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HOW TO PAIR BEER WITH EVERYTHING: Grapefruit Sculpin by Ballast Point Brewing Company

HOW TO PAIR BEER WITH EVERYTHING: Grapefruit Sculpin by Ballast Point Brewing Company
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Beer: Grapefruit Sculpin

Brewer: Ballast Point Brewing Company

Style: American IPA

ABV: 7.00%

Description: Grapefruit Sculpin pours amber orange with a frothy white head that leaves a beautiful lacing on the glass. The aroma is an overwhelming wallop of grapefruits up front, with more subtle backing hints of tropical fruits and bready malts. The taste follows the nose with fresh grapefruit washing over the palate up front, backed by hints of peaches, mangos, and a slight touch of lemon before subtle bready malts soothe the palate and leave behind a very enjoyable dry finish. The medium body and lively carbonation make for an extremely refreshing and invigorating IPA.

The strong notes of grapefruits are the perfect addition to the standard Sculpin IPA and really enhance the beer’s natural fruity tones. This is a must-try beer for fans of IPAs, and it just may quickly become your new favorite IPA!

Ideal setting: The strong citrus notes and moderate ABV make this an excellent beer to enjoy while being outdoors, whether it is yard work, relaxing on the back porch, or together with friends. Grapefruit Sculpin is a beer that craves the outdoors, and the new availability in a can makes it even easier to satisfy that craving!

Ideal music: A bright hoppy IPA with strong notes of grapefruit can certainly be enjoyed throughout the year, but it seems to scream out for anything that brings about thoughts of summer. Classic pop punk is always a great go-to genre for the summer months and goes exceptionally well with Grapefruit Sculpin!

Some great albums to enjoy with Grapefruit Sculpin are:

  • Strung Out – “Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues”
  • The Ataris – “Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits”
  • Blink 182 – “Dude Ranch”
  • Screeching Weasel – “Boogada Boogada Boogada”
  • NOFX – “White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean”
  • Reel Big Fish – “Turn the Radio Off”
  • The Offspring – “Ixnay on the Hombre”

Ideal movie: Grapefruits are most definitely a comfort fruit that many of us enjoyed for breakfast growing up or had a parent that enjoyed them with their breakfast. The strong grapefruit notes in this beer make for a great pairing with films that bring us a great deal of comfort. Documentaries examining some of our favorite bands make for a phenomenal pairing with this beer!

Some great films to watch while enjoying Grapefruit Sculpin are:

  • “Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All”
  • “I’M NOW: The Story of Mudhoney”
  • “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco”
  • Sonic Youth – “1991: The Year Punk Broke”
  • MxPx – “B Movie”
  • “Cinema Beer Nuts – The Original Punk Rock Taste”

Ideal book: Having a glass, or can, of grapefruit sculpin in hand while reading a great music biography about your favorite artists will most definitely make a great afternoon getaway. The juicy fruits and stories about being on the road will quickly make you long for the dog days of summer!

Some great books to read with Grapefruit Sculpin are:

  • “Demons and Cocktails: My Life with Stereophonics” by Stuart Cable with Anthony Bunko
  • “Gimme Something Better: The Profound, Progressive, and Occasionally Pointless History of Bay Area Punk from Dead Kennedys to Green Day” by Jack Boulware and Silke Tudor
  • “Too High to Die: Meet the Meat Puppets” by Greg Prato
  • “Punk USA: The Rise and Fall of Lookout Records” by Kevin Prested
  • “White Line Fever: The Autobiography” by Lemmy Kilmister

The perfect experience: Grapefruit Sculpin is a beer that should be shared with all craft beer-loving friends. This is a beer to truly be savored, but also one that is great as a six-pack to bring to any party. Enjoy this beer at any outdoor gathering with friends or family and soak up all the wonders of the sun while enjoying some awesome music on the stereo!

How to Pair Beer with Everything is a weekly column about stimulating all of the senses through beer. Look for it every Thursday on NEPA Scene.