Longshot Blackened Hops - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

HoustonTX

Texas

2.6/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

No one noticed a strong metallic note?

This beer actually has a really nice base, but the finish tastes like sucking on pennies. A nasty copper metallic note, that really spoils the nice hop finish. The metallic note dominates the back end and almost makes this one a drain pour.

I'm not exactly sure if I'm the only person that got an Oxidized beer, but this definitely tastes infected, and just way off.

I'm disappointed because I thought this would be my favorite of the Longshots this year.

Aroma wise every thing is legit, coffee and chocolate with some coated earthiness, and floral almost vegetable like odor near the finish.

For the taste, it starts roasty up front and smooths out to some decent citrus hops near the middle and finishes with that metallic note over riding the hop profile. Disappointing.

I will try the second one soon and see if it's infected as well. After all the glowing reviews, out of my luck I can't be the only one with a bad bottle?

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 04:05:03 | More by HoustonTX

crusian

Texas

2.8/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

bottle from the local shop. Pours a blackness I have not seen in a CDA before... just noticed this is filed as an American Black Ale... though I would consider it more a CDA, as it has Hops in actual name. About a finger of head. Looks like a nice stout.
Nice citrus and pine presence on the nose, but not too much, with a bit of roasted coffee coming through.
Taste, well, this is a bit off. A lot of coffee coming through, and is much thicker than any other CDA I have had. The bitterness is a bit odd, mix of hop and coffee bitterness together... not sure I like how they come together. Has a coffee aftertaste that lingers as well.
This is definitely an interesting brew, but i dont really like the way the flavors come together, and is a bit thick for a CDA.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 18:04:38 | More by crusian

SirSketch

Massachusetts

2.8/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Fairly large (2 fingers) head forms, light brown in color. the beer itself is just slightly lighter than black, showing some dark red shades in the light.

S - The aroma goes back in forward between darkly roasted grain and hops, which smell both citrusy (think Cascades) and leafy, almost vegetal.

T - Burnt grain and coffee flavors dominate, but are a bit astringent and harsh. It doesn't help that it is pretty bitter, which intensifies the astringent qualities. Hops come through in the form of grapefruit.

M - Mild, frothy mouth ends very dry with a harsh, lasting bitterness.

O - The balance of flavors in this Black IPA is a bit off, relying too much on the dark grain flavors, and the combo of astringent roasted malts and hop bitterness is unpleasant.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 03:08:40 | More by SirSketch

alexhahn82

California

3.13/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- MAJOR HEAD SON! I cannot see any color other than the Charlie Murphy Blackness in this beer, well put so far! The head floats infinitely and will not go away, i see lace that has the same characteristics!

S-- WOWZERS, hops up in this mofo? I thought it was the darkness, its not!!

T/M -- Taste is pretty damn roasted, has a nice hop bite at the end. The taste is nothing like the smell, mouthfeel is very nice for a BIPA style beer.

Overall: A very worthy beer, very popular style at this point in time (2011). Average overall, but gets extra points for being a home brewers recipe!

PP (Price Point) : $12 for the assorted longshot pack, well worth it.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 04:11:28 | More by alexhahn82

samie85

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Pours a cola color with a root-beer float-like head.

S-Slight notes of roasted malt with piny and pineapple hop notes.

T-Chocolate and roasted malt notes with bitter pine and grapefruit notes.

M-Smooth and creamy mouthfeel with a slight astringency.

D-It's okay, but honestly there's something about the play between the roasted malt notes and hops that I'm not too fond of.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 01:59:49 | More by samie85

Zorro

California

3.18/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Black colored ale that is nearly impervious to light with a medium sized light brown colored head.

Smells strongly of C type hops and a slight roasted malt aroma. Fairly strong smell of carrot and eucalyptus.

Starts out dry and loaded with patent malt. Fairly bitter but the hops don't stand out that much in the taste. Pretty much a porter with a high hop content.

Mouthfeel is on the light side.

Drinkability is OK. Frankly this is a disappointment, looks great, tastes ho-hum, whatever.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 03:02:24 | More by Zorro

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A-dark brown with a tan head and good lacing

S-smells a lot like an american strong ale. there are dark roasted malts and grassy hops. there's a bit of cocoa in there as well. medium strength

T-comes in with weak dark malts with a faint hops presence that fades in to a grassy hoppiness. tastes different than other American Black Ales that i've had....not in a good way. it has an after-taste of burnt popcorn. there's really nothing spectacular going on here.

M-creamy medium carbonation with a creamy finish

D-this really isn't a great example of the style. the hops nor the mocha make a strong presence here. its really not completely easy to finish either. its honestly just a confused beer. i'm not sure how it made it this far, but hey it is Sam Adams, maybe they figured they couldn't brew a better one themselves.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 12:35:21 | More by AdamBear

pzrhsau

District of Columbia

3.18/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Very dark brown color that doesn't allow you to see through. It has a nice soapy tan head.
S: Bitter hop aroma with hints of coffee beans.
T: Very bitter hop flavor coupled with a bitter coffee bean flavor that really lacks the sweetness that we expect from this style.
D/O: Very crisp and drinkable, has the big hop flavor that makes it hard to switch beers after this. Good interpretation of the style but could have used some more sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 22:43:53 | More by pzrhsau

ranger7

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle into a Sam Adams glass.

A - Dark brown, almost black in color. A nice tan head lingers.

S - Right off the bat, I can smell the hops. Some chocolate and coffee in there as well, but the hops dominate.

T - Definitely hoppy, which isn't really my style, but still not too over-powering. Some chocolate and coffee flavors fight through the initial hops shock for a nice aftertaste.

M - Fairly carbonated, but it works okay. Finishes fairly clean, with a nice chocolate/coffee aftertaste.

Summary - This is a decent brew. I'm more partial to the less hoppy variety, but overall I thought this was okay. The chocolate and coffee give it some balance and a dark flavor that I've enjoyed in other beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 04:47:19 | More by ranger7

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.3/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 12 oz bottle from the Longshot six pack. Poured into a Unibroue tulip glass.

Appearance: A really nice creamy brown two finger head on the pour. Really dark brown, not quite black in color.

Aroma: Slight grapefruit and pine notes from the hops. A touch of coffee notes in there as well.

Taste: Some light pine and citrus notes from the hops, but I find this is pretty lightly hopped for the style. Tasted bread and coffee background notes, but these too are rather weak and bland. The flavor profile is nice enough, just not in your face enough.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and slightly creamy.

Overall, a decent example of the style, but lacks the definitive punch of the hops or the malt. Flavor profile is nice, but really unoffensive and almost bland. Will not seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 12:31:36 | More by Gosox8787

eclaycamp

Kansas

3.3/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured into a Samuel Adams glass. Whiffing the beer after pouring from the bottle, and I got a lot of rustic pine hop character. However, my first sniff once poured is of chocolate. Interesting. There's not as much hop aroma as one would expect, with the nose resembling something more like a big bold American-style stout as opposed to a hoppy IPA. The coulor resembles a stout as well, with a very dark brown color and a deep tan, yet foamy, head. Taste is very much of roasted malt, with toffee-like and coffee notes creeping up around the edges of your tongue. Chocolate finishes, with a prolonged bitterness. There's hops here, mainly focused on earthy pine qualities, but just not enough for me. Medium mouthfeel. The taste is somewhat discombobulated and disjointed. Maybe it's just me but I don't feel like this beer is in sync at all - it's very sharp and jagged when drinking it. The beer ends up being kind of stuck in this purgatory - it's too strong and bitter to be a stout or porter, but it lacks the punchy hop character that I really like out of the Black IPA (or Cascadian Dark Ale) that I prefer. Could be better.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 15:15:01 | More by eclaycamp

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.35/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a very dark brown. Scored this at the beer shoppe in Davis, couldn't really pull much out of the aroma at first, then pine became kind of the most discernable thing going on.

Taste, kinda bitter, dry, yet with an earthy fullness to the beer. Didn't impart any chocolate our mouthfeel of chocolate malt. Stayed pretty neutral allowing the pine to register throughout the beer.

For some reason the freshness bottled on notch got missed on this, and I was left to speculate how fresh it was based on the taste. It was decent, but I wonder if I got it sooner, the pine would have had that nice cold air bite to it that was missing on this occasion.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 07:57:24 | More by Beerandraiderfan

tkepx182

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer left me with a burnt taste in my mouth. I know that the hops were blackened, it tells us this in the name, besides this little hiccup, it is a good beer. The color is what I personally like, I LOVE dark beers and this one is black. The head of the beer had a tendency to stay a little longer then I like. I would drink this again if given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 00:50:46 | More by tkepx182

prg1976

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark dark brown, with a frothy whitish head.

Smells like a citrusy IPA, with a hint of chocolate or coffee in the background.

Tastes the opposite of the smell, lots of coffee, chocolate, licorice. The hops are almost non-existent, just a hint in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is fine, nice and crisp. Moderately carb'd, medium body.

Overall, it's pretty good. I could see drinking a few of these over an evening.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 22:47:46 | More by prg1976

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not a bad brew, but one that starts off better than it finishes. Pours a nice black with a fine head that sticks around and leaves some substantial lacing. Smells of toasted grains primarily, with a touch of cream and citrusy hops. The taste is similar to start, but the grains are almost charred tasting and the bitterness is primarily from them rather than the hops. The finish becomes somewhat one-dimensional as a result, and frankly tastes a little of overroasted coffee beans. A little less roastiness, a touch more malt and some more hops are needed here.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 02:56:26 | More by Georgiabeer

silentjay

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

deep brown to opaque black with a nice-sized light mocha head that quickly recedes while leaving a little lacing.

rather faint aroma gives off a bit of lightly roasted grains and some piney hops. not very fragrant, but pleasant.

dark coffee hits first, but piney hops take over quickly and finishes with some tobacco before finishing a bit charred, but pretty subdued.

a bit watery with some prickly carbonation with a touch of astringency.

overall, nothing great, but nothing bad. would I drink it again? yah, but there are plenty of others I'd choose first.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 03:39:45 | More by silentjay

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a three finger light tan head fades slowly leaving a good lace. Black color, no highlights. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Light pine hop nose, flavor is piney hops and a dry finish. $9.75 for a 6-pak from Bert's Better Beers Hooksett, NH. Best by Sep 2011.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 22:37:28 | More by jdhilt

Vdubb86

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Sam Adam's Perfect Pint Glass

Thanks to TMoney2591 for his supreme generosity

This beer pours like a sexy stout. There is a black body with a nice thick beige foam. The aroma is fairly odd, but it's pretty much what I'm sure they are going for. It smells of roasted coffee and dark chocolate. Then on the other spectrum there is the partially herbal, partially floral notes that are found with heavy hopping. There is a touch of sweetness from some caramel and chocolate malts, there is A LOT of bitterness. Both burnt bitterness and hoppy bitterness just don't meld well for me. Overall this beer is probably just what it was targeted to be, but in all honesty it's not for me, and I won't be going back to it anytime soon. This is a taste I have yet to acquire apparently.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 04:16:22 | More by Vdubb86

BelgiumBill

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Not quite a black pour - more of a very dark mahogany with ruby highlights accompanied by a thick foamy beige head.

Smelled of yeast, toasted hops, pine, juniper.

Moderate carbonation produced an in balance brew with hop forward character along with good roasted flavors.

Nothing spectacular but a good solid addition to the Longshot mixed pack.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 00:05:10 | More by BelgiumBill

PBoegel

New York

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint.

Coffee black to slightly reddish brown body, faint tan shade to a dense two inch head.

Citrus and floral nose with a strange touch of smokiness. Otherwise little to no signs of roast with a touch of cocoa powder.

Orange citrus and ripe cantaloupe melon with a subtle bittersweet chocolate through the mid palate. The smokiness bubbles up in the finish and lingers on the palate a bit. Not over powering but a distraction to the flavor profile. Good solid bitterness for a beer of this style.

Light to just shy of medium body, well carbonated with a dry finish.

Smokey note detracts from this beer which would otherwise be something to see other brewers of this style shoot for.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 00:54:29 | More by PBoegel

trappistlover

Arizona

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

(12oz bottle). Pours dark brown with a thick, foamy khaki head. Lacing appears pretty quickly. Aroma has nice, bright citrusy hops with some dank, heavy ones, but its a nice balance. I’m getting charcoal or something ashy like I detect with most Black IPAs. Taste is a short burst of juicy hops followed with chocolate, roasty bitterness. Thin bodied with an oily/slick texture. Finish is dry. A pretty good example from a style I really don’t care for.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 00:16:45 | More by trappistlover

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

i poured this beer into a perfect pint glass, it has a nice 2"sticky tan head on top of a black body. The smell is of hops and roasted malts and some earthy pine notes. The taste is has some nice hops and roasted malts with some chocolate hints. This one has a nice mouth feel and overall a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 02:58:25 | More by chefhatt

bum732

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

S: Huge pine notes, slight roast, some spice, grapefruit rind.

L: Dark black, light tan creamy head with 1/4 inch retention and great lacing.

T: Sweet roasty malt with grapefruit piney backbone. Medium low bitterness leads to sweet roastiness slight ashy finish. Semi-dry finish.

M: Medium low mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Hops more in the aroma, slight in bitterness but not much in flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 04:12:09 | More by bum732

jsh420

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

pours dark dark brown with a 1+ finger tan head that left some spotted lacing

smells of hops and chocolate malt

taste is ok - the hops are a bit too strong and overpower the black malt - i think it was the pine hop resin they just do not go well with the malt - grapefruit does well but not the pine

mouthfeel is nice - medium body with plenty of carbonation - very smooth and creamy

overall - over the last few months i have had several black ipas - if this was the first one i might be blown away but after many others this is low on the list

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 06:44:44 | More by jsh420

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle pours an opaque black color with a dense and creamy tan head. Excellent retention and lacing. A nice looking beverage here.

Nose is a lot of roast and a lot of citrusy hops. Little bit of a burnt, leafy aroma…not sure if the hops were actually blackened or not.

Taste shows a nice blend of bold malt and darkly citric hops…lots of bittering on the finish. Hop flavors are generally pretty mellow and the sweetness is low. Mouthfeel is pretty soft, not overly full and goes down pretty smooth. I think this is the best of a pretty lackluster longshot pack in 2011.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 20:12:41 | More by twiggamortis420