Well, they got it half right anyway. Good old Ballast Point Brewing of San Diego, California has hopped on the “session IPA” bandwagon with Even Keel Session IPA, their version of this low strength, highly hopped style. My first taste of this beer came at Taco Mac in Canton, Georgia as the beer was featured as one of the November, 2014 beers of the month.

Ballast Point cans this beer as well, and I salute them for that. A highly portable, highly potable brew like this is a thing of beauty indeed. On the Taco Mac draft list I liked that they called it a session ale rather than an IPA, but on the can it does say session IPA. And that’s where the half right thing come in. Unlike many examples of this style, Even Keel can indeed be called a session beer because it’s under 4% alcohol by volume. It’s still not an IPA, though.

Here’s what Ballast Point says about the beer:

Our Even Keel is a hoppy ale designed for smooth sailing. A full-flavored beer with a silky malt backbone and a bright hop profile of herbs and citrus, it packs all the taste of an IPA in a sessionable alcohol content. This ale is perfect for leisurely days on the water, when all you want are a few beers and a level ride.

Even Keel has an alcohol content of 3.8% by volume and 40 IBUs of bitterness. I paid $6.25 for a 20-ounce mug at Taco Mac but have not seen the cans here in Georgia.

My mug of Ballast Point Even Keel Session IPA arrived a beautiful golden orange color with a thick fluffy head of spritzy foam. There’s a very appetizing grapefruit and citrus in the nose, and taking a sip I find the body a little thin up front. To be sure, there is a touch of malt, but not the “silky malt backbone” that Ballast Point’s puffing boasts of. To be fair, the thin maltiness is common for the style. The hops are the main attraction, and I get a lot of resiny grapefruity hop flavors and a long lingering dry bitterness here. The finish is nicely bitter indeed, and this went well with an order of Taco Mac’s famous wings.

Taco Mac got rid of the Death Wings my son and I so like to order, but they now have Fiery Chili Citrus wings which are just as hot. Plenty of heat with some refreshing citrus accent that really works. Very nice indeed with my Even Keel as the citrus and heat of the wings played off the citrus and bitterness of the beer. Bonus too that it was pint glass night and I got a free glass.

If you want to keep things on an even keel without sacrificing flavor, this is the beer to do it with.  

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

 

 

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