The Alchemist / Ninkasi / Stone - More Brown Than Black IPA - Stone Brewing Co.

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into tulip.

A: almost super dark ruby red. or i could just call this brown. hazy. head is light brownish/white with good retention. loads of sticky lacing.

S: bubblegum and passion fruit. grapefruit. pineapple. caramel and biscuit malt. the finish of the nose is straight spruce tips and pine trees.

T: a bitter, piney blast starts things off. the bitterness lasts long into the finish. a little bit of biscuity malt as well. chestnuts and almonds. this is the only point where i have found any "brown" ale aspects of this brew. however, im not complaining. the american hop presence is very fresh and flavorful. oh, and bitter.

M: moderate amount of fizz on a medium body.

D: not being one of my personal favorite styles, this is probably one of the best brown/black IPA's i have ever had. the malt shows up just enough to make a showing, but this is all about super flavorful and aroma-filled hops.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 02:08:29 | More by Jimmys

Amalak

New York

4.35/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A. Very deep, dark, hazy brown. Sediment abounds. Nice tan foamy head, with some nice lacing.

S. Slight nutty scent with malt mixed in.

T. Very interesting soapy taste. Chocolate taste immediately follows with a caramel after taste. Very interesting nutty maltiness. There's a mild hop bite to it. Some coffee taste to it that comes on later.

M. A bit of tingle. Carbonated.

O. Very interesting taste. More of a chocolate stout that turns into a coffee stout. I really enjoy the taste, but I don' really get the IPA of it. Still, I enjoy the taste a lot.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 03:06:20 | More by Amalak

kels

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

So glad to have a chance to try this with Jason, who surprised me with a bunch of Heady Topper from the Alchemist a while back. Was really impressed with that, so really looking forward to this.

Pours a rich, murky deep brown with no clarity, holding an airy 1 finger off-white head that fades to a soft, skim. Sticky lace streaks down the walls of the glass as I drink.

Nose is full of fragrant, herbal hoppiness, with bitter citrus finish. Only a slight nod roasty malts peeks out.

What a unique tasting IPA. The hops are to be expected - stringent, bitter, sticky, and spicy. A slight pineapple sweetness accompanies. The malts are where things get unusual - they deepen the flavor of the beer with an almost jarring contrast of dry roast and hints of black licorice and molasses.

Moderate mouthfeel is balanced by enough carbonation to keep the stickiness from being heavy. Tongue-coating aftertaste lingers quite a while.

Pretty one-of-a-kind. I've never tasted a beer like it before. Pretty drinkable and definitely enjoyable, but wouldn't become a go-to IPA for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 02:13:17 | More by kels

nrbw23

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a murky brown color with a pretty thin light tan colored head. This brew has quite a bit of floaters in this one.

S- Quite a bit of hops here. A lot of citrus hops, weed, and pine. A touch of mint and roasted malts.

T- Hops are up front and center. A touch of a charcoal or smoke. A nice combination of roast and hops. Not too bad.

M- Medium in both body and carbonation.

O- Not too bad. Maybe I expected a bit more from this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 17:05:53 | More by nrbw23

CHickman

New York

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours opaque dark brown color that is almost black with a ton of sediment floating around in the beer, and a 1-2 finger creamy tan head that faded very slowly, leaving great foamy lacing sticking to the sides and great looking rings as it went down.

Smells of big citrus hops up front, then a strange combo of caramel, herbs, tea leaf, chocolate and tree bark which smelled like Windex was sprayed on it; in another review from BA member ‘distvan’, it may have been stated best: “cat litter smell”. It’s a very strange smell that’s sweet, fruity, malty and then just odd; I’ll let the flavor decide the fate of this beer.

Tastes of floral hops, followed by big juicy citrus hops, orange peel, grapefruit, grass/hay, roasted malt, caramel, brown sugar, toffee or coffee grinds, toasted grains, chocolate, herbs, piney hops/pine cone, peat moss, nut, burnt toast, chicory and mild spices like pepper and cinnamon; the hops add very nice citrus and floral notes and flavor, but the roasted malts and chocolate flavor balance this out almost perfectly and limit the sweetness which leads up to a slightly bitter finish. Very complex and each sip seems to highlight a different ingredient and flavors like orange peel or toffee, so this was very surprising and extremely tasty. It got better as it warmed and I enjoyed all of the flavor contradictions.

Mouthfeel was creamy with very mild carbonation, a medium body and a tart, grainy finish that was bitter and had a charcoal taste at the end. The finish was dry, but not clean.

A very good beer and that was very drinkable if you are into mass confusion on your taste buds; this was very nice, very interesting and overall quite dynamic. I really liked this beer and the way the roasted flavors matched up with the herbal and citrus notes. Another collaboration from Stone that’s on the pricy side, but this one is worth seeking out. Nice effort on the part of all three breweries.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 04:29:48 | More by CHickman

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, poured into my Cigar City tasting snifter.

More Brown Than Black IPA pours just that, a dark brown, but not quite quite back, and displays some cherry highlights. About a finger of khaki colored foam tops the beer. Head retention is jut OK, but there's a decent amount of lacing left clinging to the side of the glass. The nose has some soft chocolate and nutty notes that emerge first, but then get overtaken by plentiful aromas of grapefruit, mango, and pineapple. It's a wonderful blend, but I wish it jumped out at my nose a little bit more. The flavor profile leads off with those same malty notes. The bitterness and citrus and tropical fruit flavors that followed just didn't stand out enough over the malt profile for an IPA. The body is middle of the road as far as heft, making it on the full side for a hop-forward beer. The carbonation that it's paired with just isn't active enough though. It cuts through the malt, but it just doesn't help make the hoppy flavors pop. More Brown Than Black IPA is a good beer that just tends a bit more towards the More Brown Than Black and not enough towards the IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 04:23:54 | More by axeman9182

distvan

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - dark chocolate brown with less than one finger of whitish head

S - reminded me of heady topper but with a more citrusy and believe it or not cat litter smell. I can barely pick up the dark roadt malt.

T - hoppy but balanced like the topper. You can really pick up the dark malts and a slight chocality taste.

M - very smooth beer with a med-full body.

O - probably the best black ipa ive had to date. Well done by the brewers!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 00:38:18 | More by distvan

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I am sworn to secrecy (I think) as to my source for this one, but it was part of a huge trade that I pulled off recently. I am not a fan of the style, but its uniqueness makes it appealing to me all the same.

From the bottle: "I was first exposed to brewing dark IPA while I was head brewer at the Vermont Pub and Brewery in 1996. One day, I pulled a recipe from the archives for an IPA named Blackwatch. Brewed for the holidays, it was a wonderful departure from the expectations of the times. Under the close tutelage of Greg Noonan, we started to refine the complex balance of hops and roast levels. When I was fortunate enough to open The Alchemist in 2003, a modernized version of such a creation was on the top of my list. Following the recent flooding of our pub, I was presented with the opportunity to collaborate on a dark IPA with Stone and Ninkasi. Three great brewing communities coming together to brew and American Black Ale - I think Greg would be proud of the loyal following this style has gathered. [Undersigned] - John Kimmich Head Brewer, The Alchemist November 2011"

Gee, I almost feel sacrilegious with respect to my feeling about the style, but it just goes to show that you cannot please everybody.

Lots of lees/sediment were evident in the kick of the bottle, so I decided that a slow, gentle pour was in order. I gave it a little bit of agitation once it was in the glass, but I could not muster up anything more than wisps. Color was a deep-brown with garnet highlights and NE-quality clarity. The nose was dense with pine hops, resinous in its intensity. The mouthfeel was medium, but right away I could taste the dark malts getting in the way of the hops. Therein lies my heartburn with the style - keep your friggin' dark malt outta my AIPAs! I do not find Cascadian IPAs to be the sum of their parts, but instead, one part only serves to subtract from another. Enough of my rant. The finish allowed the hops a second chance, which was nice, but I could still taste charcoal, which was not nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 00:01:38 | More by woodychandler

buschbeer

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle
Served in a perfect pint glass

A - It pours a dark copper color with amber highlights. I have some suspended yeast in my glass. It is capped with a couple inches of beige head.

S - I noticed fresh grapefruit as I poured. I'm not getting much roasted aromas.

T - The taste has plenty of grapefruit, as well. i pick up a little roasted malt in the aftertaste.

M - Moderate

O - This is one of the better black ipa's that I have had. The citrus flavors are refreshing. I would have preferred a little more roasted flavors and aromas, but I would definitely drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 18:43:09 | More by buschbeer

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My excessive gratitude to Goblinmunkey7 for giving me a bottle of this

Consumed 3/14/12

Appearance: Dark brown, the name of this beer is quite accurate - moderately sized beige head, fades to nicely spotty lacing

Smell: One of the best-smelling black IPAs I have encountered, but that might be because the hop profile reminds me of Heady Topper - floral citrus, orange and grapefruit flesh, some topical notes, and some pine needles - caramel, slightly roasted, and slightly burnt malts form a nice base - some chocolate, too

Taste: Great, but not "typical" for the style - juicy grapefruit flesh, some citrus rind, some zest - oily, resiny pine - moderately but not highly roasted and burnt - adds some burnt bitterness to the hoppy bitterness - a touch of dry chocolate - ultimately, more of a brown IPA than an "American Black Ale"

Mouthfeel: Medium body, could be heavier, nicely carbonated, a bit sticky

Overall: Unique and very tasty

The Alchemist and Stone influences on this beer are mind-blowingly clear. The hop profile is great, and the malts are solid. I am overwhelmingly happy that I had a chance to review this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 05:19:04 | More by angrybabboon

rawfish

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cola brown with a nice cap of mocha head, tight lacing with good retention. Putting it up to the light reveals some ruby highlights and tons of sediment clinging to the glass.

A light roast coffee and chocolate is dominated by bright grapefruit and pine hops. Very flashy IPA aroma, not much of the malts. Very inviting.

Roasted coffee with a bit of cocoa sweetness is blended with more of the nose, bright citrus, grapefruit and pine. A hint of lemon zest on the finish with drying bitterness.

A bright hoppiness allows for good drying and pleasant bitterness. Average body and carbonation. Malts present with a sticky feeling on the finish.

Well done though the malt presence is very subtle and only comes out as the beer warms. Otherwise this is a very strong west coast ipa, just darker in color than one would expect. The sediment is a bit worrisome, this one isn't getting any fresher. Drink now.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 03:22:15 | More by rawfish

flagmantho

Washington

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: rich, hazy very dark-brown hue which lets a little bit of attractive ruby through when held up to the light. Head poured a thick finger of frothy tan foam. Nice.

Smell: rich aroma of citrusy, piney hops with a little bit of funk thrown in. Black IPAs can easily range into the dank and vegetal when it comes to hop aroma, but this is big, aggressive and surprisingly clean. I love it.

Taste: big fruity, citrusy, grapefruity hop flavor mixed in with a little bit of dankness. Bitterness is high, but not as high as you'd expect for a beer with this much hop flavor. I'd say it comes together very well, but not quite as well as in the aroma.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good dose of carbonation and a healthy creaminess. I like it.

Overall: the hop aroma on this is excellent and the hop flavor is close. There is a bit more dankness in the flavor than I'd like in a beer this bright and citrusy, but overall this beer is really excellent.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 23:19:05 | More by flagmantho

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: bottle from Capone's, Norristown, PA
Collaboration between Stone, Alchemist, and Ninkasi.

Poured a deep cola brown, oily and clear, with a thin layer of white bubbles for a head. Roasty malts and resinous hops in the aroma, pretty typical of the style. Taste is pretty woody and generously hop-laden, but not nearly as resinous as other CDAs I've had; flavors of pine needles, bitter citrus pith, cedar, nutty malts, moderately roasty. Medium body, slightly syrupy, a good drinker overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 14:40:36 | More by Rifugium

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into tulip.

A - Dark walnut brown with a creamy, modest tan head. Lots of sediment seems to be suspended in the glass.

S - A balanced blend of citrus, grapefruit, chocolate, and roasted malt. Also some pine and earthy notes. Yes, it smells delicious.

T - Similar to the aroma, but the hops stand out a bit more than expected. Sweet roasted malt and chocolatey flavors are present throughout, but the citrus hop flavor tends to take over. Slightly bitter finish.

M - Smooth, medium body, with moderate carbonation.

O - I really enjoyed this "black IPA". Highly drinkable, and while warming, the alcohol is masked well. One of the better examples of a black ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 18:07:38 | More by mooseo

brentusaurus

California

4.83/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

More Brown Than Black IPA Review
3-9-12

I've had this beer twice already but I like it too much to not review it. Also my first review, I hope it's ok.

Appearance: Definitely more brown than black, nice beige colored head with good lacing along the sides that lasts for a good bit. Lots of floaties, almost eerie since they're just suspended in the beer, but I think they're indicative of the hoppy goodness.

Aroma: Right out of the bottle I got a good whiff of sweet apricot and peach. As I smell further I get some nice orange citrus and pine, and some light malty chocolate or cocoa powder. Pretty good for a brew that's approaching three months.

Taste: Amazing, like the nose but better, good hop flavor without too much bitterness. Not too much malt in the palate, more like an IPA than a black IPA, but still delicious nonetheless. Citrus aftertaste without being too resinous, with a slightly sweet finish.

Mouthfeel: Nice and creamy, a little fuller than most IPAs, but still lighter than most dark beers. Pleasant finish, not too harsh on the palate. So drinkable I could knock back a few in a sitting easily. Alcohol is practically undetectable.

Overall: Just amazing, I love this beer. I'm not a huge fan of black IPAs, but I love the hop bill and the "lighter" malt backbone of this black IPA lets the hops shine. It does a real good job of balacing darker malts with delicious new hops. Stone, please make this a regular offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 06:41:08 | More by brentusaurus

Rizalini

Nevada

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12Oz. Bottle into a standard pint glass. Received in a trade from scottfrie.

A - Pours a nice mocha/burgundy color with a 1 finger tan head. Just a little lacing left behind.

S - Still smells hoppy, like a good IPA. Citrusey but starting to go...

T\M - Wow, has the nutty characteristics of a but brown with the hoppy bite of an IPA. Very we'll rounded and blended so one doesn't take over the other. Has some coffee and black tea flavors, with a nice tongue clinging bitterness. Medium mouthful. Good carbonation.

O - This is a damn good beer. So far, Stone collaboration brews are exactly what they claim to be. I love the perfect balance of ingredients in these brews. Thanks again Scott for sending this one my way.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 01:23:12 | More by Rizalini

jegross2

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewing the More Brown Than Black IPA, a collaboration between The Alchemist, Ninkasi, Stone Brewing Company.
Score: 89

2011 vintage bottle says "drink fresh - do not age." I picked this one up in late December 2011. Served in a Stella Artois Chalice and enjoyed on 02/26/12. This is a backlogged review from a beer tasting I hosted on Oscar night.

Appearance: Pours a deep brown soda, Coca Cola-like, color with layers of caramel highlights at the top and bottom of the glass. Despite the dark color, there is an unfiltered, sedimenty appearance. Two fingers of khaki colored sea foam head at pour. Average lacing, above average retention. 3.5/5.

Smell: Lemony Pine-Sol or lemony dish-soap dominate the nose. Fresh nondescript tropical citrus is in the aromatic mix too. A hint of creamy chocolate malt and a light amount of caramel. 4/5

Taste: Tastes like an IPA with a caramel twist. Lemon, grapefruit and caramel throughout. Hint of chocolate malt. Finishes with spiced hops and caramel. Pretty straightforward, but quite tasty. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, medium carbonation. Smooth and oily mouthfeel. Savory, slightly biter finish. 4/5

Overall: A super solid black IPA offering from some of the heavy hitters in the hops/IPA community. Nothing stand out or special, but certainly refreshing and enjoyable.

Recommendation: If you see a bottle on the shelf, I would recommend snatching up a bottle. Not worth breaking your back to get a bottle, but certainly worth seeking out. Probably a good "starter IPA" for casual beer drinkers that are not fans of aggressively hopped beers.

Pairings: Beef tacos.

Cost: $2.99 for a 12 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 17:46:04 | More by jegross2

stewart124

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very deep reddish brown. Hazy with a thin bit of slightly tan head.

Nose has plenty of piney, citrusy, minty characters with just a hint of toasty grains.

Taste is quite full bodied. Much more than I anticipated. Mostly hops with a strong malt backbone. The malts add some depth without coming across as roasted or overpowering. Really hop forward with plenty of hop oils slamming the palate.

Some residual sweetness and a lingering bitterness on the back of my tongue. This really comes through as a hop bomb. There aren't any hot alcohol notes but this doesn't drink like a 5% pale ale by any means.

Easy to drink and tasty. One of the better collaborations that I've come across recently.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 02:13:46 | More by stewart124

larryi86

Delaware

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thank you Cstromberg57 for this
12 oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- Dark brown, almost black, with a two finger tan head.

S- Hops, citrus, pine, hint of tropical fruits, roasted malts.

T- Tropical fruits and citrus hops up front, roasted malts, bitter dark chocolate, bitter piney hop finish. This it good and works, be I feel I would rate it higher if the flavors came together more.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- A solid beer that I am very happy to try. A good collaboration worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 00:28:42 | More by larryi86

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to tenderbranson69 for sharing this. The bottle was split with me and JC.

The color is murkey brown with a subtle translucent effect with some bubbles visible in the pour. The head is beige with ultra fine bead and lace sticks very well. The smell is so fruity with lots of herbs and tropical hop notes too. The slight similarity to simcoe in the NZ hops is noted which is slightly piney and citrus. The feel is very good with oily resins and moderatley high carbonation and bitterness with mild sweetness and general body is good for the style with a pretty dry feel in general.

The taste is great with the Nelson sauvin hops and the others like Galaxy and citra giving a very tropical and juicy hop flavor the malt is toasty and slightly sweet but not really roasted in taste and doesn't obscure the wonderful citrus/tangy tropical hop essence at all. Overall I was impressed and this lived up to my high expectations based on the fact the alchemist was involved, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 15:01:54 | More by Slatetank

SawDog505

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a 13 oz tulip. Excited to have a bottle, I had a sample at EBF and was really impressed. Pours a dark brown, with a one and a half inch off white head beautiful lacing, and like Heady tons of floaties. Smell is pineapple, tangerine, pine, grass, grapefruit, and some chocolate. Taste is all of those, really well balanced, citrus dominates. Body is on the large side for the ABV, plenty of life, not overly dry, and very drinkable. Really a solid beer, impressed me more a month ago at EBF, the hops seemed more lively. I made this my first beer at EBF, because I wanted a fresh palate.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 15:53:57 | More by SawDog505

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into tulip - thanks to aviencko for leaving this at my apartment (again)

Pours a deep blacked out color with some faint browned hues. One finger high layering of beige head dissolves, leaving bubbled retention and patches of film. Spotty lacing all along the glass.

Faint hop bitterness in the nose swirled with dark chocolate sweetness. Touches of pine and citrus. Plenty of dark roasted malt with touches of coffee.

Nice dose of bitterness up front with pine and sticky resin. Touches of grapefruit and citrus peel underneath. The darker malt backbone slowly creeps in, supported by chocolate and roasted hints. A flash of sweetness is quickly swept away by another blast of bitter hops. Finishes piny and sticky with a faint warmth.

Fuller medium body, slightly higher carbonation, sticky and lingering on the tongue. A nice black IPA here, although I would've like a little more out of the nose.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 02:35:10 | More by xnicknj

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.7/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Picked up a bottle of this at Julio's. Poured into Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a clear, super dark brown. One of the deepest "brown" colours I've ever seen thats for sure. Atop this was a nice one finger mocha head that fades to leave a nice halo and good clouding.

S - Aromas are very hoppy. Lots of citrus (grapefruit) and is this tropical fruits?! I get some pineapple and possibly some mango. Woah, never had this in black ale before. Yeaaaah, theres some Alchemist in this beer!

T - Taste is very, very nice. Lots of big bitter hop bite. Theres bitter grapefruit and those good tropical fruits here. Nice pineapple and a lil mango too. I really want to give this a 5, as it is all the great aspects of a Headytopper, but I dont really get any "black" aspects in here at all. No chocolate, no roast malts. I don't know if some age (which they say not to) would tone the hops down and make this a black IPA, as it drinks like great IPA. Gah...its an exceptional beer, just not for the style!

M - Slightly smooth, a little carbonation. Doesnt feel thin, and that super hop punch bitterness definately overpowers any ABV that might be there. If you like a good, super hoppy beer than this is it. Maybe a bit too bitter for a black ale.

O - My god, this is an excellent beer. This is basically Headytopper in a glass bottle. While this is ridiculously delicious it doesnt translate well to a Black IPA. These crazy good hops presumably overpower the roasty notes of a black IPA, but, my goodness is this delicious. Yeah, its delicious. Goddamnit I want more! Why'd I only buy one bottle of this when it came out?!

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 04:09:02 | More by rudzud

HardTarget

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Yep, that's pretty brown. Almost black, but glows with back light. Busy two finger tan head seems to settle in for the long haul.

Smell: Didn't even have to pick up the glass. Bright citric tangerine grapefruit west coast goodness. Maybe a touch of pine, and cut grass, some sweetness promises it won't burn.

Taste: It burns with the light of a thousand suns. Full hop flavors, resiny cones, grapefruit juice, a light tea quality, but a subtle delayed bitter only encourages the next sip.

Mouthfeel: Fluffy.

Overall: Angel juice. Great celebration of the glory of hop. Close your eyes and you wouldn't even guess Brown, let alone Black. Style points deducted for lack of any roasted barley flavors, but so much win in other areas. Will seek more.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 05:02:14 | More by HardTarget

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown (appropriately more so than black) with a chunky cocoa powder colored head. Large monadnocks of foam ride down the glass and leave several large rings in their wake. I do kinda wish it was more black than brown though. 'Cause I'm metal like that.

A big, fragrant bouquet of citrus hops greet my nose. Smells like what I'd expect from a duo who brought us Heady Topper and Ruination.

Like a citrus bath for my tongue. Hop heaven. The perfect amount of bitter. The only downside is that the malt doesn't contribute anything. Maybe a little carob powder but that's reaching.

Needs the malt to catch up with the hops. Well, maybe not catch up but at least show up.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 00:43:08 | More by donkeyrunner