El Gallo Negro - Sun King Brewing Company

parktravis

New York

4.4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark black, no light shines through. Just a bit of lacing above the beer line. Not chalky, but clear black.

Smell: Nice hoppy aroma. Smells of raw hops.

Taste: Hoppy and bitter. Really raw. Could be smoother. Exits the mouth with flair.

Mouthfeel: Clean, no aftertaste.

Overall: Raw, powerful beer. Limited refinement. This beer is dark, clean and bold. It is a dark, hoppy beer that hits hard and takes no prisoners.

Serving type: growler

10-24-2012 00:48:09 | More by parktravis

tsauce2

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

P: On tap in to a pint glass.

A: SRM is black. Semi-transparent. Head is tan, 1 in, dissipates to line the top of the beer. Medium carbonation. Medium/light lacing.

S: Hop forward. Citrus (orange and grapefruit) and floral notes. Light dark roast maltiness.

T: Moderate hop additions give a full hop flavor, characterized by a pointed bitterness with floral and citrusy notes. Nice roasted malt base with some bittered chocolate and light coffee notes. Aftertaste is slightly bitter and malty.

M: Medium body. Contrast between hops and malt give a lighter initial feel that gains a bit of body as malt manifests. Semi-dry finish.

O: One of the better Black IPA's I've had. Again, not a black IPA fan, but this was pretty tasty stuff. Nicely balanced, good use of ingredients. If I felt like having an IPA and this was on tap, I would order it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2012 15:09:49 | More by tsauce2

rangel2

Indiana

4.55/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap, here at my restaurant. Poured into Sun King pint glass. OK creamy tan head, pretty dark, but not all the way there.

Smell is definitely IPA, with citrus, grapefruit, and orange rind, poking through, but there are nice dark malt aromas there.

Taste is more bitter orange, slightly sweet, bitter IPA punch up front, with faint toffee notes dancing about as it warms to my likings. Linger bitterness is strong. Some noticeable alcohol but not unpleasing in the slightest. Taste is really out of this world. The best black IPA I've tried.

Mouthfeel is a little on the thin side, a little under carbonated for a SK, but it's pretty spot on for what I'm assuming they were trying to achieve. Oh yah, I don't want to overlook lacing, because it's immaculate -- It goes all the way up the glass when you finally reach the bottom.

Took my time sipping this. But having said that, the bitter was just so money on this one, a superb drying, that was not at all astringent, that draws you back for sip after sip.

Overall, another damn good beer from Sun King. Have had a 1/6 barrel (~ 40 pints) on tap for four days and I've got about maybe two pints left -- Not bad at all for a Mexican restaurant. Have only heard good things about it from customers. Cannot wait until next year to bring it back. Definitely a worthy seasonal.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2011 04:00:20 | More by rangel2

robwestcott

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

grabbed a growler at the brewery about six hours ago.

poured from the growler to a sun king shaped pint glass a dark chocolate black with a 1/2 finger big bubbled short lasting mocha head with nice retention and lace to the rim of the glass.

big rich aroma of dark malts and citrus hops.

wow... this is a great big complex beer. certainly hop forward, but not too terribly bitter, despite its 80 IBU. roasted malts follow closely, leaning toward a big stout with ever so slight hints of coffee and chocolate. pretty hot going down.

rich, creamy, thick, bitter to the palate, yet not too bitter.

drinkable - hmm... yeah, but i won't venture beyond the 32oz growler tonight.

Serving type: growler

10-30-2010 01:38:49 | More by robwestcott

heliosphann

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

64oz Growler filled at the brewery. Thanks for fellow BA infestaxion for picking this up for me. Served in a pint glass.

A: Pours a lighter black, with reddish brown hints around the edges. Looks very Porter-like. There's a very small amount of mocha head which dissipates in a flash. Lacing is very minimal.

S: Nice big roastiness with some hints of coffee. Also present, but not as in your face are some very dirty, earthy hops.

T: Just like it dominated your olfactory, roastiness is king here. A nice base of malts balances out nicely with the hoppy kick that comes in. There is also some sweetness and dark chocolate present, but I wouldn't mind a little more. I found that as it warmed, the beer became increasingly more complex and enjoyable. The hops are really noticeable on the back end and leave a nice, but not over-the-top bitter finish.

M: A very robust body, almost stoutish or a thicker Porter. There is a very nice creaminess as well. Carbonation is average and just perfect for the style. One of the highlights of the beer.

D: At 8% it's not really sessionable, but that didn't stop me from knocking back a few pints in a row. Especially when the beer reached it's optimal temp, this is a very drinkable beer with the slight hop bitterness and ABV being it's only drawbacks.

Sun King lists this as a Black IPA, and I suppose it is in some ways. I rather think it's more of a very Hoppy Porter. Either way you swing it, this is mighty tasty brews by the cats at Sun King. My glass is empty, so I better stop writing and fill it up with some more El Gallo Negro! I recommend you grab some as well.

Serving type: growler

11-23-2009 00:01:25 | More by heliosphann