First Draft

Sculpin IPA light for the style but popular among hopheads

Enlarge Image Rob Neal
By ROB NEAL

Tuesday June 12, 2012 1:30 PM

Best known for surfing and sunshine, San Diego has the reputation as being the India pale ale capital of the USA. Ballast Point Brewing Co. certainly reinforces that theory by offering a wide array of hop-centric ales.

Starting as a tiny brewery in the back of a homebrew supply shop, Ballast Point has grown steadily since its meager beginnings. Its most popular offering among hopheads is the Sculpin IPA, which won a gold medal at the 2010 World Beer Cup.

Sculpin pours a dark straw in color with crackling effervescence. Fairly light-bodied for the style, Sculpin possesses tropical fruit aromas of mango and papaya. Flavors of peach, apricot and lemon linger on the long, hoppy finish.
 
It would be a perfect match for blue cheese-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. A new arrival to the central Ohio market, Sculpin IPA currently is available in 22-ounce bottles and retails for around $9.

Rob Neal is a home-brewing consultant at Gentile’s, the Wine Sellers. Check out his blog at brewski-bros.blogspot.com.

May 20, 2013 | Currently: 70° Partly Cloudy