Alpha Blackback: Black IPA - Round Guys Brewing Company

nosavingsaccount

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -15.1%

09-10-2012 03:23:31 | More by nosavingsaccount

HarmonMW

Michigan

3/5  rDev -7.4%

05-15-2013 19:33:38 | More by HarmonMW

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -15.1%

05-02-2013 21:55:07 | More by Kegatron

tedho21

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +23.5%

02-24-2013 03:40:26 | More by tedho21

Blanco

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +23.5%

02-19-2013 05:02:26 | More by Blanco

Scott1970

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +8%

02-16-2013 17:11:39 | More by Scott1970

BeerPowered

Pennsylvania

2.84/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

A friend brought a growler home to me after visiting the brewery. I was excited to try it because I'd been hearing a lot about Round Guys lately. It poured out a pretty mahogany color. The head was thin and very bubbly.

Aroma was pine, floral, coffee. Mouthfeel a little thin, and a bit too carbonated. Rich roasted malt flavor battling with citrusy hops.

This beer seems off to me. The aftertaste had a twinge of something floral and bitter. For some reason, it makes me think of a farmhouse ale. It's not bad, but its a bit off style.

Serving type: growler

02-04-2013 22:19:27 | More by BeerPowered

Leadoffhitter

3.75/5  rDev +15.7%

01-05-2013 23:35:36 | More by Leadoffhitter

Bob402

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +8%

01-01-2013 07:44:05 | More by Bob402

rprinz22

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -15.1%

12-13-2012 23:54:45 | More by rprinz22

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer poured out as a decent deep brown color with a light brown head on top that settled rapidly. The smell of the beer was decent, not as much hop aroma as I hoped for. There was some just not quite enough. The main aroma was focused on the dark malts which give off a stout-like quality. The taste of the beer was malty, roasted with the spark of hop bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is pretty smooth and finishes dry. Overall this beer is decent but could use some work in my opinion. It's still worth trying though.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2012 06:06:59 | More by Knapp85

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle, stick on label indicates Batch #3, 10/29/12. So less than a week since bottled.

when I pop the cap, it was a gusher. 4 inches of expanding head overflows the glass. not quite black in color, tan head. smell is a strong lemon hop flavor. taste is slightly roasty and strong earthy and citrus hops. lemon again. medium thickness, lower carbonation after the foam dies down.

overall - aside from the over carbonation, it's decent, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 02:44:04 | More by jmdrpi

jaasen64

Massachusetts

2.7/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle thanks to stmgl01. Poured into Founders snifter. On label says Batch #3 October 29, 2012 (I'm guessing that's a best buy date). 6 different types of hops used- says they change the hop flavor + aroma with the seasons.

A- Pours a dark black with a big fluffy 3-finger mocha brown head that has nice retention and leaves fairly thick foamy lacing. Decent carbonation of steadily rising bubbles.

S- Floral hops mixed with some chocolate and light espresso. A little bit above average aroma strength. Don't really care for how the floral mixes with the chocolate in this, as it has an off-putting plastic smell.

T- Floral hops mixed with a little bit of citrus bitterness mixed with roasted malts and some light baker's chocolate. A slight plastic aftertaste. A little bit better then the smell, but still the hops and chocolate malts are not mixing well at all.

M- A little bit on the thin side, over-carbonated, okay drinking wise, abv decently well hidden.

O- I don't really know much about this brewery, but this beer definitely has some work that needs to be done. I'll admit that I've been spoiled with black IPAs lately, but this is by far my least favorite one. There was just something very off-putting about the aroma and taste. I felt like the hops and the malts clashed and did not go very well together and there was an odd off-putting slightly plastic presence to it. I will not be having this one again, the last half of the glass was a drain pour.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 00:44:40 | More by jaasen64

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +8%

09-08-2012 22:31:46 | More by rolltide8425

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Round Guys. They wisely don't make an IPA, citing the flooded market, but instead offer this Cascadian entry as their most highly-hopped creation.

Pours a murky looking deep brown, nearly black color, totally opaque, with a finger of tan head that settles down quickly. Lacing is patchy and fairly minimal overall. Nose is a strong mix of roasted, almost burnt malts; a touch of baker's chocolate; citrus, resiny and dank hop notes.

The flavor combines all of the above; the malts have a roasted, nearly charred taste, hinting at smokiness; the hops are bitter, resinous, dank, acrid. Faint onion garlic note. Dry finish with lots of lingering bitterness. I'm not so sure all these flavor notes hung together very harmoniously for me; in the end they felt more muddled then artfully married.

Medium body, smooth carbonation, somewhat creamy feel. No complaints here. I'm not a huge fan (anymore) of this hybrid style, but I can still get into it on occasion, and really wanted to like this one. In the end, however, I didn't feel it was one of this brewer's best nor a standout in terms of the black IPA style. Decent, not exceptional, to my tastes.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2012 03:03:57 | More by tobelerone