Black Raven
Olde Hickory Brewery

Black RavenBlack Raven
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From:
Olde Hickory Brewery
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
Black IPA
ABV:
7%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 11.94%
Reviews:
76
Ratings:
215
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 13, 2021
Added:
Jul 23, 2010
Wants:
  10
Gots:
  31
No description / notes.
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Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottled 02/04/21 (5 months ago) poured into a stemless wine glass at just above fridge temp 7% ABV 88 IBU 48 SRM. The beer pours black in color with tan colored head. The head recedes to a thick ring and uneven cap. Heavy lacing. The aroma is mild with dark chocolate, a bit of roast and mild sweetness. The taste is semisweet caramel and roasted malts nicely combined with a piney, slightly resinous flavor and moderate to strong bitterness on the back end. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, excellent. This beer would be in the rotation if it were local. Everything a black IPA should be.
Jul 13, 2021
Photo of nick_perry
Reviewed by nick_perry from North Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Black color with a thick, foamy beige head. Bitter hops well balanced by chocolatey, slightly sweet malt. Notes of toasted bread and dark fruit. Smooth texture, sticky mouthfeel, good carbonation.
Jun 02, 2021
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.96/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle with a bottling date of 4 February 2021 stamped on the label.
Pours near black with an attractive clear ruby body showing when held to the light. Good beige head.
Well crafted with an unusually (for a Black IPA) harmonius and balanced mix of dark malts and hops. While the hops are bit more piney than I prefer I know others will like this characteristic. Lingering aftertaste with bitter grapefruit peel, coffee, burnt toast, black bread and a hint of roasted nuts.
Feel. Well carbonated,, full, smooth body.
Mar 06, 2021
 
Rated: 3.53 by firkingroovin from Illinois

Jan 15, 2018
 
Rated: 3.85 by dbrauneis from North Carolina

Dec 24, 2017
 
Rated: 3.94 by Bad_Attitude_Brews from South Carolina

Jul 12, 2017
Photo of BradtheGreat7
Reviewed by BradtheGreat7 from Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Surprisingly fantastic black ipa. 12 oz brown bottle with a quality label. Pours a dark black ruby color that resembles Pepsi. Head has nice size and settles to a fluffy blanket of a head. Poured into an American pint glass.

Sweet black malt aroma with hints of toasted bread. Ripe dark fruit balances the hop profile. Flavor wise is where this shines. Solid roasted malt backbone with sticky sweet candied dark fruit notes balancing dank hop and spices.

Good body and balance makes for an easy drinker. Texture is sticky and allows it's flavors to shine.

Overall Black Raven is a very good ale. It's more of a balanced black ale rather than the ipa the name suggests. This is one of the easier black ales I've ever had. Maybe not the hop profile I look for, but it packs balance and a big shot of quality. Olde Hickory have a solid black ale with this offering.
Jun 18, 2017
 
Rated: 3.77 by sisterofba from Maryland

Apr 22, 2017
 
Rated: 3.59 by JohnBradSC from South Carolina

Feb 19, 2017
Photo of Apellonious
Reviewed by Apellonious from North Carolina

4.04/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle, dated 11/3/2016, poured into a tulip glass. Pours pitch black, with a half finger tan head. The aroma is chocolate, cocoa, and orange/citrus. Hints of vanilla and nuts. The taste is somewhat muted, hints of smoke, dry cocoa, not much semblance of hops other than in the grapefruit/bitter finish. The mouthfeel is medium. The carbonation is medium low, and is somewhat dry. This almost drinks like a porter, due to some hop fade? Will have to try one younger to see how it compares. Worth a go if you like the style.
Feb 12, 2017
 
Rated: 3.54 by IckyT2012 from Florida

Jan 04, 2017
 
Rated: 3.8 by TheRougeBastard from North Carolina

Sep 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3.98 by LRMunday from North Carolina

May 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.53 by greencovesteve from North Carolina

Apr 25, 2016
 
Rated: 2.3 by BMBCLT from South Carolina

Mar 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.64 by curtisjoseph from North Carolina

Feb 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by aleckpa from North Carolina

Feb 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.48 by jphipps83 from Wisconsin

Jan 23, 2016
Photo of Immortale25
Reviewed by Immortale25 from North Carolina

4.21/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Dogfish traditional oversized snifter. Label says Bottling Date: 11/25/2015.

A- Pours a mostly opaque black color with a 1/2 inch tan head that retains decently before becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a mostly full sheet of sheer surface foam. Semi-resilient lacing leaves tiny specs behind.

S- Great malt/hop one-two punch with the hops being decidedly more earthy and herbal.

T- The hop bitterness and roast bitterness commingle very well and leaves the palate with a nice drying sensation. The bitterness lingers as the hop flavor mixes with the coffee and slight char notes from the malt.

M- Somewhat sharp with medium carbonation and a fullish body.

O- A great take on a black IPA. Has lots of balanced flavor that sticks with you to the last drop.
Jan 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by dsshuck from Delaware

Jul 21, 2015
Black Raven from Olde Hickory Brewery
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 215 ratings