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Editorial Dept.'s picture

94 Rating – Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits – Watermelon Dorado

VP of Brewing & Distilling Jamie Murray.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
We like to think that ALL of our recipes are a collaborative effort. There is no one person responsible for the world-class execution of our beers.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
I love the fact that our team decided to use cucumber alongside the watermelon. It gives this beer added depth and really accentuates the aroma and flavor of watermelon and watermelon rind.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
Dorado (Spanish for golden), in this case, refers to the beautiful common dolphinfish or Mahi Mahi (Hawaiian for very strong). With unmatched variations in color, the vivid Dorado astounds San Diego anglers with its strong aerial fighting ability. Their prized fillets make for some of the finest fish tacos in the world! Two Dorado fish, painted by local artist Paul Elder, grace the label to remind you of the double punch of flavor.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
This beer is a little too high-octane for a desert island. Mango Even Keel is more my style.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Another home run by the best team in the biz.

BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
We are constantly experimenting with our brands, whether it be in R&D or via our cask program. This happened to be a beer that we ran through our tasting rooms on the beer engines and was very well received. We decided to brew a small batch and “debut” it during LA Beer Week. The response was overwhelming, and we knew we had something special on our hands. That is the beauty of our program: All of the new brands play on core brands, and they all come about organically.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
There's so many options: Gazpacho, Asiago and Manchego Cheeses, Chinese Salt and Pepper Wings with Sweet and Sour Sauce, Avocado, Grapefruit and Shrimp Salad with Buttermilk Dressing, Shrimp Po' Boy, Tomato Panzanella with Shrimp and Basil, Baby Back Ribs with Kansas City BBQ Sauce, Pineapple Custard, Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with bleu cheese, Grilled Corn on the cob freshly covered with butter and salt and prosciutto-wrapped watermelon and brie.

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