012 California

    Nope. Came here to check too.

    But on the topic of IPA's, Ballast Point Big Eye is fantastic too, and much more affordable than Sculpin.

    Just the fact that we're getting a 10% coffee vanilla porter for $8 a bomber is awesome(assuming it comes to Spokane). Love that shit.
     
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