Ballast Point becoming gimmicky?

@Oktoberfiesta Not a bad idea. I might give it a try when those peppers are back in season. I know a farmer who grows them in my college town! I have been considering picking up a french press again for some time. If nothing else, to steep some plain beers with coffee or vanilla or something and see how they turn out.

 

The wording can't be vague, according to extensive rules and examples given in the TTB's
Examples of Adequate and Inadequate Designations in Accordance with Trade Understanding
From the examples, if the flavoring ingredients used are added only after fermentation, they can't say "Brewed with..."

 

I pretty much agree with you. I've seen this innovation vs gimmickry thread more times than I can count, and the consensus usually boils down to what the intent of the brewer was. It there was an honest attempt to make something of quality it's called innovation. If it's coming up with something ridiculous just for the sake of doing it, likes Rogue's beard yeast stuff, that's called a gimmick. It's hard to guage intent though.

 

Love BP, Grapefruite Sculpin is killer.. but low key I think they are starting to 'jump the shark' with all these flavors. Wonder if they can start packaging beer in powder form??

 

Ha, that's what I thought about watermelon dorado. I just thought it was really, really gross.

I like grapefruit and habanero sculpins, though, and don't have a problem with them releasing new flavors. I actually really want to try that thai chili wahoo, and I'm not a big fan of wheat beers, though I wouldn't say I dislike them either.

 

I'm with you. That's the BP beer I look forward to getting most whenever I go to SD.

 

I read somewhere that they were about to being bought by one of the big guys, and that they had plans of exporting their beer to Mexico after that.
Does anyone here knows if they were bought already? Do you think their exemplary quality will remain impeachable?
Cheers

 

Constellation Brands bought them end of last year for 1 billion

 

The grapefruit is great. I had one swallow of the habenero and nearly projectile vomited. No one likes everything, but I really don't get what they were trying to accomplish with that one.
Never had the watermelon one, don't think I've ever even seen it. You guys aren't making me want to seek it out. Cheers!

 

Haven't most of those fruit IPAs and flavored V@S variants been around for years? Correct me if I am wrong, but I'm sure I have heard of those from posts on here a while ago.

Maybe now they are just being distributed? I don't know, but either way here is my two cents:

Mango Even Keel: Smelled Amazing Taste was OK
Pineapple Sculpin: Smelled OK Tasted OK not bad
Peppermint V@S: Smelled OK Tasted Great
Coconut V@S: Amazing just amazing
Peanut Butter V@S: Also, amazing just amazing

Haven't had the Ginger Big Eye or Watermelon Dorado, but I will seek them out.

Let's be honest here too... Most of the adjunct laden, barrel aged, high abv, and hopped to high holy hell beers that are so revered around here are pretty gimmicky too.

 

No more gimmicky than the countless breweries that toss a mediocre stout in bourbon barrels (perhaps with vanilla or coffee etc. to further mask the mediocrity of the base beer) and charge 18 bucks a bottle. At least regular Sculpin and Victory at Sea are great beers.

 

If Wicked Weed, Russian River or Tree House were coming out with all these flavors, it'd be the hottest thing on BA.

 

My opinion is that Grunion with Fresno chiles as the best "flavored" beer that ballast point brews. It's amazing! Would love to see that in bottles some day, although that's probably not going to happen with habanero sculpin around. It has such an awesome subtle chili flavor that just adds a nice element to grunion, which I think is an awesome beer all by itself.

 

Dogfish head has the lobster beer

 

They'll get my money maybe when a BA V@S and a Double Sculpin is produced.

 

I'm not sure why "gimmicky" is perjorative. There was a time when barrel aged beers could have been considered gimmicky.

 

I just hate when someone tweaks a recipe a little and makes another tasty beer. I hate when Stone says Hoppy Old Guardian and brews a slightly different awesome beer. Sam Adams most of our gateway to craft beers goes and makes a very nice and affordable DIPA and some of us don't drink it because it is made by them. With what Ballast Point has been doing is taking a certain cut of steak and mixing up how you cook it. Let's try this seasoning today. I like a cheese burger with cheddar and bacon one day and steak sauce. Next day I may feel like swiss, mushrooms, and bacon and barbecue sauce. Keep it Ballast Point.

 

Um, after reading a lot of these threads, I'd say the BP-gone-fruity naysayers are in the decided minority.

 

At least they aren't making hard root beers

 

I don't see the gripe about BP becoming "gimmicky." Y'all love Victory at Sea but what if they had named it COFFEE&VANILLA PORTER? Is it a gimmicky porter now? Same thing, no? Maybe the naming convention is a tad lazy (add name of fruit to the front->done!) but the stuff is still tasty.