Ballast Point Mango Even Keel

Slightly off topic but I had an old (couldn't read date but at least 4 months old) Grapefruit Sculpin and all I could taste was the grapefruit flavoring, no hop flavor at all, if you told me it was Mikes Hard Grapefruit I would have believed it. Sweet and gross, 2 sips and down the drain.

Not quite as extreme but to me adding all these artificial tasting flavors to, in some cases, a top notch craft brew is a bit like mixing your Pappy with cola.

 

I mean, in the last year they offered a new standard American Pale Ale in Grunion, a new standard American Stout in Commodore, and a new IPL in Fathom in bottles, so it's not like they haven't been doing as you asked. Maybe BP is just a victim of its own prolificness?

 

the thai chili wahoo wheat has been around for years. so were habanero and grapefruit sculpin before bottled

 

Not to mention Grunion is stupid-delicious

 

Wow, this summarizes my opinion exactly. But the prices here in CT aren't so awful.

 

Finally saw it today in Seattle. $9.99. Totally forgot it was like 3.8% ABV. Yikes!

Will likely grab some in two days when Pineapple & Watermelon arrives.

 

pineapple sculpin: 17.99/6pack, no flavor, no semblance of an IPA, best thing i can say is i didn't drain pour it
mango even keel: 16.99/6pack, smells grear, tastes absolutely horrible and is under 4% abv

PSA to anyone in the philly area, do not buy these. should have known that new, hyped, gimmicky, BP made beers with ratings below 90 this soon after being released would be terrible excuses for beer

 

For me the 3.8% ABV isn't a bug but a feature. The price will ensure that I don't buy it often, but I'll certainly go for this Mango Even Keel again sometime. Nice stuff.

And people who feel the mango infusion makes it "not really beer," how would you feel if instead the beer had been aged in mango barrels?

 

I was at a craft beer store in Portland, Maine the other day and saw several cases of it. So I am assuming you should see it everywhere now.

 

I'm pretty new around here and to craft beer, after decades being a bourbon guy. It was grapefruit IPA that first caught my attention. That weekend I tried a local berliner weisse and I have been exploring new beers like a boss. I have preferences certainly now but I explore everything and I go back to these experimental IPAs (and stouts and wilds and whatever) because trying something new is part of the fun and these combos can be very tasty and sessionable. My wife has joined this journey with me and these kinds of beers grab her attention, not that a good stout won't do the same.

I can understand why some see this as bastardizing something they hold dear or simply as selling out. I see BPs attemp as an opportunity for BMC drinkers to try something that may lead them deeper into the craft beer world but frankly, I don't care as these tend to be pretty damn tasty.

I will admit the Habanero Scuplin on tap almost killed me but it was so damn good I couldn't stop.

 

I can't get into the Even Keel. $13.99 for a 3.8% 6pk. Not happening. I would try it on draft but won't go looking for it.

 

Picked up a six last week and have gone through most of it. Bigger mango on the nose than on the tongue IMO but it's not overly sweet and overall I think it turned out well. It's probably not going to be an often-repeated purchase for me because I just don't really like session IPAs in general, but as far as the style goes this one was interesting enough that I wouldn't turn it down.

 

My bad, I didn't see how old the post was

 

Bought a six of mango even keel yesterday, it's a solid beer. Mango comes through clean and nice but it does sweeten it up a little. But it's refreshing and goes down easy.

 

Some folks (like me) buy it specifically due to the lower alcohol. Nice hop bite, very low ETOH--for the right time.

Not sure why so many folks seem to find that unappealing. In the scheme of things, an extra 0.50$/can while having brews on a fishing trip means nothing.

 

Multiple brewer's have also posted on Beeradvocate clearly explaining alcohol percentage is one of the least influential factors on price.

Moreover, let's say a standard beer is 5% abv. Even Keel is 1.2% less than that. How come no one complains about the difference between say Ballast Point's Grunion Pale Ale at 5.5% abv and Sculpin at 7% abv?

You pay for a quality product in a niche market, not for alcohol percentage in beers. If you want more bang for your buck, buy Jack Daniels.

 

Anyone remember when St Ides released their "Special Brews"...... I mean malt liquor wine coolers?