Mission IPA
Picked up a 22oz bomber at Olive Tree Market here in Ocean Beach for $5.49 and poured it into a pint glass. A: Pours a light copper hue with a decent head and some decent lace as well - probably the beer's best attribute. S: Pretty week - a ton of malt with only slight hop smell; no citrus or pine for me at all, just a ton of sweet malt and maybe a little mossy characteristic, but not like a typical Cali IPA. T: Basically the flavor resembled the smell for me - no hop bight at all, completely dominated by sweet malts and only a hint of hop at the end, there's a bit of fruitiness in there too but it doesn't really lend any type of quality to this ale. I'm 35 years old, born and raised in San Diego and grew up drinking Cali IPA's, and this one falls so short that it comes across as more of a pale ale (at best) rather than an IPA. If you're looking for a real Cali IPA; skip this one and stick to Ballast Point, Port, Alpine, Russian River, Lagunitas, etc. Don't get me wrong, not terrible, but not what its claiming to be and really not sure what they're even going for here (???). M: Average medium bodied brew. D: Forced myself to finish it. Would never buy again.