Pizza Port Lou P. Lin

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Pint with Garlic Veggie pizza at Pizza Port, Solana Beach. Perhaps I didn't look rugged enough--the bartender offered me a sampler before pouring my pint. Though I knew what to expect, I did not pass up the free sampler! Called a 2 X IPA on the bar list, this offering is a contender for the next Lupulin Slam. More intriguing than 90 Minute, because it is better balanced. Golden, honey-amber in color, slightly hazy, with a perfect cap of smooth, creamy foam. Awesome lacing. Great aroma, full of citrus and malt. The flavor fills all four corners of the mouth with bright hoppy goodness, and the aftertaste is not overwhelmingly bitter, but lingeringly dry and smooth. Very nicely done.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Have had this several times the past month or so -- including the 2004 San Diego Strong Ale Festival, on-tap at O'Brien's, and most recently draught at the Pizza Port location at Solana Beach. And each time I've been more and more impressed with this particular offering.

Like so many other really well-made IPAs, this doesn't neccesarily go balls-to-the-wall with hops, at the expense of the malt bill. No, I'm of the mind-set that any really excellent IPA needs not only a solid a hop-bill, but a very firm and interesting malt-bill to support it, too.

Bronze-copper in appearence, with a solid PacNW-centric hoppy nose. Very firm malt-body, that gives good support to the primarily West Coast hoppiness present in each and every sip. Hard to guess the exact hop varieties here -- perhaps Amarillo, more likely Simcoe, Centennial, and/or Columbus. You can never really tell with Tomme's beers... :)

Regardless, a very tasty American Double IPA, from a brewery that almost never goes too far astray.

Recommended.
//TB

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Tasted at the 2004 Pizza Port Strong Ale Fest. Light orange gold color. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is hoppy, floral and earthy. A medium bodied imperial India Pale Ale. Malts are fruity and sweet. Hops are grapefruity, floral and piney. Nicely balanced. Medium bitter IPA. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

from previous notes On cask at the PP Strong Ale fest 2004. All sorts of hoppy, orange, grapefruit, citrus flavors going on, but backed up w/ sweetness that nicely balances the hops.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

This beer was the highlight of the Pizza Port Strong Ale Fest for me. It pours with a slightly cloudy golden body topped by a medium thick head with a good amount of lacing. The aroma is just amazing. It’s slightly sweet but mostly bitter, piney and grapefruity. I love it. The flavor is slightly sweet yet mostly bitter with great piney notes and a great grapefruit note. Medium to full bodied and smooth with a touch of dryness.