Midnight Toker - Peekskill Brewery

cavedave

New York

4.53/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a thick looking, beautiful, black/brown, a stupendous crown of light brown foam rises five fingers in thick majesty. Lace are left like lush lattices upon the glass. Perfection.

Nice tropical and citrus in the nose, lurking beside are the dark essences of coffee and dark malt roasty. Orange zest holds hands with sweet malt char and roasted coffee, complex hop notes mingle.

The taste is stunning. This beer comes at you with dark roast coffee never peaking past the other flavors, but always at the head of the parade. Wonderful citrus hops and beneath some pine in there too, really nice bitter from the hops. Complex roasty notes from the malts also a star in this, coming forward as the beer warms. The sip crests with the bitter carrying hops, but it ends like it starts, a generous java.

Nicely med./high carb.'ed to carry what is already a bitter, light in the mouth but highly resinous beer into a finish that is just unbelievable. The linger on this is monumental.

Can't say if many are ready for this kind of flavor explosion, but speaking only for myself, this kind of flavor is what I crave in a fine American beer. Highest recommend for those who desire the bright and strong and complex.

Serving type: growler

10-19-2012 22:38:11 | More by cavedave

Crookdrain

New York

4.44/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is my first full review, so bear with me here.

Had this on tap at the Peekskill Brewery night at the Owl Farm in Park Slope. A gorgeous thick black pour down the sides of a 12oz tulip glass, with a minimal, quick-fading head.

Nose is citrusy hops, quickly overtaken by dark Ethiopian coffee and even darker semi-sweet chocolate.

Taste is all citrusy hops and dark roasted coffee. The coffee hits you first, then a bit of dark chocolate, and finally, the hops win out in the end, giving it a triumphantly bitter finish. Coffee aftertaste lingers (this is a VERY dark, strong roast used), but it works well because the mouthfeel is so thick. It's like chewing on chocolate covered espresso beans that have been sitting in a jar full of Citra hops.

Overall, one of the best beers Peekskill has put out (and that's saying a lot.) I was on the fence about Dream of the 90's, but the roastiness of a Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale really makes a difference here. Would love to see how this thing tastes on cask.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2013 16:05:11 | More by Crookdrain

ThePorterSorter

New York

4/5  rDev -7.8%

05-17-2013 02:30:11 | More by ThePorterSorter

DoubleSimcoe

New York

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%

11-01-2012 18:47:12 | More by DoubleSimcoe

brystmar

New York

4.2/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap at the brewpub this weekend. My first visit to Peekskill! Heard many great things, time to find out first-hand. Billed as a Black IPA steeped with coffee, which sounds awesome.

Slightly lighter than black shade on the body makes this brew effectively opaque. Decent head retention with clingy lace. Roasted malt and citric hops greet my nose with a subdued piney-ness bringing up the rear. Coffee works well with the other aromas but lacks the intense freshness found in other coffee beers.

Tastes like delicious creativity. I'm unaware of any other brewery that adds coffee to their IPAs, and I'm baffled why nobody has tried it with the Black IPA style before. Flavors blend harmoniously, showcasing the strongest attributes of each without leaning too strongly in any one direction. The balance they've achieved in Midnight Toker is impressive for a creative undertaking like this, and future batches of this beer have the potential to be superb.

I'm sold. What's next?

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2012 16:33:22 | More by brystmar

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from tap into pint at the brewery. Pours a creamy looking black - slightly see through with thick creamy tan head. Smell is fantastic! Super hoppy (citra or simcoe maybe?), mixed with great roasted malt. Taste is again very hoppy, roasted malts; super tasty brew. Its creamy, malty, hoppy, and just smooth and delicious. I highly recommend this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2012 02:37:47 | More by DrinkSlurm