Discord Dark IPA - Pyramid Breweries, Inc.

Bookseeb

Washington

3.3/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance is a very dark brown supporting an off white head and light spotty lace. Smell initially has a nice balance of the citrusy, piney hops with the lightly roasted and caramel malt. Taste has the grapefruit citrusy hops, but not overpowering. The roasted malt stands out the most in this IPA also having a dry, biscuity flavor. Mouthfeel is a bit thin on the medium side with good carbonation. Not a bad brew, but nothing too complex, could use a little sweetness to round things out.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 03:23:40 | More by Bookseeb

Spaz7

California

4/5  rDev +13%

05-24-2013 22:18:54 | More by Spaz7

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -22.3%

05-13-2013 23:55:33 | More by ejimhof

kojevergas

California

2.81/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with twist-off pressure cap and generic uninspired label acquired as part of a pyramid variety box at my local Vons grocery store this past Friday and served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average given the brewery - which I'm not all that impressed with. 6.5% ABV confirmed. Brewed with 5 different hops. Enjoy by 06/06/13. Reviewing as a Dark IPA - that's what the label calls it.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a six finger khaki colour head of decent cream, decent thickness, and pretty good (~5 minute) retention. Body colour is an extremely dark amber; I like the rich character of it. It's quasi-translucent but nontransparent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. No lacing as the head recedes. Looks pretty standard for a Dark IPA/Black IPA. No overt flaws.

Sm: Pleasant floral hop character jars a bit against the dark malt backbone. Some nice (albeit light) roast is a highlight. A bit of pine, surprisingly. I didn't expect this relative level of hop complexity from a Pyramid brew. A light soapiness suggests it may have spent a hair too long in primary fermentation. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable. A moderate strength aroma. Standard fare for a black IPA, with an interesting battle between malts and hops for prominence. I'm looking forward to trying it.

T: I like the light roasty touches to the malty backbone. Dark malts form the foundation. Floral hop character and a bit of pine is present throughout, with some unwelcome hop bitterness hitting on the climax. The failure to tame the hop bitterness severely impacts the balance. I get a bit of chocolate malt - especially up front. Light caramel. No yeast character or alcohol comes through. It's too bitter, overall. I do like the chocolatey malty sweetness up front but it dissipates. Might have been better served as just a straight up stout; the hops and malts are clashing here. Built okay. It suffers from the usual balance issues implicit in the style.

Mf: Smooth and wet. A touch oily. Overcarbonated. Good thickness. Decent presence on the palate. Suits the flavour profile rather generically. Decent execution.

Dr: I quite like the price and think this will be right up the alley of fanatics of the style. It's one of the better more interesting brews I've had from Pyramid, but admittedly that isn't saying much. I wouldn't get it again, but I'll easily finish the other two bottles in the variety box. It's not bland or uninspired; I can tell effort did go into this. But it ultimately comes off imbalanced and lackluster - and balance is key to this style.

C

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 00:39:15 | More by kojevergas

ZAP

Minnesota

3.14/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-Dark brown color

S-A lot going on here. Black licorice, earthy, tobacco, a bit of smokiness...anise...

T-Earthy hops....some pine....smoky...anise....some cocoa...

M-Somewhat sharp finish....body is about right...

O-Interesting but more muddled than tasty. I can drink it but wouldn't buy it.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 05:37:12 | More by ZAP

GraduatedCashew

California

3/5  rDev -15.3%

04-25-2013 16:08:42 | More by GraduatedCashew

cre83

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -8.2%

04-25-2013 02:41:23 | More by cre83

beernerd1

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +20.1%

04-23-2013 20:54:18 | More by beernerd1

coldriver

Texas

3.76/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle pours a Coke color with good head and lacing. Aroma has a bit of a chemical tinge, with alcohol, but not overwhelmingly so. Dark malt and spicy hops are prevalent, but don't seem to compliment each other particularly well with a peppery wet finish. Overall it's a decent beer with nothing too offensive to offer, but not something I would seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 23:39:04 | More by coldriver

blurredline

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

04-17-2013 01:37:00 | More by blurredline

Dduquette

Maryland

3/5  rDev -15.3%

04-16-2013 00:01:43 | More by Dduquette

notthemediator

California

3.25/5  rDev -8.2%

04-12-2013 23:52:22 | More by notthemediator

dmorgan310

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

04-12-2013 01:49:39 | More by dmorgan310

frozenjogurt

California

4/5  rDev +13%

04-10-2013 03:05:57 | More by frozenjogurt

NickSMpls

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

04-08-2013 23:08:01 | More by NickSMpls

brotherloco

California

3.25/5  rDev -8.2%

04-08-2013 00:45:57 | More by brotherloco

BESTIALEX

Oregon

3.25/5  rDev -8.2%

04-05-2013 05:38:58 | More by BESTIALEX

constantine_272

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A: Nice, dark, dark brown. Not quite black. Pale white foam. Odd combination of foam color and beer color. Foam is sticky and slowly creeps down the glass wall.

S: Alcohol smell up front with a backbone of coffee and dark wood.

T: Very light on the initial taste, which gives way with a rush of hops and roasted grains. The hops give a grapefruit rind sort of flavor. It's not a bright citrus like a normal ipa, but darker and heavier and almost sour. The sourness is likely the mixing of roast with the hops. The roast has a note of walnut that finishes the taste. The roast was a aggressive. Instead of adding a richness, it added a charred taste like burnt nut shells.

M: The slight tanginess is quenching. It leaves your mouth somewhat dry leaving you wanting more. The downside is that the dryness builds fast leaving you full quickly. The flavor finishes clean getting extra points.

O: Not a bad beer. I usually like dark IPAs, but I felt the roast was a bit much; it had a burnt flavor I couldn't reconcile.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2013 01:21:23 | More by constantine_272

captainbearcat

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%

03-22-2013 13:28:08 | More by captainbearcat

Irrationalist

California

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

03-18-2013 00:57:48 | More by Irrationalist

brodericksloth

Oregon

3.59/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Available February and March…good St Patrick’s beer; very dark

Two Finger creamy tan head lasts until the end of the glass; good lacing

Tastes like a hoppy stout without all the malt; still very filling. flavors hard to pick up. Some tropical fruits with a bitter piney chewy resin aftertaste. 5 different hops dominated by Cascade. Dry hopped DIPA without a lot of alcohol (could carry more alcohol with all the hops in this one)

Very similar to Thunderhead in alcohol and IBU’s but dark. Probably Pyramid's best

Good pub beer; social sipper

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 20:12:10 | More by brodericksloth

RyanTeeter

New York

3.49/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

a: 1 finger head that dissipates quickly into a thin layer.

s: Sweet bitterness with subtle yet consistent roasted malt notes.

t: Intense hops flavor right out of the gate. Does not linger, clears up so each drink is new and fresh. After initial bitterness, roasted flavors creep in with dark chocolate notes. Unique.

m: A middle weight mouthfeel. Crisp flavor, in-and-out - low residual flavor.

o: Overall nice, balanced flavors. I enjoy the uniqueness if flavors that typically is not associated with IPA's. Almost an American Stout flavor however leans more on the bitterness than the roasted grain.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:13:15 | More by RyanTeeter

sevenshubby

California

4/5  rDev +13%

03-03-2013 05:42:22 | More by sevenshubby

esdeebrew

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%

02-20-2013 21:01:48 | More by esdeebrew

sam_bliss

Washington

3.65/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12-ouncer into a tall glass

Pours a blackened amber with a few centimeters of browned head. The aroma prominently features bitter dark malts. A bit of resinous, woody hop balances caramel and smokiness. The taste is of coffee and some fruitiness. Apple-smoked toast. Mouthfeel is fresh for such a well-bodied brew. Pleasant aftertaste without any after-feel.

To make this beer pyramid took one part Snow Cap and one part Thunderhead and mixed them up real good. It turned out alright

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 02:34:38 | More by sam_bliss