Serious Madness - Mad River Brewing Company

Brent

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

With the label proclaiming it as a black ale (I still think of them as "Cascadian," showing my age), I expected the black IPA characteristics. I was surprised at how much this came across as an American Stout. Big, deeply roasted malt flavor. Some dextrose sweetness and a bit creamy in the mouth. Hopping was firm, but not the centerpiece of the beer. Quite good, but I'm not sure it really hit the style it was aiming for.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 14:37:20 | More by Brent

metter98

New York

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very dark amber (near black) in color and has a bit of particles visible floating near the bottom of the glass when it is held up under close inspection to a bright light. It poured with a finger high creamy tan head that has excellent retention properties and consistently covered the surface and left a thick coating of bubbles down the edges of the glass.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of roasted malts in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the overall taste is dominated by flavors of burnt and roasted malts from start to finish. There is also a light amount of bitterness from the hops, but this is overshadowed by strong amount of malty flavors. Notes of chocolate become evident as the beer begins to warm up.
M: It feels medium-bodied, dry, smooth and somewhat crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer isn’t that difficult to drink because the alcohol content is well hidden from the taste. There’s also a good balance in the flavors—just enough hops are present to keep the malts from overpowering your palate.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 01:15:01 | More by metter98

shanblur

Indiana

3.18/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Recently purchased at the liquor locker Weinbach location in Evansville, IN. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip. No date on bottle, so no telling how long it has been in their cooler.

A - Pitch black color with a thick fluffy tan head and extreme retained lacing

S - Somewhat muted chocolate, coffee and some piney hops

T - Similar to the smell with some Dark chocolate and coffee notes with a well integrated piney hop flavor

M - Full bodied with a good amount of carbonation

I don't know if this bottle is well past it's prime or if I just didn't like it as much as others. As tasted, an average brew which I would not go out of my way to try again. I have another from this brewery which I look forward to tasting

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 00:26:01 | More by shanblur

Bfarr

Washington

2.5/5  rDev -37%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Clear dark brown and big tan fluffy head on top foamy on the bottom with great retention Chocolate, shades of licorice and roasted malt aromas. Chocolate sweetness but roasted malts dominate with hints of licorice. Smooth mouthfeel with a tacky linger.

Any good flavor is drowned out so your left with a charcoal beer relatively high in alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 18:39:40 | More by Bfarr

katybee

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours deep, translucent, cola brown, with a light quickly disipating creamy head. Light rim remaining.

Very light smell, mostly clean malty, light bitter hops.

Immediately a molasses tone and texture hits the tongue. Sweet; yet nicely bitter and malty, but clean, not creamy. Toasted malts, perhaps towards choc-coffee and dates, but mostly the molasses bitter-sweet breadiness. Perhaps faintly citrus hops, but malt predominates. A nice clean rich flavor, smoother than some stouts.

Medium body, smooth and definitely creamy both due to the carbonation and bready body.

Overall a nice strong beer, without any residual off tones like Guiness strikes me as having. Not overly sweet , just a hint. Very palatable!

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 01:23:34 | More by katybee

PorterForMe

Indiana

4.4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a beautiful black with a one-finger light tan head. Awesome lacing. Can't wait.

S: Holy malt batman. A plethora of sweet malt aroma with hints of licorice and slight hoppiness.

T: Delicious. Sweet caramel and toasty chocolate with great alcohol balance and a hint of hops. Only thing I would ask for is a slightly stronger hop profile in an ABA.

M: Somewhat chewy for an ale; more like a stout (I'm not complaining). Solid carbonation

O: This is a great beer. Maybe a touch too sweet and a little lacking in hops, but that is nitpicking this tasty brew. Give it a shot!

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 02:40:21 | More by PorterForMe

meeekyh

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This bottle went into a Hennepin glass.

The ale is very dark, as advertised. Head it tall, thick and deep tan.

Smell is hoppy and there is a hint of toasty.

Taste is clean, dry, bitter and refreshing.

I note chocolate bitterness and a tiny bit of piney hops. The mouthfeel of the beer is so light and clean that it is surprising, as is the extreme drinkability. Downright dangerous at 8.6%.

I really like this beer. It is awesome in many ways and reminds me of my first experiences with the Guiness export as a kid (adult kid if you like).

Get some.

Slainte!

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 02:15:52 | More by meeekyh

chugalug06

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - WOW. Quite the lacing left behind! Nice soapy/foamy head. Head builds nice a quick; it's a straw color. Brew is jet black.

S - Serious roasty goodness. Chocolate, candy, caramel, and slight sweetness. Mild funk too,

T - Quite stout like... More of a stout than a black ale. Lacks the black ale hop. Lots of dark chocolate and caramel. A little licorice and molasses too.

M - No bitterness of you "standard" American Black Ale. Very smooth and buttery. Light bodied with great flavor.

O - Very nice brew, but doesn't fit the style at all. This should be considered a stout. Quite a nice brew, but not quite the style they were shooting for. Try it if you can find it...

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 00:03:11 | More by chugalug06

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

Went to Ohio for this one. Picked up a bottle for $2.99

My bottle has an abv of 8.2%

A - Nice deep dark brown with some sediment in the bottom. Very little mocha colored foamy head that turns to a small ring on the glass.

S - Has a very solid bit of charred goodness with a solid bit of smokiness. Hops are very subdued but there.

T - Actually tastes more of a balanced oatmeal stout really. Maybe a bit of smoke and a touch of roast but really smooth and drinkable with hints of chocolate.

M - Surprisingly no burn even though it's almost 9 percent. Tasty stuff.

Overall I guess this is a very balanced black ale even though I was expecting a Black IPA I was pleasantly surprised it being more roast and chocolate over bitter hops. Will have to find a fresher bottle since this one has quite a bit of yeast.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 00:48:14 | More by DrDemento456

harrymel

Washington

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a deep black ale with no translucency until only an ounce or so is left in the glass and tilted. single finger light mocha head falls over a few minutes to a thick sheet of the same. spotty lacing.

S: Lots of piney, resiny hops, with plenty of oat malt. somewhat charred nose, hint of coffee. Robust.

T: Reminds me of a good oatmeal stout, but with gobs of hops. Plenty bitter, with creamy and dark maltiness. the smallest hint of alcohol.

M: Heavy, healthy body on this. medium to lo carb.

O: one of my favorite black ales so far. Really nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 15:11:40 | More by harrymel

smakawhat

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle offered at Pizza Paradiso DC poured into a tumbler.

A very simple light cococa head almost tan in color, sitting on top of a very dark brown walnut body that is opaque. There's some slight red hues around the edges.

Smell is quite interesting and unexpected. Roasted malt, and a very big presence of good coffee. There's however a sense of gas/sulfur but also some nice chocolate but also a bit of heat.

Taste though at first is like pressed coffee, but it's the body and mouthfeel that comes out the most noticeable. Extremely carbonated and prickly and very light bodied. Finish though is a nice toffee like and bit of milk chocolate. Malt finish and there is a big sense of stickyness in the palate.

Overall not too bad, just wish it had a better feel.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 17:27:21 | More by smakawhat

shand

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a nonic.

This pours super black, no tinges of brown or anything. A tiny off-white head crests the brew and stays there for quire some time. The aroma is super-roasty, and the taste follows that. It's full of roasted malts, chocolate and coffee, with a nice, fairly subtle hop kick that comes in on the finish. Alcohol is completely masked, this is a good brew, but I really wouldn't consider it to taste like a black IPA.

The mouthfeel is full, thick, and creamy, and the drinkability is quite good for it's ABV. Black IPA? I'm not so sure. This almost tastes a lot more like a hoppy imperial stout. That said, it's hoppier than any imperial stout I've had so far. It's also crazy delicious. Imperial black IPA, perhaps?

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 05:23:07 | More by shand

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.43/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pretty much a black beer with a light brown head to it. Roasty smell.

A serious amount of bitterness. Heavy roasting. Chocolate and coffee malt probably. Very carbonated. Slight amount of metallic vibe to it. Not a lot of hop mouthfeel, just the bitterness.

A decent enough black beer, nothing complex, but it hides the alcohol well enough. Tough to really categorize the style, somewhere between a stout, porter and an ipa.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 16:26:19 | More by Beerandraiderfan

birdypowder

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A decent black ale with an interesting and appealing aroma, good taste and nice finish. I would like to see a fuller and more complex hop aroma, maybe through an increased back end hop regime or through increased dry hopping.

Appearance:
Approaching jet black with a little light escaping through around the edges. Dark tan head that doesn't stick around too long and leaves minimal lacing. Clarity issues, floaters abound

Smell:
Roasty and slightly chocolate, very faint whiskey aroma with some leather mixed in, becoming more interesting as it warms, slight DMS, hops contribute an herbal and earthy character that is subdued

Taste:
Roast hits you first and it's astringency masks the claimed 74 IBU's and their bitterness. The alcohol is hidden well throughout. Somewhat astringent finish, though it is not overwhelming.

Mouthfeel:
Surprisingly light, but good

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 00:52:14 | More by birdypowder

Bizz88

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured this black brew a little on the agressive side, smallish tan head with some lacing. An aroma of fermenting grains. Burnt semi-sweet chocolate, carmel on the tongue, sweet on top with a bitter metallic finish for this medium bodied ale, not a bad brew for a dark ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 19:39:39 | More by Bizz88

emmasdad

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Saw this one sitting on the shelf today at Argonaut Liquors, and decided nine bucks a four pack was worth the gamble. Poured a rich, jet black color, with a little light brown head. Aromas of roasted malt, dark chocolate and earthy hops. On the palate, medium bodied, with dark chocolate, earthy hops and roasted malt.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 03:58:43 | More by emmasdad

Billolick

New York

4.22/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle a new arrival in 4 packs for $10.99 @ DeCicco's in Ardsley, NY. No freshness/bottling info offered.

Pours very dark brown, with a ruby glint or two. Mocha head that stays, low sheeting quickly goes to respectablebits of lace.

A touch of brandy soaked wood in the nose, along with roasty dark malts.

Flavoful, bold and complex brew. More brandy/wood, burnt and toasty malts, with a blast of drying hops. Nice. Dark tea, vanilla, leather and dark ripe fruit notes also picked up. Rich, smooth and milk shakey on the tongue. ABV well hidden. Well done, dark beer lovers, go get some of this fine stuff

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 01:04:01 | More by Billolick

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

appearance: Dark Brown. Tan, thick head.
smell: More malt than hops. Pleasant, roasted malt.
taste: More malty roast balanced with a nice hoppy bitter finish.
mouthfeel: Medium with fairly substantial carbonation.
drinkabilty: Nice drinker. Not sure about the American Black Ale categorization?

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 22:03:47 | More by cindyjeffsmith

DovaliHops

California

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

Pours a dark black with a small tan head that diminishes slowly. Scent is chocolatey with some coffee notes and a significant amount of citrus hoppiness. The nose is somewhat reminds me of Victory's Storm King. Taste however is somewhat similar, but better in my opinion. Taste is dark chocolate with some floral notes and a bit of citrus. I also get some delicious hoppiness, but not enough to label this beer a Black IPA IMO. Some tasty roasted flavor throughout all flavors of this beer. Mouthfeel is smooth and a bit creamy. Drinkability is fairly high.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 08:19:20 | More by DovaliHops

elgiacomo

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle, fresh 2011 batch.

Pours very dark brown with a large very foamy light brown head that leaves tons of drippy lacing and holds a nice rocky island and cap.

Aroma is roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, dark bread/toast, some herbal and grassy hops. Good strength.

Flavor is heavy on chocolate and cocoa, some coffee, roasted malts, caramel and bread with moderate sweetness followed by some citrus and pine hops lending some bitterness for balance.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, creamy, medium carbonation.

Excellent Black IPA! More on the roasted side and less hoppy and bitter than others in the style. Only picked up a single to try but will be back for a 4-pack!

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 02:22:23 | More by elgiacomo

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From notes. Pours a dark black with a massive brown-tan head. Smell is strong, roasted malt, coffee, with alcohol kick. Taste is sharp, like a very bitter stout, with strong coffee flavor and smoky aftertaste, but a little bit overpowered by the hops. Finish is somewhat bitter and has that same alcohol kick. Mouthfeel is lighter than I'd expect, fairly smooth with good, but not overwhelming, carbonation. But the flavor is just too harsh and sharp for me to enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 00:08:56 | More by zeledonia

matthewalee

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2009 version

A - really off-black colored but with a good brown head to it. you know this beer is going to be wicked...

S - chocolate smell and lots of fruit.

T - this is a really good IPA clashing with a solid porter. I am kind of feeling a BrooDoo<-->founders porter...for midwest folk...

M - stays around for a while. sticky

D - You actually start to want to NOT put down this beer! Love the contrast of the style. Everyone should have at least a 4-pack of this stuff to enjoy because it's worth enjoying... at a medium-paaaace...

cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2011 05:50:39 | More by matthewalee

beagle75

Iowa

3.55/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Hazy, dark brown color, almost opaque, with a discontinuous residue of light beige bubbles adorning the surface. Scant lacing remains on the glass.

S: Coffee grounds, mild and earthy umami, and some juicy tropical fruit are all detected early. Brown sugar emerges as the beer warms. No alcohol is detected in the smell.

T: Begins off-dry, with combined dark and bright fruit, spiking acidity, and some herbaceous hop aromatics that are barely-there. Dark roasted grain surges in the middle, tasting ashy and bitter. This bitterness becomes robust in the finish, with an astringent edge. No alcohol is detected in the taste.

M: Medium to thick viscosity, palate-coating yet sharply acidic early, with moderate carbonation.

D: Mark this as a malt-forward dark IPA, with an abv similar to Stone's Sublimely Self-Righteous but lacking the spirited balance between malt and hop influences of that other beer. It brings more to mind a ghost from early 2010, the collaboration brew between Stone and Brewdog called Bashah. At less than half the price, this beer is a welcome alternative, if one is needed.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 17:58:34 | More by beagle75

julian

Washington

3.3/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: near black but not completely opaque. Nice showing of wet frothy off white head.

S: toasty, malty, roasty, definite boozy aroma on the nose

T: Big roasty flavors, A little too roasty on the finish.

M: medium high carbonation, sticky burny flavors.

D: Definitely not sessionable, but could drink a few. Not the best example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2011 05:34:31 | More by julian

beertunes

Washington

3/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into 10oz glass. Poured mostly black, with a bit of reddish translucence at the edges, and had a thin cap of tan head that had low retention and lacing.

The aroma was very roast forward, like a heavy Porter or light Stout, with just a faint trace of hops in the background. The flavors were similar, lots of roasted malt and just a barely discernible hop presence.

The body was well on the thin side, a bit too much actually, but I didn't gig 'em for it. Drinkability was good, but since I don't think it represents the style very well, it's hard to give it a higher score.

Overall, a decent enough beer. If perhaps you approach it as a "Light Porter" instead of a CDA, you'll have a better experience. Give it a shot and decide for yourself.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2011 03:07:38 | More by beertunes