Draught pint at O’Briens on 3/23/2007
Shimmering bronze with just a hint of chill-haze and lighter blonde tints. White head is small, but mostly well-retained, leaving light lacing down the glass in patches.
Sweet pale malts are strongly woven in to the hoppy bouquet in the nose. It produces plenty of sweet fruitiness; sugary oranges/lemons, apples and cherries, with just a touch of pine dryness on the finish, recalling images of Pliny the Elder. The hops are definitely quite aromatic, but very easygoing, giving mostly fruitiness and soft juiciness without much bitterness/dryness or overly apparent snappiness. So it allows the malt to really work in the nose, providing cream and honey notes, a little bit of dry caramel and some light lemon-icing-like sweetness. As much as I like IPAs low on bitterness/acidity, I think a bit more here could provide more hop assertiveness, and resulting balance. Otherwise, I find it just slightly too sweet, despite the fact that the hops are clean, aromatic and very enjoyable.
Sugars build up, somewhat in the flavor, as well, but a decidedly stronger appearance of pine/resin-like dryness and a stronger nip of alpha acid on the finish help keep at bay the sweet maltiness. Very soft, malty texture has medium to medium-low amounts of carbonation. Oranges, peaches, nectarines and creamy-sweet malt through the middle, with plenty of lime and pine-like bitterness on the finish. Fairly simple overall, but without any flaws, of course, and very fresh and drinkable. Great session IPA (though I’d prefer a little less malt sweetness and maybe a touch more crisp/grainy notes from the malt).

On Tap @ O’Brien’s. Clear light copper color with off white head. Good lacing along the glass. Nice medium pine hop aroma. Taste is solid pine hoppiness. It has just the slightest malty sweetness to go along with the hops. Tasty IPA.

tap at the brewpub - This IPA isn’t as hoppy as their Blind Pig. It has some citrus and a mild pine note in the aroma. There’s a good malt balance in the flavor and the 6.5% is well concealed. The hops don’t seem quite as crisp and just plain good as the Blind Pig, but it’s still pretty good.

On tap at the pub. Gold color, white head. Hoppy aroma but not enough bitterness in the taste. Not bad but not great.

Draught at O’Brien’s, San Diego. Hazily pale amber. Grapefruity hop aroma. Dry with pleasant crisp malt character and medium body. There are notes of apricots and the finish has a lingering very strong bitterness. A classy beer, but some harsh saltiness intrudes and disturbs the image of a great IPA.

Draught, at the brewery
Hazy light amber colour. Wonderful aroma - pine cones, lemon, cumin seed, mango. The flavours are the same megahoppy complex, fruity, piney, grapefruity characteristics. The malts are a bit thin, however, and this has a negative impact in the body and the finish.

Draft. Rich amber beer with a nice beige head. Grapefruit, pine and caramel. Full mouthfeel. I’ve found this to be a bit inconsistent. When it’s good, it’s very good and a well balanced IPA. But it can also be a bit off that high.