Trout Hop Black IPA - Grand Teton Brewing Co.

claytong

Vermont

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A very interesting brew. had this on tap, sadly only 4 oz. but mountain sun just had incredible things on guest tap that day.
Nose was pine, hops, strong malt, brown sugar, molasses.
Taste was almost identical with not as much sugar.
It went down so smoothly. Almost seemed like some of the best of both worlds.
Mouth was super wet and wanting more, the wife was there to control.
A great beer, hope to get some more sometime.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2011 17:54:32 | More by claytong

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Vine Club. Good hop aroma. Black with a white head, lace sheet. Would be an awesome cask, carbonation right there though suitable. Grapefruit taste, expensive pint for Denver at $8. Decent drinkability, roasted malt, malt there to hold back the grapefruit.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2011 05:17:50 | More by northyorksammy

Mebuzzard

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well, $9 a half pint at Vine Stret pub during stout month. It looks like a stout at first. Black with a medium sized white head. Upon closer look it's a very dark ruby color.

Somewhat musky hop aroma. Sharp but 'wet' feel to it. Pine and citrus fight, leaving a small trace of roasted malt. Dark plum and sour cherry.

A bit candied sweetness at first, some fruitiness. But then the hops ain't having that crap! It bites with some pine, just short of being resinous, and tangy citrus. The roastiness blends with this to develop the cherry fruitness.

Ends with a zip and alcohol burst. Nice

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2011 20:01:56 | More by Mebuzzard

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on tap @ 1702, Tucson; November 2010
The beer arrives from the tap with a thin, pale head that is surprisingly light for a beer that is so black; it does show a clear brown hue in the light though. The nose has a resinous pine aroma that is backed by piquant citrus zest. The aroma is even somewhat dank from the hops and sometimes seems to have a cheese-like quality to it. The citrus reminds me more of Meyer lemons and lemon zest than the typical IPA aromatics, but this seems typical of these beers that have roast grain in them.

As the beer first hits my mouth it tastes quite bitter and resinous. The citrus character comes out quite a bit more as the beer warms up. A soft sweetness accentuates the fruity hops, but this is still secondary to the herbaceous resinous hops flavors and bitterness. An accentuating roast note in the finish is not overly noticeable but boosts the perceived bitterness. There is a touch of body to this brew, but it certainly hits the quaffability that a good IPA should. This ends up as quite a nice beer; the roast is subdued, which works with the hops character, though this last could even be a bit more prominent.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2010 15:28:02 | More by Gueuzedude

aristotle2497

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I had this beer on tap at The Alchemy in Madison, WI. First off, kudos to a Midwest bar having a beer for my home state and my mother's hometown.

A - came in a 12 ounce goblet, deep looking black color with a hint of swirling of foam. Looked delicious (I'm a fan of dark beers).

S - Hops are definitely present, a strong hit of citrus (think grapefruit) and rich malt. I've smelled better, but it kept me enticed.

T - excellent balance of hops and malt. For an IPA-inspired beer, I thought this had a great balance to it. Rich and floral, but not too bitter as many hop-heavy beers tend to be.

M - It wasn't terribly thick yet it also wasn't water. It has that smooth thickness that makes you think you're drinking something real without stopping to take a run to keep your blood flowing.

D - Just a little hoppy to keep it up regularly, but I thoroughly enjoyed 2 glasses with no thoughts of stopping.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2010 01:56:33 | More by aristotle2497

UCLABrewN84

California

3.54/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pour at the bottle share held at Chloe's inside Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

2010 vintage.

Pours a clear dark orange-brown with a foamy dark khkai head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of roasted malt, cocoa, and citrus zest. Taste is much the same with a fruity and slightly funky flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but there is a bit of funk in the taste that is odd.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 22:44:41 | More by UCLABrewN84

mactrail

California

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark mahogany color in the tall tulip. Beautiful appearance with the off-white head. The lacing is attractive and it's thoroughly sudsy going down the hatch.

Tag on this one says "Nov 05, 2010." How many beers can claim to be brewed with Idaho malt? I don't know about the claimed 145 IBU. It tastes more malty than bitter, but the hops gradually take over.

Deep roasted malt flavors with just a little sweetness. Some hint of sour, bitter burnt malt, but not as black as stouts. A sharp and winey taste behind the earthy hops. Not much fruit, maybe a whiff of marmelade. It does taste like an overamped "Cascadian" IPA, bigger, richer, harder. Quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 08:13:52 | More by mactrail

Jonster02

Montana

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

from a pint glass this one had a light tan/cream head of about 2 fingers. delicious earthy fruity smell. the nose has a strong roasted malt flavor, halfway through there is a hint of grapefruit and then finishes with a bitter coffee/toffee bite. I would definitely recommend this one! This was my first grand teton brew, was thoroughly impressed. The Lost Continent IPA 2 is on the menu for tomorrow evening!

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 05:08:06 | More by Jonster02

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Note: This review was a re-post from my former account, jmkratt, which was hacked and I lost all my reviews...sorry for the redundancy.

Many, many thanks to Heymanivxx for hooking up a couple bottles of this in our trade.

Poured from bottle with a card date of October 7, 2010 to a pint glass.

A - Beer pours a deep black with dark mahogany/purple edges in the light. Huge 2.5 finger light cream colored head with good retention and gobs of lacing.

S - Huge hops aroma of pine, citrus, earthy resin and zest. Very nice aroma!

T/M - The beer starts with an assault on the palette. An assortment of malted character with huge crisp hop character. Nice solid bitterness accompanies the dark roasted specialty malts and contributes to a unique flavor which is medium to full bodied and fishes dry and crisp.

D - Very drinkable.

Overall, this is one of the best Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale/American Black Ales I've had and it was a pleasure to try it. A truly flavorful and aromatic brew. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 02-01-2011 01:58:03

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 21:36:39 | More by hopfacebrew

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Date on bottle says 2010. It's been in my cellar since I purchased it. Trout Hop Black IPA pours black into the glass with a creamy, light tan head on top. The foam dissolves quickly to a sheet on the surface leaving behind a coating of bubbly lace on the glass.

The aroma has notes of roasted malt, chocolate and pine.

Each sip of this medium to full bodied beer is smooth, slightly creamy with moderate carbonation. The flavor is malty with a nice hop bitterness at the end. It begins with roast malt, chocolate and a little toffee. It's earthy in the middle with a touch of nut flavor. It finishes with a bitter hop flavor of pine. Once gone the pine hop bitterness lingers on the palate.

This is a well balanced, tasty beer that's easy to drink. My only regret is that I didn't drink this fresh when I bought it and let it age in my cellar.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 01:11:35 | More by WanderingFool

phichifiji00

California

3.43/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into pint glass.

Appearance: Pours deep brown with a subtle red hue, 2 fingers of creamy tan head that slowly fades.

Smell: Hoppy, pine resin, citrus, subtle roasted malt.

Taste: Hoppy up front (surprising considering the age of this bottle), pine resin, grapefruit, malty in the middle, roasted malts towards the end.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, good carbonation, creamy.

Overall: A very drinkable beer. Much of the hop profile has faded (I drank my other bottle fresh), but still enough left to clearly identify this as an IPA. The mouthfeel is a bit too smooth for an IPA. The roasted malt notes work well and create a well balanced beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 03:38:10 | More by phichifiji00

SFLpunk

Vermont

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased at Liquors 44, Northampton, MA. 750mL brown glass pry-top champagne bottle. 2010 Vintage (Jul 30, 2010).

Pours a thin black with 1.5 inches of cream colored head. Nose is surprisingly ctirusy despite the age. Some faint char and toasted malt.

Palate is medium-light bodied. Nice citrusy piney hop resin right up front. That light char and roasty thing is in the center and then the finish is all IPA. Don't think there's any black patent here either.

I can't believe how well this beer is drinking after a whole year. I wonder how it is fresh?...

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 01:29:47 | More by SFLpunk

emmasdad

Colorado

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Megan for sharing this bottle last night. Poured a deep black color with a smallish tan head. Big hoppy aromas, pine, citrus, grapefruit. On the palate, this one was medium bodied and very drinkable, with good hop flavors balanced nicely by dark chocolate and roasted malt. Very good.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 21:33:14 | More by emmasdad

OldIronLungs

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 6/30/2011

Beautiful bottle design - who says shiny things are overrated?

Poured into a pint glass very dark brown with a dark fluffy tan head.

Nose pulls pine hops and a touch of roast/chocolate.

Very nicely bodied, smooth and medium/light carbonation with a pleasant bitterness, lightly herbal, some roast and a touch of chocolate. Sweeter finish with a sticky bitterness that really just feels complex as it rests on the palette.

As others have mentioned, for a year old, this still has a really nice hop presence. I'd never think to buy a cellared IPA, but this one impressed - just very smooth. The 8.5% is very well hidden in the malt making for a great drinker that you have to remind yourself to slow down and enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 01:52:02 | More by OldIronLungs

t420o

California

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Bottled: August 2, 2010
Consumed: 6/7/11
Served @ 55 degrees

A- Pour produced a two finger brown head that sat atop a very dark brown approaching black body. Nice lacing

S- a citrusy hop smell is predominant to me, followed by some toasted malt and some dark fruits. Not a very strong smell bt pleasant

T & M- This is a very good and complex beer. On the forefront is citrusy and slightly bitter hop taste followed quickly by some chocolate and dark fruits and finishes slightly bitter again. Slight alcohol taste. Main complaint is that the mouthfeel is a bit thin. Not overly thin, but not where id like it to be

O- I though this was an excellent beer with so much good stuff going on. The drinkabity is great given the abv

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 02:09:34 | More by t420o

MrVonzipper

California

4.88/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is phenomenal.

Pours a very dark brown to black with a short bubbly, khaki colored with good lacing

On the nose it's a little chocolatey with roasted malt, smoked wood, a little nutty and a deep dark citrus note

The flavor is very layered and complex. notes include a hint of chocolate, smokey oak, deep raisin, slight sweet roasted malt, coffee and slight citrus

Mothfeel is very nice and smooth. A bit creamy with a nice almost foamy carbonation and a dark-fresh aftertaste

Overall I think this is hands down, the best black IPA I've ever had. The flavor is so complex and unbelievably balanced. Im kind of blown away by how good it is. I recommend this to everyone. Thank you DarthKostrizer for this tasty treat!

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 21:32:13 | More by MrVonzipper

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

pours, well you guess it a dark black with a nice tight and compact head of tan that seems to come up around an inch or so before settling back down to earth and coming through with a nice medium layer of lacing around the sides, fairly impressed. aroma is hops, dark roasted malts, a touch of burnt brown sugar, hints of licorice and a touch of dark fruits as it warms, very complex. flavor follows suit nicely, albeit not as strong, but still very nicely done. rich dark malts and piney hops blend together with a deep roasted flavor that carries over into a moderatly dry finish that sums it up quite well..

overall a really great beer

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 19:41:19 | More by mikesgroove

arizcards

Arizona

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a 750ml bottle from Total Wine in mid-March for $8.49.

Beer poured a dark brown with a frothy tan head that is leaving lacing behind.

Nose is resinous hops and a huge malts.

Taste is a nice balance between slightly roasted malts and the pine and resinous hops. Finishes slightly dry.

Mouthfeel is a bit thinner than hoped. Texture is fairly smooth.

Overall this is a pretty good beer. I would suspect it is much better when it was first bottled.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 23:58:33 | More by arizcards

batty

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought and drank May 2011 cambridge, ma

pours a rich chocolatey brown, brown-ale type color with chocolate edges. clean tan head with great lacing.

smells exactly as it should - rich malts with caramel, piney and slight citrus hops with a hint of mj. not quite as strong as it could be perhaps.

taste explodes in the mouth - relatively clean up front with a rush to the back and the chocolate - which melds cleanly from bitter chocolate to bitter hop, very lingering. just a touch of roast, plenty of hop flavor to match the bitterness

easy drinking feel but thick enough to keep some substance - not watery or overly thick.

great 'american black ale.'

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 22:38:01 | More by batty

wagenvolks

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle (2010) into a Jester King snifter.

Trout Hop pours with a murky plum-brown body. Not the best color, especially with the pond water lightness at the edge, but the sizable tuft of big-bubbled khaki foam makes for a decent appearance. Despite the age, this Black Ale still has a hefty hop profile that kicks off plenty o' pine and tropical fruit. Dark malts and yeast add a nice depth of gummy fig, chocolate-covered cherry, and toasted toffee nuttiness--a delightful bouquet.

The flavor is still laced with hops, too, as a bitter resin note creeps across the palate alongside notes of mango and pineapple. Malts kick in mid-sip with molasses and a dry roasted flavor, followed by a finish of boozy fruit cocktails. Mouthfeel is a tad bit thin and under-carbonated for the style, but there's enough sustenance to keep the tongue happy. Overall, a tasty take on the style from Grand Teton that's held up well with regards to its hop profile. Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 04:05:43 | More by wagenvolks

azdback

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into my Imperial Stone glass. Pours a deep opaque brown, with no light visible, but not black. The two finger head looks like a root beer float both in appearance and color. Lace is laying down in an almost solid sticky tan sheet. The head really isn't going anywhere tonight.

Smells beautiful. It has notes of honey, molasses, burnt caramel. This one has a fantastic malt bill. It is balanced nicely with some bitter hops, although the malt is up front. I'm really counting on this tasting as great as it smells.

It is very sweet, with light roasted caramel. Blackstrap molasses, and light brown sugar. I think the hop bill is really here for balancing bitterness. Any specific hop character is sort of lost in the sweetness.

Mouthfeel is where this one fell a little short. It is mildly carbonated, more like a brown ale than an BIPA. It finishes quite watery. It just doesn't hold up to the style.

Even though it lost points on the mouthfeel, it was a really great beer. Beautiful color, head, lace, and smell. It tasted like I wanted to have another. Low point was the watery finish. Definitely recommended though.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 06:38:09 | More by azdback

rawfish

California

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Beautiful bottle and artwork. Pours black, a tad darker than cola with deep brown highlights and a two finger tight tan head that leaves spotty lacing on the glass.

Somewhat muted when cold, roasted malts, chocolate and sweet with a citrus and pine hop backing. As it warms the citrus hop character becomes more prominent as well and some vinous fruit and alcohol begin to surface.

Flavor hop dominant with equally balanced pine and citrus but also a bit dank, begins to degenerate to pure grapefruit rind as the beer warms. Evident chocolate and roasted malts masked with complexity of tobacco and dark fruit esters. Citrus hops do begin to clash with the malts as the beer warms ending in a finish that's more acidic than bitter.

Rather light body for a dark beer with muted carbonation that provides a velvet smooth feel on the palate. Ends a bit harsh due to the flavor but the drink is rather creamy and soft, alcohol well hidden.

As the flavors begin to surface they begin to clash though the complexities of the spices and yeast are much appreciated blurring the transition of hops and dark malt. Hops seemed a bit muted despite the acidity would like to try fresh. Still a nice example of a growing style.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 07:20:55 | More by rawfish

Beaver13

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

750ml bottle, dated 11/16/2010. Pours a dark brown with a big fluffy / creamy light tan head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is a nice combination of sweet roasted chocolate malts and piney, slightly citric, hops. This is what a black IPA should smell like.

The flavor is sweet chocolate malts and fruit with some roast (light coffee) and piney fruity hops in the finish that add a medium bitterness that lingers in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation and is a little watery.

Overall, this is probably the best Black IPA I've had to date. I haven't been a big fan of them so far, but this is well balanced with a nice combination of sweet chocolate, roast, citric fruits and piney hops.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 05:43:54 | More by Beaver13

maximum12

Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -38.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Thanks to a good non-BA friend for bringing this over for a tasting & donating it to the cause...because I don't have enough beer in the house. But his wife doesn't drink & a bomber won't ever be consumed in his house in one sitting. Split almost evenly with my lovely, intelligent wife watching her stupid reality shows.

Nice 750ML bottle with good artwork, which only increases my urge to get my boat out, load up the rods, & hit the open water, except it's all still frozen. July 29th, 2010 dating on the inside of the accompanying slip of paper attached to the neck.

The pour into our Free The Hops snifters is black as advertised, not quite midnight, but maybe a quarter of. Smell isn't much to write about, dank, musty hops littered with generic maltiness. Not good.

Trout Hop Black IPA speaks of being aged, but this has the taste & feel of a stale IPA for me, despite the big beer ABV & other aspirations. Hops come across like damp leaves under springtime snow, with no sharpness. The malts are present, sweet, but quickly subsumed into the dank hops. Plenty of roast saves this from the scrap heap of history & gives much-needed body, heft, & taste. I find myself wishing this has been a 22 oz. bottle rather than the bigger, badder version. Not a good sign.

I wish I'd tasted this fresh; at this stage of its larval development, this isn't a good beer. I know there are folks who dig the dank, but I'd rather it stayed in the basement where it belongs. Sub-mediocre.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 02:39:00 | More by maximum12

shodrod

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(poured into a snifter)
This beer pours a dark black color with a nice tan head that holds it shape for slightly longer than you would expect. The aroma is reminiscent of a barleywine with notes of fruit and alcohol. The flavor profile is closer to a porter or stout than a black IPA. Smoke is a predominate note with hints of coffee and chocolate. A very light, mellow finish. A supreme lack of hop presence for a beer labeled IPA but, none the less, a delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 04:38:42 | More by shodrod