Moonlight Bombay By Boat IPA

(Yes, I know Brian Hunt's Moonlight beers are sacred cows in some parts, but here goes my attempt at a fair and honest review anyway!)

Karen and I stopped by The Linkery this evening -- a funky new joint in San Diego's South Park neighborhood. Been meaning to check it out for quite a while, since they have had a nice range of beers, and food that supposedly couldn't be beat.

But what clinched our decision to go there tonight was that the place was cracking open their small stash of Bombay By Boat IPA -- cask, no less! Well, actually, according to Jay Porter (who stopped by our table for a chat), this was actually a direct pull from the bright tank, and not conditioned at all! Big props to this place for having the guts to pour what really could have amounted to a very "still" beer.

But really? This came to our table (several rounds' worth!) with a nice half-finger of foam on top, with some gentle carbonation fizz in the body. Golden in colour, when held up to light.

My wife wasn't so hot on the bitterness of the beer, but did appreciate the hoppy aroma. Very fresh and assertive, all-around.

Very enjoyable in the mouthfeel here, since it seemed like the very low carbonation helped emphasize the warm and fully rounded malt-bill. I have been -- and remain -- a firm believer that an IPA can get by with pretty most combinations of hop-bills.... But if the malt base isn't up to snuff, it all comes down like a house of cards.

Not a concern here! A very nice, well-balanced malt-bill, to back up a not-inconsequential hop load. I'm guessing maybe Columbus in the mix...., maybe Cascade/Centennial in the middle or finish.... maybe some esoteric hop like Glacier or Sterling in the finish? Or I may be 100% wrong? :^)

But what I am sure of is that this beer rocks. A surprising find, since my last few beers from Moonlight have all been Lagers. But this only reinforces my opinion that Brian Hunt is not only a very nice guy, but a hell of a brewer too.

//TB