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[expand]Total Score: 45/50
This beer is right on target with the GABF style guideline. Well-balanced for an IPA exhibiting dark roast malts. more >
[close]Total Score: 45/50
Aroma: High citrus hop aroma with caramel, chocolate roasted malt backbone. No diacetyl. No DMS. Fruity ale-like fermentation esters. Alcohol is very noticeable. Like a hoppy Imperial Stout. Very inviting. (10/12)
Appearance: Black. Opaque. Dense, long-lasting tan head. Well carbonated, but not fizzy. Very pretty. (3/3)
Flavor: Sweet caramel and roasted malts with nice chocolate overtones. There’s a high hop bitterness and complex hop flavor with lots of citrus notes. Lingering bitterness in aftertaste but balanced with a dry finish. No DMS. Very low diacetyl. Lots of alcohol, but not hot or fusel. A bit chalky—perhaps water treatment. (18/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body with a light to medium mouthfeel. Mouth-puckering bitterness, but not astringent. Great use of hops and dark malts to avoid astringency. Very alcohol warming. (5/5)
Overall Impression: This beer is right on target with the GABF style guideline. Well-balanced for an IPA exhibiting dark roast malts. Nice blend of hops and malts that provided depth and complexity to both. Like an imperial stout, this beer would go well with oysters. Like an IPA, it would be great with pizza. Anchovy pizza, anyone? (9/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 40/50
Lives up to the velvety texture described on the label. Stout leaning toward Robust Porter with IPA aroma and flavor hopping, and moderate bitterness. more >
[close]Total Score: 40/50
Aroma: Piney, grapefruit citrus hop aroma dominates, though strong caramel malt backs it up, with notes of dark roasted coffee emerging as the sample warms. Clean fermentation. (9/12)
Appearance: Brown-black with ruby highlights; brilliant clarity. Light tan froth of mostly fine bubbles persists to the end, laces nicely on the glass. (3/3)
Flavor: Rich coffee malt backbone with prominent piney, fir-needle, grapefruit and tangerine citrus hop flavors; the malty sweetness and pronounced hop flavors give way to an intriguing, inviting combination of roast malt, caramel, and firm hop bitterness. Clean fermentation as in the aroma. Well balanced among all components, accented with a little earthy note mid-palate. Pleasant hop bitterness and flavors linger into the finish. (16/20)
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with creamy texture of steamed milk; moderate, mouth-filling carbonation. A bit of roast malt astringency accents the hop bitterness. Low alcohol warmth. Lingers on the palate for a somewhat dry finish, surprising in such a rich, creamy textured beer. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Lives up to the velvety texture described on the label. Stout leaning toward Robust Porter with IPA aroma and flavor hopping, and moderate bitterness. Rich and complex, this is a beer for that transition from hot summer nights to brisk autumn evenings, when it’s not quite time for stories around the fireplace. Has the lingering, persistent hop flavor that is a hallmark of the Pacific Northwest. Goes quite well with Jamaican jerk spices. (8/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 46/50
This is one of the best balanced, hoppy beers I have had the pleasure of tasting. The fresh hop notes and complex array of malt flavors combine to create an intensely flavorful brew. more >
[close]Total Score: 46/50
Aroma: The first impression is of a fresh-smelling blend of chocolate malt and piney, citrusy American hops. There is just enough black malt underneath to speak to the porter base style, and the low levels of alcohol and caramel notes underneath add complexity. There are moderate citrus-grapefruit notes from American hops. I pick up some graininess, but not enough to be a distraction. (11/12)
Appearance: The color is very dark brown, almost opaque, with a beige head that lasts fairly well. Brilliant clarity. (3/3)
Flavor: The malt provides a moderately strong backbone, with some sweetness up front. The caramel notes are just a teaser for the roasted malt that follows, with dark chocolate, coffee and smoky notes enhanced by low levels of dark fruit esters. American hops are present in the background, with their characteristic citrus flavor notes, but their main role is to push toward a hearty bitterness in the finish that blends with some sweetness from alcohol. (18/20)
Mouthfeel: The hops and roasted malt phenols coat the mouth, leaving a little astringency and chalkiness, but at an appropriate level given the ingredients and style parameters. There is also some alcoholic warmth. (5/5)
Overall Impression: This is one of the best balanced, hoppy beers I have had the pleasure of tasting. The fresh hop notes and complex array of malt flavors combine to create an intensely flavorful brew. A slightly more rounded backbone with less graininess would add some depth, but fine-tuning is dangerous when you are so close to perfection. (9/10)
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[expand]Total Score: 41/50
It’s nice that the beer isn’t roasty but the harshness from the hops does mess a bit with the dark malts in the finish. more >
[close]Total Score: 41/50
Aroma: Fresh piney hops initially—moderately strong. Appropriate for an IPA. Suggests dry hopping, a bit grassy. Mild malt nose, light milk chocolate-like aroma. More rounded sweetness and dark malt complexity than an IPA. Light esters. No roast/burnt character. All about the hops. The malt character does increase a bit as it warms, but does not equal the hops. (11/12)
Appearance: Opaque. Black but not jet black. Deep red highlights around edges. Tall tan head, tiny bubbles, persisted well. (3/3)
Flavor: Great flavor. A ton of hops with a roasty but not burnt background. The malt supports and lifts the hops, not clashes. Milk chocolate flavor underneath. Piney hop freshness—quite high. High bitterness but with more malt flavor than a typical IPA. Grapefruit, piney, dark caramel flavors abound. Big flavors, but it finishes a little harsh from the hops. The caramel notes get stepped on quickly by the hops. The rough finish lingers and becomes more apparent. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: Moderate astringency; seems somewhat high. Medium body. Medium-high carbonation. Not as dry and light as an IPA, but the hop harshness seems elevated. (3/5)
Overall Impression: Interesting concept. Displays a ton of hops. Harshness and rough finish detract for me, but the dark malt is exceptionally well-handled. Not a lot of flavor difference to distinguish it from an IPA—just some chocolate. It’s nice that the beer isn’t roasty but the harshness from the hops does mess a bit with the dark malts in the finish. A different hop choice (something less piney and rough) might make it smoother and easier to drink. (7/10)
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