Arcadia B-Craft Black IPA - Arcadia Brewing Company

alexgash

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle. Bottled 4/16/12.

Dark cola amber-brown body. Some light gets through. Small, light khaki head. Nice lacing. Nose is a nice mix of hops and dark malt. Lots of pine sap, cat pee, and herbal notes. Caramel and roasted malts complement.

Toasted chocolate malt up front. Caramel and roasted malt settle in. Citric, piny hop bitterness gradually comes on. Some herbal, cannabis-y funk as well. Stays pretty-well balanced until the finish. Dries out, with lingering espresso and pine hop bitterness. Faint resinous notes in the end. Medium-full body with a slightly creamy feel. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 00:42:58 | More by alexgash

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.91/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Snagged a single from Vintage Estate in Ohio. Cost is $2.49

A - Ah good no sediment I fear it was over 3+ months old. Just a 1/3 inch of deep mocha head and the beer itself is Imperial Stout Back, very viscous.
S - Mild tones of citrus hops, and some ashy roasts.
T - Quite an original Black IPA it seems to have some anise or molasses tone along with some citrus hops, English malts, and coffee roast.
M - The ABV seems well hidden if not somewhat watery.
Overall I really liked this black IPA it imparts tones of Russian Imperial stouts with anise and molasses and hides the ABV well.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 04:19:20 | More by DrDemento456

superspak

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled 4/24/2012. Pours almost pitch black dark brown color with a nice 2 finger tan head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some nice soapy lacing on the glass. Aromas of big pine, grapefruit, orange rind, toast, roasted malt, herbal, earth, and light chocolate. Great aromas with big fresh hoppiness; and nice balance. Taste of big grapefruit, orange rind, pine, chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, toast, herbal, and earthy hops. Moderate citrus rind bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, orange rind, pine, chocolate, roasted malt, and herbal on the finish for a while. Fantastic balance of hop flavors with the roasted malt. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a fairly creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming after the finish noticed. Overall this is a fantastic black IPA! Great hop and roasted malt flavor balance, and very smooth for 8.5%. Amazing stuff!

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 03:07:47 | More by superspak

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

My bro-in-law is awesome!!! He set me up with b-Craft Black from Arcadia...and it is amazing!!! The beer poured a opaque black with thin ecru head that is lacing. The smell contains a piny roast that could be more bold if I am to compare to SSRA from Stone. The taste is more of the same of the smell. It starts off roasty then finishes bitter. The mouthfeel is very nice, full bodied and creamy with smooth carbonation. Overall it is a good beer....the 8.5% will cause everyone pause....and may be a one and done.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 23:17:53 | More by WoodBrew

alleykatking

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Arcadia.

A- Pours a dark brown lightly blackened color. One finger mocha colored head shows good retention. Good streaky lacing on the sides of the glass.

S- Malts on the nose give way to light roasted front. Piney hops on the backing of this with some light citrus hints here and there. There is a light bitterness in the aroma overall. A muted black IPA overall though in the aroma.

T- Nice roasted malts upfront with a light floral hop flavor. Chocolate notes in the middle of the beer itself with a light soapy taste. Slight bitterness in the ending of the beer with a return of the roasted flavors.

M- Medium light mouthfeel. Carbonation is a little light for a IPA but I think it does the beer justice. Clean flavors with a light overall soapy flavor. Roasted malts left on the palate with some light hops in the aftertaste.

D- This was good flavored black IPA I thought. Arcadia seems to be on the ball and coming up with newer more flavorful beers. Do yourself a favor and try this beer out.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2010 03:14:05 | More by alleykatking

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into tulip - thanks elliot

Pours an opaque blackness with a finger-high toasted head resting on top. Slowly fades into a bubbly collar of retention with some cloudy film retaining. Spotty lacing dots the glass while drinking.

Pleasant dose of pine and citrus hops in the nose, nice bitterness with underlying boozy warmth. Roasted dark malts and light chocolately sweetness.

Biting, resiny pine hops right up front. Sticky on the teeth with a touch of grapefruit rind and pith. Roasted dark malts with cocoa and nuttiness. The backbone is formidable, but still struggles to burst through the slightly abrasive hop profile. Light caramel and cocoa powder sweetness. Finishes bitter, dry and long with a boozy punch.

Medium body, nice carbonation, sticky and a bit rough on the tongue. This is a pretty solid black DIPA, although the alcohol and strong pine hops can combine to become somewhat of an overwhelming force at times.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 23:39:17 | More by xnicknj

Brenden

Ohio

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer may perhaps be the definition of what's referred to as "cola" as far as the color: very dark brown with lighter brown highlights and just a touch of red visible. A creamy tan head grows to almost 2 fingers and recedes fairly slowly, dropping a combination of rings, legs and patches of lacing.
On the nose, I get an initial burst of raw pine and a tinge of alcohol. Delving deeper, there's a touch of mint, something like spruce, and a bit of roast. Rind pulls out a bit with the bitterness and some leaf finishes it out.
As for the flavor, at first sip it's an even level between roast and pine with some unexpected toffee-like sweetness and a bit of wood. The mint comes out again and there's the ghost of char just coming out in the finish. A touch of cocoa and coffee grounds are drawn from the roasted malts while the hops remain at an even level, adding an herbal element.
The body is medium with an evenly crisp and smooth feel to it. Carbonation is light and keeps it lively without overdoing it.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 04:04:06 | More by Brenden

david131

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a very deep, dark brown with some dark red highlights. A touch of haziness adds a nice aspect. The head is thin but creamy, has nice retention, and leaves nice lacing.

S- Figs, cherries, clove, mint, and cinnamon. Very unique and inviting. Surprisingly aromatic.

T- Coffee, black cherries, mint, smoke, and a touch of citrus fruit. Very unique. The alcohol is not apparent.

M- a very creamy body with enough carbonation to keep it light. A fairly clean finish.

D- The alcohol is well hidden and the flavors are robust but don't build on the palate. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2011 20:22:25 | More by david131

jwinship83

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at the bavarian lodge. served in a snifter.

A- this one comes to me looking very dark brown with a small khaki colored head. the head quickly becomes no more than a crown and doesnt leave behind much if any lacing.

S- roasted malts and a little bit of chocolate are the first things i pick up in the nose. after that i get some dark fruits and a bit of coffee. floral and herbal hops at the end.

T- the taste starts out with lightly roasted malts and a little bit of sweet milk chocolate. after that i pick up faint raisin notes with some figs also. then comes some coffee. floral and herbal hops at the end.

M- medium body with ample carbonation. very smooth. nicely bitter.

D- this was easy enough to finish. id try this one again if i could find it in a bottle. one of the better arcadia beers ive had in a while.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2011 01:43:40 | More by jwinship83

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours dark with some prune-brown tones. Small lip of foam became a ring pretty quickly.

Mellow earthy nose with a languid hoppiness and smooth maltiness in the balance. Lightly fruity. Not particularly roasty.

Spicy pine and woodiness, blanched by stewy roast malts and notes of unsweetened chocolate. Bit of a boozy sting. Almost rosy. Finishing bitterness gets a little intense. Dominated by grain and earth. Not dirty, but a little woody. Hints of dark fruits or berries. Almost port-like in the finish, only super-dry.

Smooth and a little oily. Biting carbonation toward the end punctuated by the bitterness. Alcohol turns out to be a whole lot sneakier.

Pretty good black ale. A DIPA is a bit of a stretch. Still enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2013 01:24:07 | More by thecheapies

hosehead83

Ohio

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

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.
Dark brown/black in color, with a short ,tan head of foam.
Aroma-Dank, resinious hops
Taste-Roasty,mocha coffee, then onrush of those dank, resin hops that throw off the balance of flavor in my opinion. Finishes dry and unsettled.
not terrible, but I was hoping for better.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 18:10:50 | More by hosehead83

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pretty black with a one finger head and not bad thin spots of fine lace.

Astringent smell with piney notes, lots of hops, burnt malts, some alcohol.

Taste is very piney, lots of hops again, chocolate, roasted and burnt malts, a little dark fruit.

Body is kind of slick, low on carbonation, a little syrupy, alcohol is quite notable going down with plenty of warming.

Overall it's pretty tasty but won't be one of my favorites from Arcadia.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 23:17:42 | More by AlCaponeJunior

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.85/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a Kuhnhenn snifter.

Appearance - Pours a dark brown, not quite black body with only a touch of a head. The faintest of collars around a translucent edge at the surface.

Smell - Some musty pine hops, but it isn't hop dominant. The hops are well balanced by a chocolate and caramel malt.

Taste - Pine hops throughout, which is nice. The chocolate is consistent with just a hint of sweetness shining through. It gets more bitter throughout without ever getting heavy on the malts.

Mouthfeel - Like a light, overhopped RIS. Never too sweet. Never too bitter. Nicely balanced without being a hop bomb of a black IPA.

Overall - I usually like hoppier black IPAs, but this is quite nice. There is a strange aftertaste that is there and gone in an instant. So brief I can't really identify it, so I won't peg it back for it.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 01:25:24 | More by Alieniloquium

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

A-very dark brown, almost black with a nice tan head

S-an odd mix of coffee and citrus, also a bit of oreo crumbs, which i find nice. good strength

T-comes in more or less how it smells. Upfront it's mostly oreo crumbs and coffee beans with an underlying citrusy hops flavor. lack of bitterness. the after-taste is mostly of espresso beans. it's a good flavor, just really not all that much to it.

M-medium dry carbonation with a dry finish

O-it's really an okay beer. it's even okay as a black ale. i could see this being mistaken as a citrusy porter. the abv isn't apparent at all. i think most black ale fans might not like this, a bit light on hops possibly. as easy as this is to drink, i don't recommend it or think i'll get it again in any situation.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 04:46:40 | More by AdamBear

buschbeer

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle
Served in a nonic pint glass

A - It pours dark, allowing just a little light through to create some ruby highlights. A couple of inches of tan head made an appearance, leaving behind a skim of tan on top. It looks a lot like a porter.

S - The first scent I recognized was grapefruit. Then the roasted aromas come through. I get a little cocoa and a little coffee.

T - The hops are less prevalent in the taste. The coffee and dark chocolate are more pronounced. Delicious!

M - Medium

O - This is a very well balanced black ipa. It has to be one of the top two that I have tried in this style. I will probably be in the minority since the hops aren't overwhelming. I prefer this style to be more balanced rather than a hop bomb.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 16:45:29 | More by buschbeer

schoolboy

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wow. This is a powerful ale. It has a ton of aromatics going on. Hops, roasty. Wow. Niceand unique smell.

The taste is similarly hoppy. A piney hoppiness is in this. It also has a lot of burnt (not really roast) flavor.

I would buy this again looking for a unique stron ale, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes hoppy stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 23:54:14 | More by schoolboy

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle. no bottled on date.

A: dark brown body. slightly off white head. good retention and lacing.

S: hoppy. piney and resinous. roasted grain is there but cant overcome the hops. this thing is definitely a black ipa.

T: a little of vanilla on the body. the bitterness is backed immediately by the sweetness of the grain. linger is milk chocolate combined with bittersweet chocolate. the body is mostly bitter and hoppy, but there is some dark grain that reminds you of the style that it represents.

M: moderate to sub-moderate amount of carb.

D: pretty tasty black ipa. wouldnt hate for a little more body or lingering sweetness to fill up the body. otherwise really solid.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 03:20:44 | More by Jimmys

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up in Totowa since I hadn't given this a go and I wanted something darker to go with the cooler nights that are finally starting to set in. Because this beer was so accessible and easy to enjoy, this was a good choice and a solid example of the style. The alcohol was quite high but thankfully, not too pronounced when it came to the flavor and mouthfeel.

This had a dark pour to it, as to be expected, with a fair amount of head and just a bit of garnet around the edges. Not a lot of lacing to be seen either and the aroma wasn't that strong. What I could detect in the nose was a strong amount of peat moss, as if this were a Scotch Ale. The mouthfeel was not sticky and there was a good amount of roasted malt and burnt sugar in the taste. Not a lot of hops to be felt and with the carbonation being low, this almost reminded me of a Schwarzbier. The bitterness kicked up in the aftertaste with some earthiness and metallic notes to this but everything worked well together and the slight burn lasted for a while, long after I finished off each sip.

To be certain, this was strong and took a little while to fully savor. I didn't taste the booze and it didn't detract from the dark flavors but by the time I got to the end of the bottle, it had already sneaked up on me and caught me off-guard. Once I was past that, there wasn't much not to like here and this was a good example of what a black IPA should be. With more and more beers of this style hitting store shelves every year, better versions can be easily found but fans of Arcadia or beers that are strong and heavy will find enough to like here.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 08:12:56 | More by JerzDevl2000

jtierney89

New Jersey

1.65/5  rDev -58.2%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Deep hazelnut color with light mocha sticky head. Can tell right off the bat that this is gonna be a big beer based on the nose alone.

Lots of earthy and citric hop resin on the nose. Touch of licorice and pine-sol, some phenolics, soapiness, throat lozenges. Dark fruit some rubbing alcohol.

Taste is strange. Big body, good carbonation. Layered in a strange way hits ya from back to front. Chocolate, burnt malts, some plastic like taste with some citrus hop profile. Drinkable but I feel like it wasn't thought out enough. comes at you in weird layers with flavors that dont exactly pair up perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 23:57:59 | More by jtierney89

barczar

Kentucky

3.88/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an opaque deep brown with clear amber highlights and a dense one inch khaki head that lingers.

Aroma begins strangely, with a fruity, strawberry note, accompanied by roasted malt and a touch of chocolate. As it warms, the strawberry scent becomes more citrusy, breaking down as grapefruit and a bit of catty hops.

Flavor is initially roast malt, somewhat sweet, which forms a solid backbone to complement the citrus hop background. Notes of chocolate and coffee add complexity, while grapefruit, tropical fruit, and earthy hops lead into a slightly bitter, resiny finish.

Body is fairly thick, oily, with low carbonation, finishing slightly astringent, with significant alcohol warmth.

Overall, a very interesting beer. Alcohol is a bit hot, but the hop profile is complex, and the malt flavors support the hop character without dominating. A little on the sweet side, but worth a try!

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 22:07:37 | More by barczar

warnerry

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours very deep brown with less than one finger of tan head. Head fades quickly to a collar and leaves spotty lacing.

S - Initial aroma is a big blast of citrus, both juicy citrus pulp and bitter citrus zest. Orange and grapefruit are both prominent. The malt profile is heavy with chocolate, both bittersweet and a faint amount of milk chocolate, along with roasted malts. Very nice.

T - Malts and hops appear simultaneously in the taste, which is a nice blend of the same components found in the aroma. There is a nice bitter hop presence, but it melds very well with the malt profile. Not sure which hops are used in this, but they seem to be well suited for a Black Ale, bitter, but blending very well with the chocolate and roasted malts.

M - Medium mouthfeel is by turn semi-sweet, creamy, bitter and dry. Finish is a nice bitterness comprising both the hop bitterness and earthy roasted malt bitterness.

O - One of the best I've had from Arcadia, and one of the better black ales I've had.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 01:51:42 | More by warnerry

StoutHunter

Michigan

4.48/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up a bottle of Arcadia's B-Craft Black IPA the other day for $2.59 at The Lager Mill. I have heard this was a good beer so when I saw it at the store I knew I should pick up a bottle, I think this is the first time this beer has been bottled, lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date, Spring 2012 vintage. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a snifter.

A- I like the label, it has a well done picture of a white owl flying at night with a crescent moon shining in the background, looks good to me. It poured a nice dark black color that took on some dark ruby highlights when held to the light. It had two and a half fingers worth of smooth dark tan head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and left a nice amount of lacing. This is a good looking American Black Ale, it's on par for the style.

S- The aroma starts off with a good amount of hops that are mainly citrus with some grapefruit, mango, blood orange, and pineapple sticking out the most, there was also some piney and floral hops aromas but it was the citrus that stuck out the most. Next after that comes the malts that have a medium amount of sweetness and impart a medium amount of roasted malts, brown sugar, and chocolate aromas. This is a great smelling beer, it had great balance and the aromas worked very well together.

T- The taste of this beer is very similar to the aroma, it starts off with lots of hops, I find that the citrus hops stick out the most imparting all those great citrus fruit aspects that I got in the aroma, it has a really well done hop profile. Next comes the malts which have a medium amount of roast to them and a medium amount of sweetness, they impart some nice, roasted, milk chocolate and dark chocolate flavors. It had a pretty low amount of bitterness with a roasty, hoppy, and a little citrusy aftertaste. This was a very good tasting American Black Ale, the flavors were bold, but there was also lots of balance and complexity.

M- Very smooth, creamy, rich, on the thick side of being medium bodied, with a good amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel was very nice, it was very smooth and the added creaminess was nice.

Overall I have to say that I really enjoyed this beer and I thought that this was a great example of an American Black Ale, the hop profile mixed very well with the malt base which made for a very complex and great tasting beer. This beer had great drinkability it was very smooth and hardly had any bitterness which I wasn't expecting, this beer went down way faster and if I had another one I would for sure drink it, the alcohol was hidden very well also, there's no doubt that a couple of these would for sure hit the spot. What I liked most about this beer was pretty much everything, I can't think of anything I would want to change, it's great just the way it is. What I liked least about this beer was nothing, I wish it was just a little cheaper, but with a limited release I can't really complain. I would for sure buy this beer again, in fact I will be getting more in day or two and I highly recommend this beer to just about anyone, it's just that damn good. Arcadia did an awesome job with this beer, I have found that they can be hit or miss sometimes, but in this case it was a huge hit, I am now a big fan of this beer, and I think it's pretty safe to say that this is now my favorite American Black Ale, and one of my favorite beers from Arcadia, North Peak's Furry used to be my favorite but this beer is better in almost every aspect, I am glad they bottled this beer, I can see a lot more of this beer in my future.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 03:50:55 | More by StoutHunter

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, near-black with red at the edges of the glass when held up to light. Decent cappuccino coloured head and lacing.

Stunning aroma of roasted malts with a pine backbone. Roasted dark malts also feature in the taste, as expected, but this beer also has delightful tropical fruits and citrus elements. The high 8.5% ABV is terrifyingly well hidden, with only a hint of an alcohol burn in the finish.

A well balanced "cascadian" or "black" IPA that's a real pleasure to drink. Would highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 02:22:36 | More by hopsolutely

GRPunk

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a nonic pint.

B-Craft Black Double India Pale Ale. Black Ale? Imperial IPA? Both?

A- A careful, one handed, pour created a 1/2 finger, tan head that fades to a thin foam. The body is nearly black with deep, dark brown edges. Light stick left on the glass.

S- Right as I pop the cap, there's a really fresh, organic, hoppy aroma. It's almost, how do I put this, schwag? It only opens up even more after the pour. Light hints of sweet malts give an impression of brown sugar. Maybe a hint of chocolate.

T- Initial hit of those fresh, organic hops. Medicinal, herbal even. Just as I think it's all hops, rich malts come through. Toasted and chocolate-like. Like a quality made milk chocolate or even a rich chocolate milkshake. Hops come through again at the finish to make an oddly pleasant combination of flavors. Hoppy chocolate?

M- Rich and smooth. Thick, and creamy with a moderate-light carbonation that really compliments.

O- A really nice brew. Seems pretty unique at this point, combining the newer "American Black Ale" and Imperial IPA styles. Things work really well together. It's difficult to explain. It's something of a hoppy Imperial Stout, but not really. Glad I bought it. At around $2.50 for a single, it's not an everyday beer, but certainly doesn't break the bank. I would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 21:13:39 | More by GRPunk

kzoobrew

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap at Shakespeare's, served in a pint glass.

The body is black at first glance though when held to the light a deep brown with cherry red hues appear. By the time the glass arrived at the tables there was zero head but a scant amount of white lacing was left clinging to the very top of the glass.

The aroma was quite balanced. A healthy amount of roasted malt pairs with an equally impressive hop bouquet. The hop aroma ranges from piny, to citrus and reaches into a bit of floral aromas. There is not one particular aroma which stands out, it is the balance that earns a high score.

The aroma perfectly sets up the palate for what's to come. A moderate roasted malt flavor emerges from the glass. The hops appear more towards the midpalate. A bit of a piny bite up front leads into a citric sweetness. What really surprised my with B. Craft is the combination of the dark malt and citric hop flavors blended leaving a bit of a dark fruit taste. Black berry with hints of cherry meld into the deep malt and bright hops.

B. Craft is on the heavier side of medium bodied. The carbonation is lively and the texture smooth. The finish is on the drier side though a bit of the roastiness lingers.

It is a crying shame that Arcadia does not bottle this one. I do enjoy many of the offerings from Arcadia but can honestly say this is my favorite. Went down very easily and could see have a couple in a sitting. While many may not have the opportunity to enjoy this one, jump on it if you see it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2010 02:51:09 | More by kzoobrew