So the Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado double IPA review none of you were waiting for.

It’s good. it’s not great but I do not regret that $16+ I handed over in exchange for six of them. A friend came over and, I think, nailed it, when he suggested that it would be much better consumed ice cold at the end of a hot day. Because let’s face it, you’re not drinking 10% beers DURING the day if you want to be awake past tea time.

Now I disagree that any beer worth drinking should be served ice cold because that amount of cold kills taste too much but this is definitely not a room temperature beer. It needs to be cold and the weather needs to be hot; I am definitely drinking it out of season tonight.

You can definitely taste the watermelon on the first sip and then again as it hits the back of your throat. (PHRASING! Boom! Nailedit!) it is not overpowering. In between there’s the good bitter taste one associates with a good IPA. The mix works surprisingly well.

The one gripe I have is that the alcohol is a little too present, which is odd as the regular Dorado double IPA does not have as much, (to me anyway), even though they both clock in at 10%. Maybe it’s the fruit taste that enhances the alcohol factor? I don’t know. I do know that you definitely know you’re drinking a high ABV beer here. The sweetness also adds a bit of a syrup factor but it’s not unpleasant.

This beer will not make you forget the Sculpin, the Grapefruit Sculpin, (and Ballast Point’s amber, [Calico if you’re interested], is very good as well), but it’s a solid beer and far better than most watermelon varieties I’ve tried.

By the way I’m about 3/4 of the way through my second one and the amount of editing I’ve had to do to have this comment not look like something Charlie from IASIP wrote is fucking staggering. That alone makes it worth the price of a six-pack.

About to try Ballast Point’s Watermelon Dorado double IPA. Generally watermelon beer sends me running for the exit but the pineapple hasn’t reached my favorite packy, (other than Jackie’s Packie of course), and I figured they did so well with the Grapefruit Sculpin that they deserve the benefit of the doubt for at least one six-pack.

Tune in later to see if I’ve made a huge mistake!