The Great Dismal Black IPA - O'Connor Brewing Co.

TappaKeggaBrew

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Deep brown, with a fat finger of light-tan head. Lacing decent and tenacious.

S: A mixture of toasted malt, molasses, and fruit preserves.

T: Momentarily sweet malt, but with a stronger, longer-lasting tart/fruity flavor coming through. A slight flavor of Colombian coffee graces the middle. The finish is quite bitter, with a burnt flavor mixed in to make an acrid finale.

M: Moist, well carbonated, and a little dry at the end.

O: Decent, but if I'm going to have something so full-flavored, I'd rather go for an Imperial Stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 02:36:32 | More by TappaKeggaBrew

drgonzo2k2

California

4/5  rDev -0.2%

05-19-2013 14:59:48 | More by drgonzo2k2

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

05-05-2013 03:22:28 | More by TheMultiYeast

flyersfan900

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +6%

05-02-2013 19:35:09 | More by flyersfan900

Merkinstandard

Virginia

4.14/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

One of the first black IPAs I had the chance to try. I've come back to it a few times and have recommended it to several people.

From the first sip, I knew that dark malt partners with moderate hop bitterness very well. This is one of the best examples, and it is deceptively strong.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 02:17:27 | More by Merkinstandard

Professor_X

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +6%

04-24-2013 18:42:50 | More by Professor_X

rev3rb

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +6%

04-16-2013 20:48:43 | More by rev3rb

Ysgard

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

They are bottling now. I got this at the local grocery in 12oz 6-pack.

A: Ruby in the afternoon sun, with a head that appears in its own time after pouring.

S: A touch of chocolate, backed by some earthy-hop aromas.

T: Citrus, touch of toasty malts, piney bitter backend, then a porter-esque aftertaste.

M: Balanced, lively carbonation, but the body is slightly heavier than I expect for an IPA, which checks the carbonation nicely. Still, just a bit more body than I want. A bit of alcohol bite on introduction.

I like this more than I expected. I'd heard rumor of a batch that lost that hop character early on in their bottling program, but this is as good as I recall direct from the brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 18:16:15 | More by Ysgard

ThomasAWilson2

Virginia

4/5  rDev -0.2%

04-10-2013 02:23:35 | More by ThomasAWilson2

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.25/5  rDev -19%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a dark near-black mahogany, decent head but not super impressive.

Smells like a barleywine--some malty raisins, grassy hops, pretty sweet.

Tastes like slightly bitter coffee, mild grassy hop character, touch of dry cocoa. Decent but not terribly hoppy really.

Decent mouthfeel--carbonation is really good but the body is a tad thin.

Reasonably good but nothing special, a bit disappointing.

6.4/10

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 04:29:50 | More by AlexFields

sairvin

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%

03-16-2013 04:13:47 | More by sairvin

SonOfKyuss

Virginia

4/5  rDev -0.2%

03-03-2013 16:23:42 | More by SonOfKyuss

lupercmda

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +6%

02-28-2013 04:09:53 | More by lupercmda

speedvagen

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%

02-28-2013 03:12:16 | More by speedvagen

jvillefan

California

2.83/5  rDev -29.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.75

A: It is a very dark brown with a ivory white laced head that disappears very quickly.

S: Not very good. There is old dark fruit (not in a pleasant way) with some stale chocolate malts.

T: There is some indistinguishable dark malt. It doesn't have a specific coffee, chocolate, or toffee flavor available. There is some hop bite but not nearly enough to call it a black IPA.

M: There is some thickness to the body with an excellent carbonation bite.

O: It is an average black IPA, there are many way better ones that are easily available (Sublimely Self-Righteous). Not worth getting.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 00:07:41 | More by jvillefan

ThomWade

Virginia

4/5  rDev -0.2%

02-13-2013 02:33:45 | More by ThomWade

KomodoDragon

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A - Black but not a black out - light will make it thru. Small cream head, with the hops doing their thing and providing wonderful lacing.

S - I pick up so very little in the smell - perhaps some subtle coffee, but all very faint

T - A nice subtle transfer from roasted malts to bitterness. Presence of burnt grains, and milk chocolate feel.

M- Creamy and light

Ideal representation of the style. Properly balanced, yet full. Wonderful job allowing the ingredients to shine thru.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 03:49:45 | More by KomodoDragon

VTWicked

Virginia

4/5  rDev -0.2%

02-10-2013 16:06:45 | More by VTWicked

fishrunner

4.25/5  rDev +6%

02-06-2013 13:23:40 | More by fishrunner

Mattyb79

Virginia

4/5  rDev -0.2%

01-30-2013 19:29:05 | More by Mattyb79

AndrewMichael

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%

01-26-2013 20:09:21 | More by AndrewMichael

mrterdferguson

4.25/5  rDev +6%

12-17-2012 03:03:07 | More by mrterdferguson

brentk56

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a fudge brown color with a very nice head that leaves a few shards behind

Smell: Roasty dark malt and charcoal, with hints of caramel and earthy hops

Taste: The roasty char flavors appear first, along with some chocolate and dark fruit; in the middle, the earthy hops add some bitterness but they are overwhelmed by the char; in the finish, it is the roasted malt and char flavors that again leave the dominant impression

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: I prefer a bit more hop character in my ABAs; this one is interesting, but is primarily about roast and char

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 13:36:43 | More by brentk56

hyoung41

Virginia

4/5  rDev -0.2%

11-05-2012 15:24:09 | More by hyoung41

Gehrig13

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.2%

10-26-2012 11:38:17 | More by Gehrig13