Ballast Point built its name on aggressive West Coast IPAs, so a 99-calorie light lager was a deliberate change of pace when it launched in 2019. It is a SMASH beer, meaning single malt and single hop: 100% two-row barley and a light touch of Apollo hops, with part of the water run through reverse osmosis to keep the profile delicate. The goal was simple, a craft lager that could be a boat beer, a beach beer, and a grill beer all at once.

The basics

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, CA)
• Style: Light Lager
• ABV: 4.2%
• IBU: Not published

What to expect

Ballast Point Lager pours pale gold and bright with a clean white head. The flavor is light malt with a touch of honey, a slightly spiced hop finish, and just enough character to keep it from tasting like water. It is ultra-light and crisp, engineered to have exactly enough flavor and no more, and it finishes clean with a gentle dryness that invites the next sip.

At 4.2% ABV and 99 calories, this is a beer built for long sessions and hot days. It will not challenge your palate, and it is not trying to. What it does is deliver a cold, clean, easy-drinking lager with a little more malt and hop personality than the macro competition, which is exactly the job it was designed for.

Our rating

8.0/10

Rated by Alex (8). Alex puts this one at an 8, and for a light lager, that score is earned. Judged against its own ambitions, Ballast Point Lager is close to perfect: it is crisp, clean, flavorful enough to be interesting, and light enough to drink all afternoon. It will not convert anyone looking for a big, bold beer, but as an everyday lager from one of San Diego’s flagship breweries, it is hard to beat.