Although I was somewhat ho-hum with the Sculpin variations, when it comes to food and drink, I'm always willing to give something a try, so when I noticed that Ballast Point's Watermelon Dorado was available, I picked up a bottle. Here's what Ballast Point has to say about their Watermelon Dorado:
Our Watermelon Dorado Double IPA is not one to back down from big flavors. Mash, kettle, and dry hopping blend to create a huge hop profile that is balanced with a blast of watermelon. The result is a refreshing brew that is all summer and no seeds.And here's what I thought about it...
- Appearance: I love the way this beer looks! Crystal clear, pale orange color with a slight reddish tint and a thick, one inch head of off-white foam. It practically screams, "DRINK ME!".
- Aroma: The watermeloniness is definitely there on the nose. I'd love to say that it smells like a fresh cut watermelon, but it leans more towards the Jolly Rancher spectrum of watermelon aromas since it has a definite sweetness to it. After that, there's some sweet tangerine and a bit of pine cone coming through too.
- Taste: That first sip is a bit odd, mostly because I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The mouthfeel is a bit heavy. By that I mean that this beer has some weight to it, i.e. it's kind of syrupy with a lightly creamy carbonation. There's a definite booziness and once you read the label, you know why. 10% ABV! Ballast Point ain't messing around! As I take more sips, this beer really starts to grow on me. It has a hearty hop bite, immediately followed by some watermelon sweetness. The finish is lightly bitter with some lingering watermelon flavors.
- ABV: 10%
Overall, once I adjusted to the weirdness that is Watermelon Dorado, I really grew to like this beer. This is a well balanced and boozy Double IPA that is definitely worth trying.