Mendocino Black IPA
Mendocino Brewing Company

Mendocino Black IPAMendocino Black IPA
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From:
Mendocino Brewing Company
 
United States
Style:
Black IPA
ABV:
6%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.4 | pDev: 15%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
117
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 09, 2017
Added:
Mar 19, 2013
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  9
Brewed with orange peel
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by chinchill:
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.46/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz undated but just purchased bottle poured into a snifter. Pours dark mahogany, looking nearly black and opaque in the glass. Clear with no sediment. Small and short-lived tan head leaves some splotchy lacing.

Aroma: unusual but with some chocolate malts and subdued hops. Hints of grapefruit rind, lemon and orange peel, as well as some more savory elements like garlic.

Taste: The hop flavor is rather low for style, as per the nose. Nonetheless, there are grassy/earthy notes from the hops as well as a touch of pine. Rather earthy throughout, with a nice orange peel note that lingers past the finish, along with a more dominant grapefruit peel bitterness and a hint of coffee.

Mouthfeel: plenty of carbonation, giving the medium-full body some tingling liveliness.

O: Given the IPA label, it needs more hop flavor. Interesting IPA variant with the addition of orange but, like many black IPAs, IMO, the sensory qualities done quite gel. I recommend a bit warmer serving temperature than for a typical IPA.
Apr 10, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.6 by SonictheBeerhog from New York

Apr 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.48 by TheBeerdedCharmer from Pennsylvania

Jan 19, 2017
 
Rated: 3.34 by kyle_goochstink from Michigan

May 14, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by tfsimpkins from Florida

Nov 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.79 by KarmicSkrambl8 from California

Nov 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.56 by zotzot from Vermont

Oct 27, 2015
Photo of RyanK252
Reviewed by RyanK252 from California

3.63/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle poured into a BarrelHouse Brewing Co pint glass

A: Pours dark brown with a slight ruby tone and a frothy light brown head that settles to a relatively thick layer and leaves plenty of lacing.

S: Roasty, kinda nutty, chocolate, coffee, pine, a hint of citrus.

T: Pine, a little citrus, grapefruit rind, roasty malt, coffee, hints of chocolate, slightly minty, with a slight almost metallic like bitter note on the finish.

M: Maybe a little on the lighter side of medium body, moderate carbonation.

O: Surprisingly decent black IPA. I wouldn't go out of my way for it, but I wouldn't turn one down either.
Aug 11, 2015
Photo of BeerAdvocate
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

3.99/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From BeerAdvocate Magazine #75 (April 2013):

The Black IPA aka American Black Ale seems to have a solid foothold within American beer culture now. Mendocino goes off on a limb a bit with the addition of orange peel, which completely complements the style. Are we looking at a Black White Ale here? Seriously good drinking.

STYLE: American Black Ale
ABV: 6.0%
AVAILABILITY: Seasonal

LOOK: Dark ruddy brown, good showing of lace

SMELL: Oranges, pithy, zest, toasted grain, hint of alcohol, herbal, clean

TASTE: Semi-dank, orangey, toasty, faintly roasty, smooth, bready, nutty, assertive bitterness, hoppy, kiss of alcohol, carob, resin, orange peel finish
Mar 07, 2015
Photo of khargro2
Reviewed by khargro2 from Tennessee

1.73/5  rDev -49.1%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.75
Received from a friend who had the Beer of the Month Club. Poured into a standard pint glass.

L: Dark, murky liquid. Tan head that does not linger.

S: Malty, hint of citrus. Maybe black licorice.

T: Something tastes off. I've had several Black IPAs. Some are hoppier than others, but this one is overpowered by malt.

F: The best part of this beer is the slight linger of roasty aftertaste.

O: Overall, roasty malt was a theme of this beer. I ended up drain pouring the end of the beer due to lack of balance. I checked the bottle for signs of oxidation, but none were evident.
Feb 01, 2015
Photo of WestHam973
Rated by WestHam973 from Illinois

4.68/5  rDev +37.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Very Drinkable for a Black IPA, the hops balance nicely and don't overpower the nice Black Lager taste
Jan 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by cjohns73 from Delaware

Jan 10, 2015
Photo of predikit
Reviewed by predikit from Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -4.4%
Pours dark, almost completely black. Leaves a nice dark tan head that recedes relatively slowly, leaves minimal lacing behind.

Smell like chocolate, and some citrusy hops.

There is a lot going on in the flavor here, sweet at the start, chocolate notes come through, which then takes on a very roasted tone. The bitterness shows up towards the end and through the finish, the aftertaste is the worst thing here, with some minor aspirin in the mix.

Medium bodied, medium carbonation, decently smooth going down.

Not a terrible brew, has some good points, but with the off flavors the aftertaste ruins the entire experience. Would not buy this again.
Nov 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.3 by gwin

Nov 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Hohnbaum from Kansas

Nov 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.7 by GClarkage from California

Oct 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by IRISHFAN951 from California

Oct 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Josh_951 from California

Oct 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.3 by Marvicsin from California

Oct 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.8 by JKA from North Carolina

Oct 04, 2014
Mendocino Black IPA from Mendocino Brewing Company
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 117 ratings