BeerBorg

I've been wanting to try this local (San Francisco) beer since it was announced/released a few months ago. I like about 50% of what they do, which is pretty good considering they have a wide range of styles/releases and I do like their Big Daddy IPA.

First off, they have some of the best labels and bottle art around as far as I am concerned. I really like the eyes logo, the feel of their tap room, names and logos, etc. Marketing works, I admit it.


So, Big Daddy is: 6.5%, 60 IBUs using Columbus, Cascade, Centennial.
Baby Daddy is: 4.7%, 35 IBUs using Citra, Chinook, Centennial, Cascade.

Again, back to the art - I LOVE the can. It's a black can and the colors they use are just visually striking. Even the lid it black and they used the "eyes" on it, too. Nice touch.



I had one of these last night with a pretty spicy dinner and it paired perfectly. It poured pretty clean with a light, almost Pilsner color even though they so use a bit of Munich in the grain bill. The aroma is somewhat tropical and fruity but is definitely present. No searching for the wonderful aroma we like IPAs to have. The taste is clean an crisp, with the hop-forward flavor from the 4Cs letting you know they are there without taking the enamel off your teeth. It finishes dry and crisp reminding me of my own IPL a bit but with a tad more bittering on the finish. If you've had Stone's GoTo IPA it's not THAT bitter, but similar in taste IIRC.
It had enough body to be satisfying without being too light like some of the SIPAs I've had can be.

I still hold Firestone's Easy Jack as the Gold Standard, but this rates as very good in my book. And at 4.7% it's a bit stronger than some other offering that hover in the 3.8% - 4.2% range, too. Not that the ABV matters to me, but it might explain the bit more body. I suppose that could be achieved with a higher FG too but I digress....

I have 2 more at home and I'll try the next one with a much more neutral food so I can fully appreciate the beer and see if my thoughts are any different at that point.

Oh yeah, the combination pacifier/brass knuckles logo can't be overlooked. It's fits perfectly with the name of the beer, relationship to Big Daddy IPA and fits their overall theme. Well done.

I thoroughly enjoy reading your reviews. I wonder if I had the availability to buy the beers you can, if I would brew (but the answer is yes).
Love the can and logo.

I knew if the title had IPA in it you would be the first to respond

Your point is well-taken, and it's likely why my brewing has slowed down so much. There are new beers to try every time I go out and I love the variety but don't consume large quantities so I try to balance buying versus brewing.

My blood type is IPA+

As normal, another fantastic penmanship of beer enjoyment. Your writings allow me to taste it right off the page.

I agree about the marketing too, what's not to love.

Glad you enjoy them, Jeff. I try to be a descriptive as my not-very-good-palette will allow me to be so that you (all) get a sense of what the beer is actually like. I read SO many descriptions from both breweries and beer reviewers that say the same damn thing everything and don't really convey what a beer tastes like - unless every beer out there tastes exactly the same within its respective style.

If my palette were better, I'd provide more detail but I do my best to call out what I can like:
Fruity versus dank
Rich and malty versus thin and/or dry
Resiny (resinous?) versus not
Smells good or like dog shit

I LOVE the name of that beer.

That is a good write up. Like Jeff said, I can't taste it right from reading it too.

BlackDuck wrote:That is a good write up. Like Jeff said, I can't taste it right from reading it too.

So I guess it wasn't a good write up then.

Kealia wrote:

BlackDuck wrote:That is a good write up. Like Jeff said, I can't taste it right from reading it too.

So I guess it wasn't a good write up then.

Ooops...now that's funny. I didn't even realize I did that.

Freud·i·an slip
noun

an unintentional error regarded as revealing subconscious feelings.

Review #2 sans Cambodian food:

Appearance: no change (duh!)
Aroma: I think I'm getting the Citra and Cascade coming through
Taste: What I described before holds true, but it seems a bit less dry than the first pint. Maybe the food was amplifying that aspect of it. Honestly, it's very close to my IPL but that used Simcoe and Amarillo so it's different in the specific hop flavor/aroma but the balance and mouthfeel are so very similar.

I do like this. I have to pick up my wife at the airport later and it is nice to have a light ABV beer with good flavor when I can't find any Easy Jack. I'm impressed and I like it and would order it if I was out and about and saw it on tap.

Good stuff.