Skunk Black IPA - Three Heads Brewing

BobCS

New York

2.23/5  rDev -38.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

A - dark brown and clear (the liquid portion is very much like coca-cola in appearance), with a fine beige head

S - some citrus hops peak out in the aroma, but not as strongly as I was expecting given some reports

T - clean and aggressive hop character is there but completely overwhelmed by oxidation in the sample I am tasting. There is no freshness date on the 22 oz brown bottle, this was a relatively new addition to package store I bought it from, and I know this store typically handles it's stock with reasonable care. This sample is not light struck, but I believe it is heavily oxidized resulting in a tongue-coating wet cardboard that overwhelms the flavor and dominates the aftertaste before becoming filmy and soapy. The brewery hasn't been open long (just a few months) so it can't be too old, which suggests to me they have a packaging problem to work out.

D - This is definitely a drain pour I am afraid. I was looking forward to trying some Three Heads beers, since they are relatively local to me and relatively new. I will try again and re-review!

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 20:34:53 | More by BobCS

DarthKostrizer

California

2.65/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to Ehammond1 for sharing this beer. I really enjoy this style so I was excited to try this

Look: Black with brown rings around the edges and a 1/4 inch head and no retention

Smell: Citrus and piney hops mixed with chocolate malt which for me creates a fruit pepples nose

Taste: Same as the nose

Mouthfeel: Thin body and medium carbonation

Overall: This in my opinion is one of the worst examples of the style. Avoid Avoid Avoid

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 07:29:29 | More by DarthKostrizer

teromous

Virginia

2.83/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: The body of the beer is dark brown, but not completely opaque. Even in dim lighting I am able to make out shadows through the glass. The head is off-white, very large, leaving very nice lacing on the glass.

S: There are very good aromatics. I get some sharp pine scents, then I'm hit immediately by a waft of malt and caramel scent. It immediately conjures images of how a barleywine smells.

T: Lots of roasted flavor, followed by loads of pine. Lots of bitterness. I mean the bitterness is huge in this beer, but there isn't enough hop flavor. There's some charcoal flavor mixed in there as well. I'll do my best to explain this, but there's too much malty sweetness and too much harsh bitterness. There is far to little hop flavor to counteract all of this.

M: The beer feels on the thin side while drinking, but it is so packed full of bitterness and malt flavor that it makes it very hard to drink.

O: Overall I was not a fan of this black ale, and I really can't recommend it. It's all over the place...it's somewhere in "Barleywine Land" without as much mouthfeel. It really needed more hop flavor. The bitterness was there. I get it, it's supposed to be hoppy...but there's more to hops than plain bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 20:20:28 | More by teromous

rtaps

California

2.85/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

dark brown with an off white head leaving minimal lacing.

smells of citrus and pine hops with dark malts

taste kind of fallows the nose, dark malts and pine hops

mouth feel is medium bodied, overly carbonated.

overall it's an ok black IPA, that was a little to over carbonated and the flavors didnt blend all that great together IMO

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 23:35:13 | More by rtaps

Thickfreakness

New York

3.03/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This is my first Black IPA. Been reading a bunch of reviews, and have been looking forward to it!

A- Poured into a tulip glass, it blossomed with a 1 1/2 finger creamy tan head that left a ton of lacing sticking like a web. Dark middle with ruby hips on this one! Looking good!

S- Hops, slight alcohol, and charred wood. Not quite smokey, but subtle hints of fire. Malt and just a note of fruit when inhaled. I'm liking this.

T- Definately charred Malts, smokey and toasty with a slight hop finish. Hops and grapefruit very faint against the dark malt... not so much IPA here... more like porter I think. Hmmm...

M- Very thin and watery... I was expecting something totally different from a beer this dark and roasty smelling. Char really covers up what little hop fruitiness is there.

D- Not bad, a little underwhelmed. Probably be good with really fatty and rich BBQ'd pork ribs or smoked fish... again... more smoked porter than IPA. Not bad, just not what I expected.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 04:45:32 | More by Thickfreakness

KELPAK

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

smelt of hops and grapefruit when i originaly opened the bottle but quickly faded away.

pours a dark brown with just a filmy head, very little corbonation.

The taste is surprising in the sense that it lacks flavor. I was expecting a heartier beer but it is somewhat light and there is just a hint of bitterness. It's very drinkable but i don't believe i'll be going out of my way for more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 19:51:04 | More by KELPAK

ehammond1

California

3.1/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle

Acquired via trade
Thanks, MrHirschybar!

More brown than black IPA with a moderately sized brown head that eventually leaves dots of lace down the glass.

Floral and grassy aroma with a bit of earth and roast. Simple, almost like perfume.

Simple and mild flavors--not at all overly hopped. The roast component is mild as well. There simply isn't a lot here, though it's not anything bad or off-putting.

Medium bodied with high carbonation.

An acceptable, average version of the style. No need to seek this one out again.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 18:02:42 | More by ehammond1

UCLABrewN84

California

3.13/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to ehammond1 for sharing this one at MrVonzipper's tasting!

Pours a clear dark brown with a khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark malt, citrus zest, and some herbal hops. Taste is of dark roasted malt and herbal hops. There is a weird chemical taste I am getting as well. This beer has a high level of carbonation which is too much for the style. Overall, this is an average beer that smells better than it tastes.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 23:05:29 | More by UCLABrewN84

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.2/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

An extra received in an in-person trade with starrdogg. Thanks, Matt! As a ticker in denial, I appreciate the opportunity to try a beer from a brewery that's new to me.

Pouring a very dark brown with reddish brown highlights, this beer has a dense, brown head that's creamy and long lasting, leaving nice lacing. The nose is nice as well. With a blend of pine resin, dark crystal malt and moderate roasted malt character, this smells good. The hops smell fresh and moderately herbal as well, with a mildly minty note. Some cocoa does appear as it warms up.

The palate, OTOH, is a bit of a disappointment. Astringent hops, moderately skunky (ha!) in that is tastes overly dank, this is pretty bitter up front with a blend of hop bitterness, grainy (a la black patent) bitterness and herbal astringency. Hop flavor is on the lower end of the spectrum here, with a mild pine and some mint character. The mid-palate is rather disappointingly thin, further hampered by the excessive carbonation that adds a seltzer-like feel and the scrubbing taste of carbonic acid. Drying and bitter on the finish with some grain and hops, and just a touch of chocolate, this beer is decent. It seems a little haphazard, but that's par for the course with a "new" style, I guess.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 03:06:28 | More by DefenCorps

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.2/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

My first Three Heads beer, served in a Port City tulip.

A: Poured a dark, grape juice color (or lack thereof), with a nice, robust, sticky off-white head that stuck around for a good while.

S: Faint scent of roasted, nearly burnt, barley, and a bit of citrusy hop character poking through under closer inspection.

T: Pretty bitter... to much to my liking even. The hop profile plays second fiddle to the char, roast, bitter quality that resemble the burnt on crust of a used griddle. Not a pleasant characteristic.

M: Like I stated, this was pretty bitter, but not in a pleasant way at all. The lacing was ridiculous and the carbonation was sufficient.

O: This sucker was just screaming for more citrus. I don't think I'll have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 23:18:34 | More by Chaney

Brad007

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a dark reddish-brown color instead of the usual black. It at least has ruby undertones in the light. Thick head to boot.

Sweet with a mild touch of pine resin in the nose. This is going to err more on the malt side. I can see it.

Mellow and full of pine resin. Not much else of note on the tongue.

Lingering resin at the back. A "toasty" kind of feel.

Not bad. Not the hop bomb I was hoping for but then again, not all examples can be such a thing.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 08:17:33 | More by Brad007

Florida9

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Thin black in color; really more of a blackish-brown. A little translucent. Forms a decent sized light tan head that slowly reduces to a thin foam on top of the beer. Some very light lacing.

S: Aroma is of roasted malts and citrus hops.

T: Taste is lightly sweet, watered-down cola. Some roasted malts, but not a lot, a little chocolate, and a slight (rather out of place) vanilla flavor. Some citrus hops, but not nearly what I was expecting. Mild to moderate bitterness.

M: Body is on the thinner side of medium. Appropriate carbonation.

O: I'll admit I bought this one largely based on the label. Figured with a name like Skunk, this one would be loaded with some powerful dank hops. Unfortunately, it's really not loaded with anything with a flavor that is flat, minimal roasted malts, and limited quantities of hops which seem to clash with the malts more than accent them. Lighter body makes it drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 00:30:29 | More by Florida9

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.33/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into my duvel tulip

A- pours deep brown, appears black, but on closer inspection is more dark brown. Little film of a head, and very little lacing,

S- floral hops mixed with crystal malts, smells good, almost perfumy

T- roasted up front developing into floral hops and finishing with a touch of pine.

M. Light with low carbonation, almost watery, could deffinatley use more body.

O- not a bad beer, the wateryness kinda makes it a bit sub par, although it is drinkable.... Not a bad smell or flavor, but it's missing a few important aspects that would
Make this decent beer great!

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 02:18:53 | More by PeterIngemi

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a three-finger khaki head that fades slowly to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Black color, no highlights. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is grapefruit hops and flavor is grapefruit with some caramel, lingering grapefruit aftertaste. Forced to buy this because of name - it isn't skunky, not a bad black IPA. $7.99 for a 22oz bottle from Julio's Liquors Westborough, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 22:38:44 | More by jdhilt

emerge077

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle has a code printed on the bottom "271 11 A1P 1812".

Poured into a small tulip this beer has a dense tan head and a veil of copious lacing around the edges. Lasting head retention, skim remains after awhile, after a few sips. Black body, duh.

Something grassy and green but indistinct hop wise, the aroma is colored by an odd swampy mix of soggy wet grains and vegetal notes.

Earthy dry bitterness works well with the roasty malt flavors, lingering resiny hop notes hang around for a few seconds. Some unsweetened bakers chocolate and green chlorophyll laden grasses. Medium bodied, dry feel and pretty drinkable.

Hope they send fresh stuff next time, this just arrived in the market and seems a little faded much like the Kind IPA I had a few weeks ago.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 02:32:34 | More by emerge077

oberon

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an imperial nonic a deep dark cola color with a thinner but well retained beige head,aromas are full of piney hops and roasy/earthy tones,easily the best attribute of this beer in my opinion.Dry and heavily roasted on the palate,just alot of earth and roast,the hops come thu in a piney way in the finish but the beer is almost bitter in its dryness.I like dryer more bitter beers but this was just a bit to intense in its earthiness for me,for those who like the intense in you face kinda "rawness," this is for them.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 17:41:14 | More by oberon

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a surprisingly clear dark brown with ruby highlights when held to light. Creamy off white head shows moderate retention. Smells of pine and cirtus with hints of chocolate and coffee. Not quite porter like in the nose but the roast is definitely there. Pine and resinous taste mixed with a hint of chocolate and roasted grains. Medium body and carbonation level with a resiuos creamy mouthfeel. I really liked this one. Great Black IPA that almost ordered another one to my table.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 14:13:03 | More by WoodBrew

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.51/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe. No freshness date indicated.

A: Deep brown on the pour, nearly black. Three fingers of rocky beige head boast excellent retention. Sticky clumps of lacing cement themselves to the glass.

S: Tangerine, lemon peel, hemp seed, oily, herbal, floral. Big balancing roasty scents of soot and charcoal, caramel and bread crust.

T: Hop bitterness at the outset. Floral, oily, hemp seed, leafy and herbal, tangerine and lemon rind. Charcoal and soot take over the mid-palate. Hop bitterness comes to the forefront again and leaves a gripping herbal and grapefruity bitterness behind. Brief spike of alcohol and tropical esters. Finishes with hints of soot and a gripping hop bitterness of ruby red grapefruit and peppery/spicy tastes.

M: Medium bodied. Creamy. Moderate carbonation. Enamel scraping hop astringency, slight alcohol warmth.

O: Fairly average across the board if I'm being honest. The style is fairly new and still being defined, but everything I expected to encounter is here. It just doesn't do anything to set itself apart from the pack. Something tells me this could have been a little fresher too. Bottled-on dates are always a plus.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 00:43:30 | More by ryan1788a5

projectflam86

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle.

A- Pours a deep dark brown color with a thin head that leaves some lacing.

S- Some light citrus hops and charred malt aroma seem easiest to pick out.

T- Quite bitter initially with pine and citrus hops dominating. A prominent roasted malt backbone becomes my apparent as it warms. The alcohol is more noticeable than I would have thought weighing in at only 6.5%.

M- Medium bodied with decent carbonation. The hop bitterness roasty finish both linger for a while.

O- A very solid beer that I'm glad I got the chance to try.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 00:15:34 | More by projectflam86

scottfrie

California

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle into Portsmouth snifter. Thanks for this one, Shawn.

A: Pours black with a thin dark tan head that faded into a bubbly color that left a sheet of tight lace down the glass.
S: Hoppy notes of pine dominant over sweeter notes of roasted malt. I do get a touch of something medicinal as well.
T: Hoppy flavors of pine and grass with a touch of sweet citrus. The hops fade into flavors of sweet malt and a bit of roasted grains. The aftertaste is lightly bitter and a bit minty.
M: Medium body, slick mouthfeel that is a tad oily and volatile. Carbonation is soft but ample.
O: A solid black ipa but nothing I would really want to drink that often. Worth a shot if you’re a fan of the style though. Thanks again, Shawn.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 21:54:08 | More by scottfrie

mendonjoebeer

New York

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep dark brown with thin light brown head. I have not had many American Black Ales before.

Smell of hops and slight roasted malt- not much else

Taste is hops and much more bitterness than The Kind IPA. There is some roasted taste and some malt finish

Feels lighter than it looks. The look makes you think heavy, but it is not

A little too bitter for me to have more than a couple, but still a good brew.

I enjoyed this beer, but prefer the regular IPA. This seemed more like a Rochester beer to me than The Kind. That is not a bad thing, just not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 21:21:40 | More by mendonjoebeer

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Wow, this is one of only two beers with the word skunk in the name? I am surprise. Love the label on this one.

Pours dark brown with some reddish highlihgts and thin, filmy head.

Aroma is noseful of hops. Lots of bitter, fresh, greeniness. Are they using citra or simcoe in this brew?

One sip and your tongue is slapped silly by bitter, astringent hoppiness. That flavor of citrus and pine dominates with a decent cherry-esque malt backbone.

I couldn't drink too many of these as my tongue would be destroyed. Still, I can't help liking this brew for what it is.

My first beer from Three Heads and I'm intrigued enough to hunt down some of the others...

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 02:52:06 | More by indiapaleale

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Decent though not my best ever black IPA. The name had scared me but in fact the aroma was a little hoppy. On tap at Pizza Plant. A good mouthfeel. A blackbier with a bitter charge in the finish.Dark not much head.My first from this new brewery contracting somewhere where I expected it would not be as well executed.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2011 23:00:02 | More by northyorksammy

WesWes

New York

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a dark brown/black color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a well balanced roasted malt and citrus hop nose. The taste is decent. It has a bone dry patent malt flavor; dry and earthy. It's light with lots of roasted malt character and a mild hop taste. The hop flavor is muted with the black malt flavor. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a pretty good beer. It could use a bit more hop flavor to balance the malt character.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 02:35:38 | More by WesWes

BeerPhan86

New York

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I went to RIT and this brewery was never around when I was in school (they just began in 2010), but their beers seem very hoppy and right up my alley so I was excited to find this at a local store. Black IPAs are popping up all over and while I have only had a few (Southern Tier and Otter Creek) it is a style I definitely enjoy quite a bit and I hope it keeps getting more popular.

A - Pours an opaque blackish-brown with a one finger light brown head. Good retention on the head and sticky lacing.

S - Piney and floral for the most part with slight hints of chocolate and roasted malt.

T - Somewhat sweet and dark up front followed by a blast of piney hops and a bitter, dry finish. Hints of chocolate and coffee in the finish. It's like someone mixed a porter with an American style IPA, and the result is quite delicious. Lingering taste is bitter and earthy and slightly metallic. I will admit it tastes less hoppy than the nose led on, but I enjoy what's going on here.

M - Very wet and smooth, not slick or oily like IPAs can tend to be. Slightly sticky on the lips. Carbonation level seems just right to me. Seems a bit too thin and watery though.

D - Probably too bitter for me to session but that seems to be par for the course for this emerging style.

Overall I was a little let down and expected a bit more bang from this. I'd have to say of the few black IPAs I have tried so far the Otter Creek Alpine has been my favorite. The Southern Tier Iniquity was incredible but more of an imperial of this style. Still worth a try and I can't wait to find their Kind IPA! If I was still in Rochester I'd definitely be hitting this place up with my growler.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 00:29:00 | More by BeerPhan86