Tasted: Baller IPA

By scot in Home Brewing on Monday, December 5th, 2016

Baller IPA is the third attempt at northeast india pale ale (NEIPA). It is also my second NEIPA tasting in as many days: Used IPA.

This beer had more big additions of 2014 hops. This time a combination of Citra and Simcoe. I have heard over and over again that Citra makes a crappy beer taste good, therefore there should never be a bad beer that has used Citra hops.

This makes my third attempt at an NEIPA seemingly an easy home run. Let’s get to the review…

Look:Pale gold to straw in color. Not opaque but cloudy from the hops, darkening the beer. Half inch of pure white foam covers. Not much lacing or retention.

Aroma: Strong hop presence. Mango, pineapple and citrus are bullies. Touch of malt sweetness.

Taste: Bitterness is a little stiff for the style but quickly subdues on the second or third sip after the palate has been crushed. Tropical and citrus fruit abound. Malt backbone is minimal. More citra forward.

Body: Medium body. Medium carbonation. After the juiciness of the hops subsides, the beer is on the dry side.

Overall: Easily the best NEIPA to date. Needs more balance. Need to cut down on the carbonation for the next few attempts. Solid drinking beer with a huge hop flavor and aroma profile.

Definitely a beer to grow on and reassurance that I am heading in the right direction. Still, not a perfect beer due to my brew day issues with my mill, gravity and hop utilization. Another solid Citra beer. Enjoy!

Useless Fact: The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates mating by ripping the male’s head off.