Before Sculpin became the name everyone knew, Big Eye was Ballast Point’s statement IPA. Built on Columbus and Centennial hops and dry hopped for aroma, it helped define what people mean when they say San Diego IPA: lean malt, bold hops, and a bitter finish that does not apologize. It is a classic of the style, and it still tastes like one.

The basics

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, CA)
• Style: American IPA
• ABV: 7%
• IBU: 71

What to expect

Big Eye pours a clear copper with a lasting foamy head and sticky lacing. The aroma leads with floral hops, passion fruit, and bright citrus, backed by a little sweet malt. On the palate the hops take over: fruity and floral up front, resinous pine in the middle, and a firm, drying bitterness that builds to a long finish. The malt backbone is there, but it stays restrained, which is the whole point of the San Diego style.

This is a beer for hop lovers and for food that can fight back: spicy tacos, grilled meats, or sharp cheese. At 71 IBU it is not a beer to sip absentmindedly.

Our rating

6/10

Rated by Alex (6). Alex puts this one at a 6, and that feels fair for a classic that is very good but not quite great by today’s standards. The hop flavor is still excellent, and the San Diego lean-malt approach holds up well, but the bitterness can turn a little harsh toward the end of the glass, and newer IPAs have found ways to deliver the same aroma with a softer finish. A must-try for the history, and a solid pint in its own right.