Ballast Point Brewing Even Keel

**Aroma:** “Hops express as citrus and pine with some fruity orange notes. Malt is subtly bready, hiding behind the hops. Very fresh like a spring herb garden. Soft, well-rounded hops aroma. Nice blend of tropical fruit (papaya, mango, light pineapple) and spicy hops character. Hints of Thai basil and oregano. Very intriguing.” **Flavor:** “Earthy, wet, piney, and herbal. Flavor picks up where the nose left off. Similar elements here, with the spiciness more in the fore, adding some lemongrass to the other herbal elements. Light bitterness doesn’t distract from the hops flavor.” **Overall:** “A balanced, pleasant, and quaffable brew. The mix of hops rounds out the rough edges, and hops bitterness is lower than some other examples making this beer very approachable. Body has good depth but minimal character. Overall, a pretty good session IPA.

**Aroma:** “Light floral hops aroma with an undercurrent of lemon and maybe mint. Delicate kiss of clean malt sweetness and cereal. Pine needles, a little grape- fruit, perhaps a touch of biscuit. As it warms, earthy components reminiscent of wet leaves comes into play.” **Flavor:** “Very distinctive citrus hops— lemon, tangerine, and a bit of grapefruit. There’s just enough malt sweetness with the tart citrus to evoke Lemon Heads candy before the bitterness rolls in smoothly. As the beer warms, an earthy mushroom-like character develops, which adds complexity and keeps me interested. Malt body is rather thin.” **Overall:** “Nicely balanced, although the bitter finish could be toned down just a little. Flavorful—it may be a session but it doesn’t compromise a lot. An enjoyable low-octane IPA that offers enough hops character for hopheads but remains a drinkable and well-balanced beer. Smooth and refreshing—a light, hoppy beer that would pair well with an afternoon in the hammock.”

**Aroma:** “Oranges, bananas, maybe a little hay. Some toast. Big tangerine notes with coconut and mango. Touch of dank and resinous hops aroma. Strong pine character. Pleasantly assertive hops nose.” **Flavor:** “Flavor is consistent with the aroma. I have to search to find a lot. Tropical fruit and some citrus peel sits on top of a surprisingly sturdy malt foundation. A little bit of caramel in there. The bitterness is delightful, with a long, citrus-like finish. Full fruity hops avor. In contrast to some of the others, hops flavor is what persists into the nish.” **Overall:** “An enjoyable beer, one I would happily quaff at a backyard barbecue. The long citrusy finish is sure to delight many—I’m guessing Citra hops in large amounts. I keep coming back to ‘sweet’ as a descriptor for this beer, but it’s very refreshing and enjoyable. A nicely balanced celebration of hops in session form. Elegantly made.”