Black IPA - Rock Art Brewery

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4/5  rDev +4.7%

02-16-2013 22:31:17 | More by stephenjmoore

Ivanhoes_Backpack

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

04-30-2013 20:27:57 | More by Ivanhoes_Backpack

reizorc

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

04-04-2013 19:58:46 | More by reizorc

CB_Crowe

Vermont

4/5  rDev +4.7%

03-12-2013 01:47:15 | More by CB_Crowe

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Almost pitch black color. large off white head that slowly dies. Herbal and spicy hop nose with a chocolate malt character. Faintly earthy and minty.

Pretty good. Has a nice chocolate malt presence that works with the hop pretty well. Rich chocolate flavor actually with touches of caramel and a minty faintly spicy hop character. Big herbal flavor balances the rich chocolate sweetness. Incredibly drinkable and pretty unique. Not as hoppy as you think a black ipa would be, seems more like a deep american brown ale but its good.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 01:59:34 | More by jtierney89

marcdalke

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

02-06-2013 23:12:18 | More by marcdalke

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +4.7%

02-05-2013 01:20:23 | More by kwjd

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Over carbonated pours a huge 2+ finger creamy fluffy head fades at a med pace with lots if bubbles, tons of lacing everywhere, midnight black beer.

Nose brings nice hops, Chinook earthy like base and centennial or cascade like spicy and citrus, hops are quite aromatic. Then a bit of dark malts, black malt and touch of cocoa, a touch of caramel, and a hint of pine hops in there too.

Taste starts with dark malts, a light roasted malt and hint of coffee, caramel, creamy cocoa, etc. Then transitions to hops quickly, again that nice cascade citrus and spicy hop flavor, a light pine and mint, earthy spicy chewy hops as a base maybe Chinook again. Orange citrus hops blend with the light pine and spicy hops to bring medium bitterness and hint of resin. Finish is more bitter hops, citrus and pine, light spicy and earthy, as well as roasted malt, light coffee and hint caramel lingering, touch drier but still a bit sticky sweet.

Mouth is med bodied, fluffy nice carb, little creamy malt.

Overall not bad actually, not really a big fan of black ipas, and most of the rock art beers are mediocre imo, but this was done pretty well. I like the blend of spicy citrus pine minty earthy hops, aromatic and tasty, and the hops really take the show and the roast and other dark malts just hint at a base and don't clash too much.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 02:52:41 | More by jlindros

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

4.01/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle punched Dec 28 (2012). As Brad007 pointed out below, this is not to be confused with Black Moon IPA.

(3.75) A: Black with a dark brown tinge around edges and a puffy mocha coloured head. Solid retention with patchy lacing as this is consumed.

(4.25) S: Bold and vivid hop-like aromas in the form of musky earthy pine and fresh grapefruit that transitions into probing roasted malt characteristics including some bitter chocolate and burnt caramel. Very aromatic with those damp wood and earthy qualities really shining through.

(4.0) T: Tart grapefruit, slight acidic lemon, faint roasted malts (bitter chocolate), dry woodchips (not that I’ve ever tasted them *awkward pause), caramel, and dry apricot. Incredibly easy to drink with strong hoppy qualities and enough roasted malt to compliment this nicely.

(3.75) M: Medium-light bodied with a moderate carbonation. Quite dry and bitter throughout with a near chalky texture. Pleasantly tingly from the carbonation and acidic quality.

(4.0) D: Rock Art delivers with this offering. Probably a lighter bodied and less stout-like variation of the style, but this equates to a wonderfully refreshing and bold IPA centered take on it.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 01:56:58 | More by Digimaika2

MEW

New York

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

01-02-2013 21:53:15 | More by MEW

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a bottle of this at the Rock Art Brewery while on a beerventure with JLindros. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Poured a nice deep, dark brown almost black hue with a massive three finger khaki head that faded down to a nice one finger dense blanket with good sticky side lacing.

S - Aromas of light roast along with some nice citrus and pine. Nice chocolatey roasted malts. Fresh pine jumps a bit more than the grapefruit.

T - Taste is a bit of a disappointment, I think. The soft roast is there along with more of the pine. It all falls a bit flat though. It is quite balanced, but nothing really jumps out for me though.

M - Mouthfeel ruins this beer for me. Its so mediocre. Its so flat and thin, basically just like water. It detracts so much for me from the taste on this. It ruins it.

O - Overall this beer started off so promising and then collapsed when I took a sip. Its incredibly unfortunate. Wanted to like this beer but..argh.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 05:45:22 | More by rudzud

Brad007

Vermont

4.3/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Not to be confused with their stronger Black Moon IPA.

Pours a brownish-black with a thick brown head that fades to lacing in the glass. Standard for the style.

Aroma is similar to Black Moon with a strong focus on citrus and pine. Very fresh. 40IBUs is obviously lower than Black Moon.

Taste is more rounded out too. There's still that unique, juicy citrus/pine hoppiness but it's balanced out by a touch of roasty malt. Similar to a hoppier brown ale. Very pleasing.

Mouthfeel is "wet" and that helps bring out more of the hoppiness. You don't get that alcohol bite that's present in Black Moon either.

I'd say, a very well done example of this style. Black Moon is where you go if you want the gist of the hops but those who appreciate balance should check this out instead.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 21:00:35 | More by Brad007