Crazy Train Black IPA - Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company

TastingRoomCharNtony

4/5  rDev +12.7%

12-23-2012 20:25:16 | More by TastingRoomCharNtony

TimRoss41

Michigan

3/5  rDev -15.5%

05-25-2013 01:09:06 | More by TimRoss41

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

04-26-2013 05:54:52 | More by MDDMD

Kerrie

Michigan

3/5  rDev -15.5%

04-22-2013 02:52:03 | More by Kerrie

MallyOMight

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

04-12-2013 20:46:20 | More by MallyOMight

Dr_Bahmbay13

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%

03-14-2013 19:35:36 | More by Dr_Bahmbay13

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Serviceable, drinkable, black IPA twist top from Champane's Cellars. Black colour with lots of lace. Moderate roast aroma. Smooth mouthfeel, though drying finish. Good hops, the roast is somewhat rough. Not the best black IPA, but still a good second tier.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 03:18:26 | More by northyorksammy

BlissJunkie

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

01-14-2013 18:49:34 | More by BlissJunkie

schmityl

4.25/5  rDev +19.7%

01-14-2013 00:59:34 | More by schmityl

CMUbrew

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz twist-off bottle poured into a nonic pint
Bottle code 02312870, no idea what it means

A: A relatively easy pour yielded a massive 4-finger gushing head of a light brown color. This dense head soon became quite rocky, and would have looked much more appealing at about half the thickness. The beer itself is extremely dark brown with only slightly lighter accents when held in the light.

S: Only a small amount of piney hops. Can't get a nose on the malts or anything else.

T: Hops are the first thing to show up on the palate, mostly piney with subdued notes of citrus peel and grapefruit. Lightly bitter. Roasted malt follows on the finish, with flavors that just barely approach chocolatey. Good tasting, but I wanted a little bit more from the hops and a lot more from the roasted malt.

M: Smooth, well-carbonated, medium bodied.

O: Surprisingly good. I'll be sure to try this fresh at the brewery, as I'm sure it will be even better.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 01:43:31 | More by CMUbrew

Gtg642

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

09-24-2012 23:32:25 | More by Gtg642

blackcompg

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from their 12oz bottle...

Appearance - poured 3 fingers of bumpy mocha cumulus head, body is a transparent mahogany cola brown, left great huge khaki lacing after the session.

Smell - Ripe plims, figs, grapefruit, some meadowy floral hop smells, touch of comb honey.

Taste - Definitely getting some nice spice characters here - starts ruby red grapefruits, then add coriander and anise, then floral meadowy hops prevail long into the finish.

Mouthfeel - Almost medium, carb is on the lower side, mouthfel is very smooth and drinkable.

Overall - Flavors here are very well balanced, there is nice depth and complexity, a very good representation of this style.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 16:03:47 | More by blackcompg

djwhit24

Michigan

4/5  rDev +12.7%

06-21-2012 01:41:02 | More by djwhit24

Zaphog

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

06-04-2012 01:46:53 | More by Zaphog

WuAnquo1

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%

04-08-2012 17:58:41 | More by WuAnquo1

zonker17

Illinois

2.25/5  rDev -36.6%

04-06-2012 03:36:33 | More by zonker17

Lynn

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

03-13-2012 20:44:21 | More by Lynn

cates1tg

Michigan

4/5  rDev +12.7%

02-20-2012 11:04:12 | More by cates1tg

StoutHunter

Michigan

3.45/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I picked up a bottle of Mt. Pleasant's Crazy Train Black IPA for $1.79 at The Lager Mill. The last beer I had from this brewery wasn't great, but I am a big fan of this style and I thought I should pick one up, so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date, I know it's fresh. Poured from a short brown 12oz bottle into a imperial pint glass.

A- I don't mind the label on this beer, it looks ok and it's not the same as all the other labels from this brewery. It poured a very dark brown color that was just about pitch black and it had some ruby highlights when held to the light, it had two fingers worth of fluffy off white head that died down to a thin layer that stayed till the end and left some nice lacing. This beer looks pretty good.

S- The aroma starts off with loads of hops, it smells like a half and half mixture of citrus and floral hops, grapefruit sticks out the most. In the middle I pick up a good amount of malts that have a medium amount of sweetness, they have a more pale malt aroma. The aroma was good, but I wish some roast showed up.

T- The taste starts with some malts which have a little roast to them, but it's not much and it imparts some grainy and bready flavors and it had low amount of sweetness. Next comes the hops, they are different then they were in the aroma and impart a milder amount of earthy, grassy and herbal flavors. It had a low amount of medium bitterness and it had a slightly roasty and hoppy aftertaste. The flavor wasn't bad I just wish it had more roast to it and that the hops were more citrus and floral.

M- Smooth, slightly crisp, medium bodied, with a medium amount of carbonation. The mouthfeel was pretty nice, I liked it.

Overall I thought this was a slightly above average Black IPA, there were no off flavors but I wish the flavor was a more intense and robust, if it had more roast, and if the hops in the flavor were more like the hops in the aroma this would be a pretty good American Black Ale. This beer had OK drinkability, I could drink another one. What I liked most about this beer was the appearance and mouthfeel, they were both pretty good. What I liked least about this was the light amount of roast and hops in the flavor. With some other good Black IPA's just as availible i don't think I will get this beer often but I do think it's worth giving a try. I like the fact that this brewery took a chance on this style and this beer is somewhat solid, but with a couple tweaks it could be a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 04:53:02 | More by StoutHunter