Iniquity (Imperial Black Ale) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into shaped dogfish pint.

A - Very dark brown, almost black. Has a dense off-white head and leaves a beautiful lacing.

S - Dark malts, woody, toasty, strong herbal chinook. A lot going on but it works very well.

T - Slightly smokey and sweet character in addition to the flavors from the nose. Strong hops, slight citrus, and somewhat strong alcohol presence.

M - Medium bodied, smooth, low-medium carbonation. A bit of burning alcohol lingers.

O - Very well balanced offering which exemplifies the style. Perfect blend of hoppy IPA character and dark smoky malts of a porter. Well done Southern Tier.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 01:51:31 | More by NoLeafClover44

nmbr0ne

Florida

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into pint glass at the House of Brews in Jensen Beach, FL.

Appearance: Dark, dark brown. Almost black. Finger-thick tan head. Dissipates into nice ring patterns. Decent retention and lacing.

Smell: Chocolate and roasted malts. Piney and citrusy hops.

Taste: Chocolate dipped grapefruit? Slightly bitter finish. But decent tastes throughout.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied. Definite drinkability.

Overall: Good black IPA. The mouthfeel is really what saves it to make it an above average beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2012 02:23:02 | More by nmbr0ne

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into an over sized tulip glass.

This ale pours a deep, dark, nearly pitch black colored brew that has only faint deep amber hues along the edge of the glass. The head is a generous, thick, yellowed white head that leaves some very sticky lacing and clumps that rest on top of the brew.

Smells of roasted coffee, toasted malt, chocolate and citrus hops.

Tastes of toasted caramel malt, chocolate, coffee, which is all very well balanced with piney and citrus hops.

Silky smooth mouthfeel, thick and lingering.

An exceptional offering from Southern Tier. This is an easy drinking brew that I will definitely look for again. A remarkably well balanced brew. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 02:03:05 | More by ujsplace

Apostlebrews

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aroma: Earthy hops with an obvious scent of citrus/floral. Possibly some lemon peels.

Appearance: Fairly black with some carbonation that comes through. The head dissipates quickly.

Flavor: This is good! The hops/citrus hits you up front and then quickly turns to a dry/cocoa finish with a fair amount of bitterness and slight booze. The more I drink this, the more I am able to pull out the chocolate, though it's never overpowering.

Mouthfeel: A good amount of carbonation here--maybe too much. The alcohol warms a bit. You don't want to serve this too cold.

Overall impression: I have yet to be disappointed with anything from Southern Tier. This is a very good BIPA. Unlike other posers, the malts are roasted enough to justify the "Black" IPA. I have had too many BIPAs that taste like an ordinary IPA. Way to go, Sourthern Tier!

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 01:04:01 | More by Apostlebrews

metter98

New York

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is clear very dark amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter-finger high tan head that died down, leaving lacing on the surface and a thick ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderately strong aromas of roasted malts in the nose along with notes of citrus and pine resin hops.
T: Like the smell, the taste has flavors of roasted malts, citrusy hops along with some hints of bitter chocolate and coffee beans. Not much bitterness is present because it is balanced off by hints of sweetness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink compared to other beers in the style because the hop bitterness is well balanced by the underlying malts.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 03:15:04 | More by metter98

mattcrill

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Aroma: Earthy hop resins up front. Grapefruit rind-like aromatics quickly follow. Slight background sweet chocolate aromas. Heavily handed towards the piney and citrus-like hop resins. A little bit of "Lemon Pledge" aroma.

Appearance: Inky black with chocolate highlights. Low sudsy tan head that retains poorly.

Flavor: Orange juice with lots of citrus-like hop flavors. Just a slight dry cocoa powder in the background. Balance is to the orange juice hop flavors. Finish is clean and dry. Aftertaste is long and towards the cocoa flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation. Slightly astringent from the hops and dark malts and a touch creamy. Alcohol warms the back of the palate.

Overall impression: More IPA-like than anything else. Another winner from ST. Seek out and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 22:07:30 | More by mattcrill

Mosstrooper

California

3.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 22oz bottle into nonic pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a cola color with a large tanned head that dissipates slowly and leaves behind thick lace.

Smell: Citric and piney hop aromas backed up by a slightly sweet malt with some bready and buttery aromas mixed in. A bit of booziness in the background as well.

Taste: Starts with balanced bitterness and citrus to begin, before rounding out to toasty, bready malts before finishishing with a powerful West Coast hop punch. Some sips reveal what seems like too much alcohol if it stays in the mouth too long.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavier-bodied with balanced carbonation and a sticky, boozy finish.

Overall: A good enjoyable beer. One I'd like to have again. It's only real downside is too much alcohol flavor, feel, and even smell at certain moments, but at least that's not overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 19:16:15 | More by Mosstrooper

vfgccp

New York

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A – Deep cola-mahogany body. Nice white head with ok retention and lace.

S – Sweet red grapes, molasses, barely, and roasted chestnuts.

T – Acidic opening with sweet molasses and malt set the stage for an explosion of flavor out of the center of the profile that includes great, medium roast barely, a broad coffee bitterness, and a touch of smoke. Chocolate and a kiss of booze pull through on the backend of the profile.

M – Super smooth with a nice lingering, bitter, semi-sweet finish. Full body. A little more carbonation could have made this a 5.

O – Incredibly drinkable with a great flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 17:34:59 | More by vfgccp

gestyr

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22Oz bomber into a pub pint glass.

A: Pours a deep brown with 2 finger creamy tan head that lasts and leaves lacing, When held to the light you see a deep clear garnet color.

S: coffee, malt, Hops

T: Very porter-like. Nice malt background. Hints of chocolate and coffee but with a good hops presence. Lots of hop flavor and a lingering bitterness that is nicely matched by the roasty malts

M: Nice medium body with no carbonation sting.

O: A very good beer. It would go very will with roast beef or pork

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 00:30:38 | More by gestyr

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass and got a thin film from the pour. I got a thin film from the first to the last pour out of this growler.

It is a very dark brown, and you get some light through the glass.

Overall it is pretty good black IPA. You get the mix of IPA and porter tastes. There is coffee and some hoppiness. Neither flavor over-whelms the other. Pretty good for balance. I recommend picking up a bomber or a growler to enjoy this beer by Southern Tier.

Serving type: growler

12-11-2011 17:51:29 | More by ummswimmin

StayWounded

North Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Black as night with a small tan head. First pour into a small glass didn't give much head. Will try to coax it out next time.

S: One of the few beers I could smell while I was pouring it. Very powerful sweet aroma. Smells of smokey dark fruits.

Taste: Fantastic. Dark fruits with some smoke and a bit of carmel. A bit of bite from the hops, though not all that powerful gives a nice clean feeling at the end. Very relaxing, good for a winter night.

Mouthfeel: There is the alcoholic heat you would expect form a 9% but still very smooth. A bit more carbonated than I would like perhaps, but not all that distracting.

Overall: Fantastic beer, will definitely get again.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 23:37:03 | More by StayWounded

tastybeer

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very nice appearance... Big bubbly enticing head lies over a deep woody, almond brown brew that is almost opaque. The head fades in reasonable time to a thin sheet leaving some sparse but sticky looking lace behind. Aroma is excellent. A complex and harmonious blend. Smells of deep chocolate, dank grapefruit, sugary citrus, tobacco, leaves, chewy malt, caramel, and cherries all blend effortlessly. Taste is on the sweet side but still quite tasty. (I wouldn't go as far as to say cloying). Sugary malt, grapefruit rind, berries, syrupy dark chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and pine. Moderately bitter. Texture is sticky and resiny, a little chewy, and kind of viscous with a medium to thick body. Quite drinkable given the sweetness.

Overall I am happy with this brew. I'd get another.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 03:04:11 | More by tastybeer

wedge

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark, nearly black color with an initially thick and creamy head that slips down to a thin, bubbly covering. Dark caramel malt, toasty wood, tobacco, and a smooth booziness hits the nostrils first...orange and citrus blossom hoppiness meets some pine and light lemon. The flavor is good balance between dark malts and sticky hops. Chocolate, spruce, sweet black tea, raisin, and some trailing citrus and mint. Not quite full bodied, but creamy and fairly well carbonated. Pretty good all around, the hops are still tasty and the balance is nice, but something makes me question the freshness of this bottle. It should be fresh, considering it came from a fairly new store, but I detect a certain "aged" quality. Worthy of a revisit in the near future...

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 02:56:54 | More by wedge

jjboesen

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Southern Tier's rendition of this recent style is a neat little concoction brewed with 2-row pale malt, bittered black malt, a well balanced combo of chinook and cascade hops that is supplemented by a generous dry-hopping of chinook and centennial - a deliciously effective brew.

It pours a deep ruby red, crowned by a chunky cream-colored head; while there is a minimum lacing, there does seem to be a very active population of carbonation bubbles within. The nose is sweet and pleasant as it emits subtle whiffs of chocolate. The palate really gets a workout here: it initially comes off a bit cloying but subsides into a consistently balanced malt layer boasting an easy toasty fade.

It is complex, but comfortable - an enjoyable quaff.

Incidentally, the label depicts a hexigram talisman, a five-pointed image to invoke good luck while representing brewing purity. I really enjoyed this one and suspect any discerning BA would as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 01:30:38 | More by jjboesen

Kromes

Georgia

4.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: A clear black color with dark brown highlights and a thick tan colored head. Good lacing down the glass.

S: Roasted malt, molasses, smoked malt, peat, and hop.

T: Caramel sweetness meets and nice roasted and sweet mesquite-like smoked malt flavor. There is a nice hop presence throughout into a sweet, roasted and smoky finish.

M: Medium/heavy body with medium carbonation...smooth and creamy

O: I have always like this beer, but this is the first time reviewing it. The mixture of sweet, roasted malt and hop is perfect.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 21:27:32 | More by Kromes

ccarney2

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Very dark, but not quite black body... Almost a deep red color near the edges of the glass with about a finger and a half of a very light tan head. Lacing is fairly minimal though.

Smell - A lot of hop aroma in the nose, moreso than most Black ales/cascadian darks/Black IPAs that I have tried. A little bit of a grapefruit smell. No sign of the 9% ABV here though.

Taste - In keeping with the trends of the aroma character, this Black IPA tastes more like an IPA than any other variation of this style that I have tried. Although it doesn't really have too much bitterness, you can taste the hops incredibly well throughout. The aftertaste is mildly sweet, and doesn't linger for too long. Again, the 9% ABV is nearly undetected.

Mouthfeel - Medium to low carbonation. Right where this style should be in my opinion.

Overall - This is one of my favorite beers in this new and blossoming style of beer. It is much more deserving of the "IPA" tag that adorns the bottle than many of the participating breweries. It tastes and drinks more like a session IPA than a higher gravity Black IPA. I will buy again very soon.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 01:56:03 | More by ccarney2

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Iniquity pours a dark, dark clear brown into the glass. Near black. A small creamy head on top fades away quickly to a ring around the surface, leaving behind a few spots and lines of lace on the glass.

The aroma is malty and fruity. Notes of caramel, smoke, dark fruit and a touch of grass.

Each sip of this medium bodied beer is soft on the palate, with a firm carbonated fizz. The flavor is roasted malt, caramel, smoke, a touch of dark fruit followed by a strong taste of pine and grassy hops. It finishes bitter and once gone the dark fruit and grassy hops linger on the palate.

This beer almost reminds me of a 'light' barlywine. It has a nice balance between lots of malt and lots of hops. Very tasty!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 00:37:37 | More by WanderingFool

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my crystal mug, the beer was a almost black color. The head is creamy tan about one and a half fingers high. Retention is ok, leaving good lacing.
Smell reveals caramel, smoky malt, brown sugar and honey. Some fruity hops are present faintly.
The taste was very enjoyable. Smoky malts with brown sugar up front. The middle was dominated by fruity hops, yet with a lot of earthy feeling to it. The end was a combo of honey and bitter grassy hops. Nice balance throughout the beer. A smooth oily feel, yet enough carbonation made this one a favorite of mine.
A great must try beer!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 04:27:32 | More by Hopfenpeter

nitro0292

New York

2.83/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Split a bomber with a fellow BA. Poured into a Brooklyn snifter.

Pour produced a full 2 fingers of cappucino colored head. Rention is fair, but lacing is solid. Color is very deep brown, almost black, almost completely opaque. When held up to light some deep mahogany highlights make an appearance.

Smell is smoky roasted malts with a faint touch of resin. The smoke notes dominate to point that this smells like a rauchbier.

Taste is similar to the smell, but not as dominated by smoke. Very good balance between sweet, bitter and all other flavors, but nothing stands out which is a shame. This beer does not have a distinct character.

Mouthfeel is fairly light for the ABV, with fairly low carbonation. Eh.

Overall, this is an Ok beer. To me there is not enough character of any type. This was bottled on 10/4/11, so freshness is not an issue. I had a bottle about a year ago that was well past its prime, which was dominated by sweetness. The fresh version was dominated by anything.

Disappointed. I expected more.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 22:37:04 | More by nitro0292

jegross2

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 Vintage bottle in a snifter after my Samuel Smith Imperial Stout.

Appearance: Very dark caramel-black. Light permeates the perimeter of the beer, but not the main of the body. Pours a few inch fizzy head that subsides a minute later into a very faint fizzy lace.

Smell: Toffee and citrus aroma, mixed with dark fruit (maybe prunes?)

Taste: Very balanced, carbonated and malty beer with faint bitterness. Slight fruit taste as well. Very sweet lingering flavor, but cannot pin down any specific reasons why.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied beer, with a faint malty finish

Overall: An enjoyable beer, but nothing special. It's not one I'd prefer to have more than one of.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 06:56:47 | More by jegross2

sevenarts

New York

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A very dark reddish-brown, not quite black though it looks it in certain lights.

S: Sweet, malty flavors dominate the aroma.

T/M: A very complex taste with multiple flavors threaded through. Right up front are some hints of hops woven together with sweeter malty flavors, and it finishes with very subtle bitter, roasted notes.

O: There's a lot going on here, and the multiple layered flavors make this a true blend of an IPA with a darker beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 00:03:47 | More by sevenarts

scootny

New York

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well not quite black but close. A dark clear cola with a dark off white head that does not want to go away. Scads of lace and just a joy to behold. Nose is full of roasted grains. Light chocolate and coffee notes waft back and forth with a lovely caramel sweetness. This is so good. Taste is much like the nose with a brown bread malt core that envelopes a yeasty fruitiness bringing forth some faint plum and figs. No trace of the alcohol anywhere. Wow. Finish is crisp with a good earthy hops that has a firm but mild grapefruit bitterness. Feel is supple and medium-ish with a touch of light syrup. Carbonation is lightly creamy and super fine. This stuff goes down like a lager and is so delicious that you need a plate of good food too keep you from getting in trouble. A stupendous beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 04:11:38 | More by scootny

sprucetip

Alaska

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes. Dark brown but not black. Ruby highlights when backlit. Active, a finger of tan head fades fairly quickly. Patchy lacing.
Caramel malty, boozy, with floral and citrus hops. Takes a swirl to entice the rich and balanced blend.

Roasty and black malt flavors are solid, but some seriously rich caramel malty sweetness is more prominent. I get some citrusy hops, but the roast and caramel elements define this one. Very mild bitterness.

Moderately strong warming, medium carbonation, full body, highly viscous, and finishes pretty clean.

For some reason, likely my own preconceptions, I was expecting a beer called an Imperial Black Ale to be more akin to the new Black IPA. And it sort of is, if you don't mind a malt bomb as an IPA. I don't, necessary, and quite enjoyed this. But the hops are very subdued and someone looking for a more hopped up black ale may be disappointed. I like it and think it's really good.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 04:59:40 | More by sprucetip

TTAmod

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle poured into Chimay chalice. No bottling or freshness date.

A: Actually not as black as I was expecting. It's a very dark brown with some ruby highlights. There's a quickly dissipating white head. Quite a beautiful beer.

S: Smells of nice citrus-y hops and roasted malts.

T: Roasted malts up front, followed by fairly intense pine and citrus hops. There's also a mix of caramel, grass, and even a little roasted malt at the end. Also warms the throat. There's a lot going on here. It's like being lost in a pitch black maze. I guess that's a good thing =p

M: Quite light bodied. Prickly from the carbonation.

O: It really is the antithesis of Unearthly. This beer is a complete mess, but in a good way. It's even weirder than other Black IPAs I've had. It's not as well balanced, yet it's still enjoyable. It's really hard to grade this brew. Technically it isn't a well done beer, but I like it. However, the Stone Escondidian is a better example of the style, in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 04:09:17 | More by TTAmod

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass. Brown in the pour, almost black in the glass. A one finger, light tan head.
Smells strongly of malt with a sharp citrus in the middle. Toffee and molasses dominate.
Taste has a rich malt layer, ripe fruit (sweet) with a light bitterness at the end. Complex and enjoyable.
Soft and bubbly initially. Later it was more syrupy, medium bodied throughout.
Interesting drink. I thought it was going to be like a Schwartzbier, but it was advertised on the bottle as a Black IPA... but it was neither and very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 01:16:31 | More by Fatehunter