Trout Hop Black IPA - Grand Teton Brewing Co.

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

bbb099

California

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

A - Light tan colored head, good lacing. Pours hazy, deep dark brown.

S - Heavy citrus and some floral hops with chocolatey dark malt aroma to it.

T - The hops did not come through as strong as I thought it would. Roasted dark malt dominates with some residual hop flavors. I felt like it could be a little more balanced as it leans more towards the roasted malt side, but it tasted great nonetheless.

M - Thick and creamy. Good amount of carbonation.

D - Alcohol warmth definitely noticeable on the way down, but tasted good enough that you just want to drink more and more. Something I would purchase again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 03:48:41 | More by bbb099

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle $10, split three ways. Dark black color with a decently hoppy smell even though this was dated November 2010. The flavor was a hoppy citrus flavor but I felt like it really clashed with the dark malts. I'm pretty sure that I don't really like this style just because of the way the hops seem to clash with the malts.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 01:40:02 | More by ArrogantB

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to fear025 care of the 2011 black booty BiF for the chance to try this brew. Shared on 2/20/11 with wishuwerebeer.

A 750ml bottle poured into a pint, appears a dark brown color with 2 fingers of fluffy tan foam. The cap slowly fades leaving a pillow-like uneven cratored surface. An entire wall of lace sticks to the glassware. When held to the light, this brew displays some decent clarity with lighter brown and red hues.

The smell of this offering is quite bright with citrus hops and dark fruity indications. Some light roasted grain presents a scent like chocolate. In the back are some light sulfur notes and more fruity indications that are more like pear than dark skinned fruit in the smell.

The taste is modestly bitter from a combination of the dark roasted quality of the grains and the resins of the hops. There is a dry musty grain flavor that tastes like chocolate and a bitty nutty as well before the flavor gives way to fruits. A minor amount of dark fruity alcohol esters fills the void in the back of the throat with warmth.

This is a medium bodied brew that is lightly yet enjoyable carbonated. Quite easy drinking for almost 9% abv. The abv is enjoyable and somewhat hidden considering it's strength. Not the best in it's class but certainly enjoyable and easily approachable. I would have this one again if there was some assurance of it's freshness.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 19:33:34 | More by stakem

JackieTH

Minnesota

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

Here's a dark black body with a light tan head, scents of pine resin and grapefruit pith predominate the nose. There's a big grapefruit pith bitter hop and resin bite right up front. Subtle undertones of sweet roasted malt attempting to bring semblance of balance. Slightly warming as well. I've had several black DIPA's and it still catches me off-guard with the big hops out of such a dark beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 02:44:57 | More by JackieTH

srandycarter

California

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Near black cola, nice creamy but small head, leaves to ring fast. Lots of lace.

S - As my nose approaches, hops hit first. Then, spiciness, orange peel and toasty malt.

T - Nice light toasted malt, surrounded by hops.

M - Velvet, creamy, great balance and carb.

D - Easy to drink. A nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 03:36:45 | More by srandycarter

HoppyHachey

Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Perfect amount of bitterness combined with the Black Lager. I enjoy a little more bitter and dryness but this is so smooth and flavorful, I love it. I feel I let my bottle sit a little long though and the flavor may have been diluted and that's why it doesn't seem as bitter.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 04:27:50 | More by HoppyHachey

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black with brownie brown highlights, quick tan head and foam.

The aroma has nice roasted malts with a little sweetness, almost Belgian like.

That taste has medium bitterenss from the hops, but well balanced interplay from the roasted malts. The dryness of the palate makes me think if a porter and an IPA had a baby....

The abv. was well integrated.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2011 05:14:20 | More by scruffwhor

palmdalethriller

California

4.3/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out of a 750 ml bottle with no bottling date but "2010" printed on the neck.

Pours a deep, dark brown with a tan head that clings nice and subtly to the glass.

The smell is nice, but I expected more aromatics. Some citrusy notes, but also some molasses-ey hints of booze.

I love dark iba's because the hop-forward taste is surprising. Love the blend of sweet with bitter here. Don't want to do it injustice by trying to describe the flavor.

Feels a little more like a stout and less like a IIPA.

Offered to share the bottle with the wife. Wish I hadn't, I want it all to myself.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 04:14:49 | More by palmdalethriller

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

Baraka

Missouri

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark with a fair head that dissipates rather quickly. Nose is an intriguing mixture of roasted chocolate malts and piny hops. This is a complex beer: there is a velvety chocolate smoothness akin to dark stouts, but this is balanced by an aggressive hop bitterness that lingers. Extremely drinkable, although there is a definite alcohol bite.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 02:56:38 | More by Baraka

peacebone116

California

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 25.4-oz bottle into tulip glass--1/19/11.

A: Black...with ruby tones when held to the light. Off-white, coffee foam head--took a while to build the head--with solid lace throughout enjoyment. The beer poured thick like syrup.

N: Fruity and malty. A hit of coffee hides behind a fruitnote--citrus and strawberry (like strawberry lemonade). Odd, but this is the best breakdown I can come up with.

T/M: The first thing I notice is that the light, almost watery mouth-feel. The pour looked thicker, and this is initially disappointing, but I begin to appreciate it with each sip. A bit of coffee and chocolate at the back and side of the tongue; fruity peach and grapefruit notes at the front, with a dank piny flavor. As it warms, the complexity increases.

At first, I think I was a bit disappointed with this beer; however, I think I just had different expectations. This is a relatively new style of beer (and I have not had too many offerings of this fashion) but with that in mind, this beer is incredibly tasty. It is very complex in flavor and the light body increases its drinkability. Honestly, I think that this is one of the best Black IPA I have ever had; it invokes some of the magic I felt with the first black IPA I had (Black Lie on tap at Pizza Port, Carlsbad).

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 21:09:10 | More by peacebone116

Gobzilla

California

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: poured a dark chocolate brown with pale brown highlights and had a nice half finger of bubbly head leaving some good frothy lacing sticking to the glass.

S: citrus grapefruit is what greeted me first on the whiff but had grassy, hoppy, pine notes with sweetness from the malts and hints of booze.

T: the roasty and hoppy flavors did blend quite well but had grassy, chocolate, citrus grapefruit accents and a touch of pine.

M:the brew was medium to full in body with a nice amount of prickly carbonation which had a hoppy, grassy, piney, citrusy, sweet, and bitter finish.

D: was definitely a great interpretation of a black IPA and is probably one of the few times I enjoy a dark hoppy brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 06:33:41 | More by Gobzilla

mentor

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a 3 finger brown head over a black liquid, ruby edgings when held to light. Smells very grassy from hops with roast and chocolate undertones. Lemon, pine, pineapple, tropical, and grapefruit pith. Very grassy, like sniffing a bag of fresh hops.

Tastes clean hop flavor and bitter over an undertone of chocolate. Pine, lemon, pineapple, and a little bit of green onion. Very weedy rough grassy from massive use of hops (not cohumulone, it's like chewing on hop pellets). So lemony hop flavored it's almost sour. Fairly dry throughout, but turns bone dry in the finish. Light in the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 04:33:10 | More by mentor

brotherloco

California

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2010 Cellar Reserve. Bottled July 29, 2010.

Spicy hop nose with sweet malt on the back end. Flavor delivers the same with a very nice mild malt that doesn't overpower the hops. Very well balanced with a mild finish. Aftertaste brings on some roasty malt.

I think they nailed this style, and the ABV is well hidden. That plus a medium mouthfeel make this very drinkable.

Not related to the score of course, but I love the labels of the Grand Teton Cellar Reserve series. Beautiful presentation, and I really dig that they support their local art community. Can't wait for what comes out in 2011.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 02:47:44 | More by brotherloco

jera1350

Minnesota

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

Deep black color with a big and foamy sandy head that leaves some nice lacing. Good retention of the head.

Nice hop presence on the nose along with a touch of malt. Just pleasantly subtle.

A nice hop character, but a good malt backbone to keep bitterness in check. Really a nice floral hop presence. Nothing outrageous or overdone, just a really solid taste.

Here is an area where this beer shines. Silky smooth and medium to full bodied. A delightful feel.

Drinks wonderfully. No problem having a couple of these. An all around well crafted beer and true to the style. I would have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 01:55:05 | More by jera1350

dcsoke

Arkansas

3.3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Dark brown beer, pours smooth with light head retention.

S - Malty hops are well balanced aromas, but this isn't your typical IPA... seems like a sweetness comin through.

T - Lightly carbonated and the IBU's com through with a slightly bitter aftertaste that lingers. Mild roastiness coming through but on the plus side the ABV's aren't noticeable at all.

M - Light to average body that isn't filling as most dark beers are.

D - Easy going down, but the aftertaste is a bit much to have more than one of these.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 02:27:19 | More by dcsoke

Wasatch

Utah

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

Thanks goes out to pokesbeerdude for this brew.

750ml
Tape Sealed

Poured into a chalice a nice black color, nice carbonation, with a nice little fizzy off-white head, which does leave some nice oil slicks in the middle of the glass, also some nice sticky lacing. The nose is malty, with a very nice touch of hops, citrus/pine notes. The taste is hoppy, malty, slightly sweet, with some nice notes of citrus/pines, slight roastyness. Medium body, the finish is dry and slightly bitter. Drinkable, a very nice brew. Glad to have finally got a chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 19:06:47 | More by Wasatch

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up on a whim at Julio's a few months back. Label really caught my eye. Quite pleased with my pickup.

A - Poured into a pint glass a nice dark almost black pour but when held up to the light a rich mahogany colour is apparhent. There is a very thick and creamy two finger head off white head. The head slowly fades as a thick blanket leaving rich clumpy heavy side lacing.

S - Good aromas. Picking up nice sweet malts and some foral and piney hopes.

T - Much like the nose this is nice and carmel sweet with just a hint of roasted malts. The biggest thing is hops here. Nice and floral along with some great citrus hop notes.

M - Nice and creamy. Low carbonation with this but man oh man you dont feel this ABV at all.

D - Very drinkably black IPA. Solid aromas and taste with an exceptional appearance. Very content with this pickup from Grand Teton Brewery.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 05:57:24 | More by rudzud

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.48/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a black pour, not super dark, a little brown edge to it. Aroma is massively hop aromatic, both citrus and pine. Cocoa and big ipa hops together at last!

Taste, I swear I'm getting chocolate/cocoa, maybe I'm confusing the color and thinking I'm getting that orange chocolate flavor. Very hoppy, just the right amount of bitterness. Getting mint qualities. Good pine resin aspect to it, while remaining quite light texture wise. I'm really diggin' on this beer. Close your eyes, and you picture you're drinking an amazingly dry hopped, vibrant orange west coast ipa with a hint of cocoa, mint and piney trees.

Definitely check this one out.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 01:10:26 | More by Beerandraiderfan

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

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.65/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From Notes:
Look: Poured from a 750mL into a pint. Bottle date July 29, 2010. Pours pretty pitch. Nice 1 1/2 inch tan head that leaves bunches of lace until the last few sips.
Smell: Smoked caramel malts and candy sugar, pine resin, floral and citrus hops very noticable.
Taste: Not as sweet as I would have guessed (which isn't a bad thing). Roasted malts are right up frond. The hops are pretty amazing, earth, pine and floral notes fill out that bill. Great black ipa.
Mouth: A little high on the carbonation, still it's pretty smooth.
Drink: A little expensive but worth checking out once or twice.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 06:26:02 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

pokesbeerdude

Colorado

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

750ml bottle from North Ridge in Laramie, WY. Not sure on the price. Into my 90 Shilling Imperial Pint.

A: Very dark brown, with tons of red high lights. Head comes to about half an inch and quickly recedes to nothing a film of tan bubbles. Huge gobs of lacing. Nice looking beer.

S: Great nose on this one of citrusy hops, nicely resiny. Has a big caramel malt profile with just a hint of roast in there. The hops are the spotlight here though. Very nice here.

T: Big malts show up first, fairly roasted but not as much as others in the style. Behind the nice malt backbone is a ton of hops, definitely of the Pacific NW variety. Some citrus, but a lot more pine, then a resinous sticky hop profile dominates. The balance between the malt and hops just does something different that I haven't tasted in other black IPAs, hard to explain, but it works very well. I don't think it has anything even close to the claimed 145 IBUs, as it isn't overly bitter, but there is a huge hop component in this beer.

M: Spot on, medium bodied, dry, and surprisingly not as boozy as I'd figured for an 8.5% beer.

D: The 750ml bottle won't be hard to finish at all. Very easy to drink. This is a great beer and is definitely on par with the other GT Cellar Reserve beers of the past. It is definitely on the strong side, and I'd be hurting if I had a lot of this, but it would be a very enjoyable session.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 02:31:27 | More by pokesbeerdude

BretSikkink

Mexico

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sticky tan head, pretty fluffy but nice and sticky as well. Dark brown color, shy of black, but a pretty nice look overall. Nose is fairly dry with a toasted and roasted malt note that is slightly chalky and betrays a hoppy pepper presence as well.

Grand Teton Trout Hop is a pretty good stab at the emerging CDA style, hops are forward without going overboard. The bitterness there is almost overtaken by the roasted, patent malt. Emerging notes of tobacco and menthol mingle with some citrus and dark fruits. Body is perfect, a great delivery vehicle for the hops and abv, and it's so easy to drink. My only knocks are the somewhat simplistic flavor profile and the medicinal aftertaste that seems to permeate the palate.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 03:09:52 | More by BretSikkink