Ugly - Alpine Beer Company

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to sleepyhead for getting this growler out to me. Served in a Captain Lawrence tulip.

Pours a nice dark brown color with an average creamy tan head that leaves behind some spotty lacing. The nose brings some nice roast along with a heavy presence of piney, resinous, and earthy hops. The flavor really nails down the balance between the hops and roast as well, with the pine combining quite well with the earthy and roasty characteristics. Mouthfeel hits fairly-hard on the bitterness. Medium body and average carbonation with a bitter, dry finish. Very solid brew.

Serving type: growler

05-25-2011 00:48:44 | More by Thorpe429

Lunch

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

64oz growler shared by Thorpe429 at his abode, thanks!

Pours nearly black with a sizable tan head into my Stone tasting glass. By just smelling this beer you would think that it is an American IPA as citrus hops dominate the aroma with no real roasted malt to speak of. Kind of tropical with hints of pine. Taste is equally a hoppy with some nice bitterness. The roasted malt shines through a bit more in the taste, but the hops really stand out. Nicely carbonated with medium mouthfeel.

Another fine beer from Alpine.

Serving type: growler

05-24-2011 01:31:24 | More by Lunch

drabmuh

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler shared by Thorpe429 at a recent tasting. Very nice beer. I really enjoyed it.

Beer is black and has a tan head, moderate to low carbonation, some lacing not a lot.

Aroma is HOPPY. Very citrusy / tropical fruist hoppiness. With my eyes closed I would have thought it was a big IPA.

Beer is medium to light in body and overall nice. The hop flavor carries the beer through the palate and the finish is appropriately bitter, there is a mild roastiness at the back but this is one of the best balanced dark ales I've ever had. The hops and the roast play well together. I'd have it again.

Serving type: growler

05-23-2011 18:54:09 | More by drabmuh

StarRaptor

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Attention brewers of Black IPAs, Cascadian Dark Ales, India Black Ales, American-Style India Black Ales or as the Brewers Association recently announced American-Style Black Ale.

This is how your beer should taste, smell and appear.

Had this on tap at the Alpine beer company 11-May-11

Appearance: Poured a dark roasty black with brown around the edge. No really head was present and I didn't see it poured but it does product very nice lacing.

Aroma: The hop aroma blasts through but in no way over powering, very nicely done, piney with some citrus

Taste: Yup this is a solid IPA, not overly bitter and well balanced. I get near zero roasty flavor, how are they getting the color

Mouthfeel: Beautiful, good carbonation, nice body, a little dry

Overall: Awesome, this is everything an American-Style Black Ale should be!

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2011 19:20:18 | More by StarRaptor

SpdKilz

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Hamilton's in SD. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Given in a standard pint glass. Appears damn black, with mocha colored head that dissipates somewhat slowly. Nice lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell - Such an odd smell from such a dark beer. Grapefruit, hops, citrus, char, cocoa, and roasted malts.

Taste - The first sip makes it seem more malty sweet but then the bitterness takes over. A definite burnt/char/roast flavor. Well hidden alcohol, slight pine. Very tasty.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, decent carbonation, slight oily feeling.

Drinkability - Pretty damn quaffable. Very happy I was able to try this while in SD. Don't like many American Black Ale's, but this one is pretty damn enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2011 02:37:42 | More by SpdKilz

LittleDon

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A pint at Downtown Johnny Brown's, San Diego.

Jet black, with just perceptible amounts of light visible. Tons of lace with fair head retention. Aroma is all C-hops, big grapefruit nose. High carbonation up front. Grapefruit and pine middle which is drier than most higher ABV IPAs. A hint of licorice. Finish is long and bittersweet. Medium body.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2011 00:17:05 | More by LittleDon

notchucknorris

California

3.98/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at O'Brien's.

A: Anything but what the name suggests. Pretty much black with some ruby tinges when held to light. A big mocha colored head that looks a bit chunky as it disappears and nice lacing down the glass.

S: Grapefruit hop aromas along with some roasted malt.

T: Pretty malt forward along with some citrus hops, roasted malt undertones and a slight bit of floral hops on the finish. A hint of coffee in there as well. The mouthfeel was a little thin. Maybe my least favorite of all the Alpine beers I've had. That in no way means it's a bad beer, just not their best.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2011 01:21:01 | More by notchucknorris

jrallen34

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler poured into a Cigar City snifter, huge thanks to Alex... the body is a super dark brown, almost black, a black ale that actually is black, gasp. A light tope head, ok cap but great lacing... The aroma is outstanding, cocoa, smoke, a hint of pine and soap, works so well together.... The taste isn't overly hoppy, hops are less than the aroma, add a nice oomph at the end of your taste. Molasses, smoke that's a touch burnt, a little soap. Balanced and easy to drink.

One of the best black ipas I've had, well worth trying.

Serving type: growler

02-21-2011 23:13:53 | More by jrallen34

MasterSki

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to ArthurPendragon for this growler. Served in a Portsmouth tulip.

A - Superb looking beer. Slow-dissipating tan foam that settles to a thick cap and glass-coating lace. Near-black body that is uniform throughout.

S - Citrus hops, smoke, char, burnt toast, cocoa, and pine.

T - Some malt heft and less overt hop flavor, although there is a mounting palate-bruising bitterness that develops. There's a hint of ashy burnt malt that I don't totally dig, but it doesn't detract too much from an otherwise very enjoyable collection of flavors.

M - A little gritty and grainy. Medium carbonation and a medium body that is sufficient for the ABV, and a finish that is simultaneously dry and sticky. This might be my least favorite aspect to this brew.

D - Not as crushable as Hoppy Birthday, or my gold standard "American Dark Ale/Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale" - El Jefe. Still, it's definitely among the best for this style, and is a must-try for anyone who really digs this sort of beer.

Serving type: growler

02-21-2011 07:14:35 | More by MasterSki

Sean9689

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Alex by way of ArthurPendragon!

A - Pours black, light tan head, nice cap on top, some spotty lacing.

S - Hoppy, bitterness, lots of woody notes, some roast, citrus.

T - Lots of woody notes, hoppy bitterness, citrus, some roast. Some slight alcohol, but really well-hidden. A very woody/hoppy finish.

M - Light to medium, good carbonation, oily finish/slightly dry.

D - Another winner from Alpine...they know how to make a hoppy beer. Right up there with the best Black IPA's I've had to date. A must-try.

Serving type: growler

02-19-2011 21:09:28 | More by Sean9689

largadeer

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Espresso brown body, not quite opaque. Clarity is excellent when held to the light. Huge resiny pine goodness on the nose, sharp and green. There's a hint of dry roastiness beneath. Palate has a big pine kick up front, followed by coffee-like roasted malt and a little orange toward the finish that makes me think of chocolate covered oranges. Light bodied, extremely quaffable though very bitter in the finish. Quite the palate wrecker, the coffee and pine sap bitterness sticks to the tongue for ages. Alpine nails it yet again, this is my new favorite India Black Ale.

Serving type: growler

12-05-2010 00:04:08 | More by largadeer

HalfFull

California

3.63/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep and dark brown into a pint glass with clear ruby highlights. Half inch of tan foam settles to a surface film in a few minutes and keeps for the pint. Spotty lacing ensues.

Nose is of sweetened chocolate and earthen pine hops. Bit resinous as are many an Alpine IPA but without the meaty texture.

Flavor is somewhat thin as the dark malts compete with the hops. Touch of cocoa powder on the finish. The 7.5% is quite well disguised as the beer comes off as a moderate black lager in a sense, with a bit of spice.

Offers a moderate feel and drink and improves with warming as the hop notes expand a bit.

Bottom line: An interesting beer and well done for the style, yet a style that misses me completely. And in this case, a waste of hops. Others might find more balance.

Serving type: growler

11-30-2010 07:12:38 | More by HalfFull

Eriktheipaman

Virginia

4.63/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Toronado 11-28-10

Poured an almost black with a nice finger head as well as great lacing.

Smell was faint but of citrus and a slighttt burnt.

Taste was GREAT! First black IPA Ive had and I was very impressed. Ive been dying to try some Alpine Brewing company so Im glad I got the chance.

It tasted more of a citrusy IPA but it had a nice slight burnt malt backbone.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2010 01:39:28 | More by Eriktheipaman

HopHead84

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11/26/10

Thanks to Arthur for opening this.

A: Very dark brown, bordering on black. Creamy beige head in the pint glass with good retention and thick sheets of lacing.

S: Prominent pine and grapefruit notes, the hops are potent and aromatic. Lower moderate roasted malt. Touch of chocolate. Awesome aroma. When the beer warms up quite a bit the chocolate and roast are more noticeable and very nice.

T: Low on the roast with a small chocolate presence, both of which only serve their hop masters. Pithy grapefruit with some flesh and big pine resin notes. Great hop flavor and quite delicious. Upper moderate bitterness with some evident alcohol.

M: Medium body. Sticky, creamy mouthfeel. Good carbonation.

Overall: A delicious Black IPA, one of the best I've had.

Serving type: growler

11-27-2010 05:56:14 | More by HopHead84

ZX6Chris

California

4.63/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Sampled at the Alpine tasting room with Johndoe8.

Dark tan to white head. almost pitch black with brown around the edges.

Extremely hoppy! Green hop bursting flavors. Citrusy. Very sharp aroma.

Piney, citrusy, grapefruity, a little roast in the middle and lots o bitterness on the finish.

Light and smooth with a hop bite in the back. Nicely carbonated.

IPA's is what Alpine does. Chalk this up as another win.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2010 01:55:14 | More by ZX6Chris