Stone Brewing - 15th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA

Tonight I'll be drinking the 15th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA from Stone Brewing in Escondido, CA.  This follows last year's Emperial IPA, which I unfortunately did not get to try, because Stone hadn't expanded their distribution to MN at that point.  This brew was created by the President and co-founder of Stone, Steve Wagner, who says it's a "chuckling jab at those looking to lay territorial claim to the Black IPA style.  There's this small faction of people that seems to think it can call Black IPAs 'Cascadian Dark Ales,' historical accuracy be damned.  So, we thought we'd lightheartedly lay claim to our own style, dubbing it 'Escondidian,' both as an homage to our hometown of Escondido, CA and as a gentle ribbing to those Black IPA fans worshipping a false Cascadian idol."  This brew comes in a 22oz bottle that features the signature devil-dude on the label.  Who doesn't love Stone's label art?  It's badass!

This is a beast of a beer, with 10.8% alcohol and 100 IBUs - so I fully expect it to be hop-nificent.  It's going into my drinkin' mug, since my nice glassware is all stuck in the dishwasher.  The beer is a thick black color with a medium brown head.   Mammoth waves of resinous hops and pine cones start off the aroma, along with some layers of roasted malts....hard to pick out anything specific, maybe some coffee and cocoa.  The taste hits like a firetruck.  Roasted malts fused with dank, pungent resinous hop bitterness.  It's got that gritty, rich texture that you typically find in an imperial stout, with some cocoa and just a hint of coffee making up the base.  Intense herbal undertones ride through the middle, with a slight alcohol heat warming things up into the finish.  The finish keeps the hop bitterness going.....and going.....

Overall Rating:  This is an amazing Black IPA.  This beer takes the style to the next level....Stone has set the bar high!  This beer may be tough to find, but you come across it, don't pass it by.  An absolute hop-bomb and one of my favorites of the year.  A

Summit - Black Ale

Tonight I'm drinking #8 in the Unchained Series of brews from Summit.  This brew is just hitting store shelves this week and has been on tap for only a few weeks prior to today.  I'm actually very happy to see that Summit is continuing the Unchained Series after all seven brewers were finished their individual creations.

Mike Lundell, the brewer for #8, also brewed the #3 India Style Rye Ale.  Unfortunately our blog wasn't in existence when this brew was released.  But I do remember drinking it and thinking that the rye was very prominent and the hops paired nicely with the spice.  Mike's Black Ale is another unique twist on the base Black IPA style.  Instead of cascade hops he uses New Zealand Pacific Jade and Australian Galaxy Hops.  I have no idea what these hops are going to taste like.  My guess is Fosters and kangaroos.

The appearance of Summit's first crack at a Black Ale is a good one.  The color is dark with red hues of light poking through.  A huge fluffy head almost flows over the side of my pint.  Those Aussie hops really shine through right away.  Very woody with some pepper and citrus mingled in there as well.  A nice roasty character is also noticeable.  The flavors are surprisingly complex.  The hops provide a peppery bite that blends nicely with the roasted malt.  Citrus and heavily caramelized malt (or is it dark fruit?) is present as well.  There seems to be a constant tug-o-war between the hop and malt flavors here.  I'm having a hard time discerning the two!  A medium body with mild carbonation and dry finish round out this very interesting brew.

Overall - I was very surprised with Summit's Black Ale.  I know I keep mentioning those Australian hops but they are a huge player here.  They bring a very unique flavor profile to this Black IPA style that you won't find in any other beer that I've recently come across.  The roast and hops are balanced to perfection.  Unchained #8 is a great and kinda fun brew to drink and dissect.  Grab some when you can.  I can't imagine this one will be available for long.

Deschutes Brewery - Hop in the Dark Cascadian Ale

Tonight I'm pulling out this 22oz bottle of Hop in the Dark from Deschutes Brewery.  This brew is a member of the (relatively) new style of beer called Cascadian Dark Ale, of which I am a HUGE fan.  It's no surprise Deschutes loves their local Northwest hops, and this is essentially a Northwest-hopped black IPA.  A part of their Bond Street Series, this brew is available from May-September.  It sports 6.5%ABV, 70 IBUs.

The beer is a dark brown-black, drowns out all the light.  Impressive light tan head billows up during the pour, and recedes fairly quickly leaving some 'tree-ring' lacing.  The aroma is equally impressive, with citrus and spice sitting on a throne of bittersweet roasted malts.  The drink brings a wallop of roast chocolate malts, smooth and rich coffee, and some toasted rye bread.  Citrus and pine hops weave their way into the mix, grapefruits being the major player.  The alcohol is just an subtle afterthought in the finish.  The body is medium, with an oily sensation in the middle and a dryness at the finish.

Overall Rating:  This Cascadian Dark Ale was awesome.  The style seems to be gaining a lot of momentum in the craft world, and Deschutes hit the nail on the head with this brew.  Great balance between hop and malt - sufficiently hoppy to satisfy the hop-fiends out there, but with a really nice malt backdrop.  Go find this brew!  A-

Full Sail Brewing - Bump in the Night Cascadian Dark Ale

Tonight's brew of choice was hiding in a dark corner of the fridge at the LQ store....I saw Cascadian and was immediately sold.  Cascade hops and I are very good friends.  This bump in the night is part of Full Sail's 2011 Brewmaster Reserve Line-up, available from January through March.  It's a new creation in 2011, brewed in the "cascadian dark ale style", and Gold medal winner at the 2011 World Beer Championships - winning!  I believe this brew classifies as a Black IPA - we'll have to wait and see how it tastes.  She registers in a 6.5% ABV and 65 IBUs.

The brew comes in a 22oz bottle with the standard (boring) Full Sail label.  It has a reminder that this is an independent, employee-owned brewery.  I searched around and wasn't able to find a bottled-on date, but it's a safe assumption it was brewed within the last six months. 

The color of the beer is very dark, almost a cherry black and let's just a bit of light through.  Nice full 2 inches of white head build on it.  Starting things off, the aroma is AWESOME - earthy, piney hops on top with sweet, rich cocoa malts underneath.  Also a faint reminder of sour fruit in there, boozy sour grapes?  The taste starts off with a hoppy kick - cascadian hops give me a nice slap in the face with their spicy, earthy, resiny bitterness.  Those flavors then meld into some nice roasted, sweet malts.  Roasted grains, a touch (not enough) of sweet chewy cocoa, and then chalky, boozy flavors come through in the finish.  The body is medium, with a dry finish and a hefty carbonation.   

Overall Rating:  I enjoyed the first 75% of the beer - great hop profile and some nice malt body behind it.  But the last 25% brought some odd flavors that were like a chalky form of alcohol that just threw off the balance of the beer.  Good, but not quite great.  B

Avery Brewing - New World Porter

Tonight I'll be drinking this black brew from Avery Brewing, New World Porter.  This is a traditional porter....WITH A TWIST!  It's dry-hopped.  That's right, a porter that is dry-hopped like an IPA.....it falls into a hybrid style of Robust Porter/Black IPA.  It might be M. Night Shamalamanaman's favorite beer.  This is a seasonal brew that's hopped with Columbus hops, at 6.7% and with 45 IBUs.   I tried it on tap at the tap-house of Avery's brewery and it was delicious, so I decided to pick up a bottle here in MN and write about it.

This beer is dark brown/black with a billowy tan head that maintains a nice lacing.  The aromas really dance off this one....brown sugar, mocha, chocolate roast, and floral hops.  The taste starts off with heavy roasted malts - roasty, grainy, sweet and creamy.  The hop bitterness comes through in the second half, citrus fruits and dry pine.  These hop flavors never take over, they hang in the background and compliment the sweet roasty characteristic of the porter.  Also a bit of spiciness there at the end.  The carbonation is really light, and the mouthfeel is dry. 

Overall Rating:  This is one of my favorites from Avery - they did a great job of maintaining the Porter as the basis for the brew without overdoing the hops - just the right balance.  I finished this one quickly...thank you sir may I have another!

Lakefront - IBA (India-Style Black Ale)

Tonight I'm going to be drinking a Black IPA from Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, WI.  Steve and I actually toured this brewery on a trip to Milwaukee last fall - it was a great tour but sadly I don't have any pictures from the event.  We had the opportunity to try a bunch of their brews, although I don't remember this beer being an option at that point.  They had a big red ale that was probably my favorite of the tour, called Fixed Gear American Red Ale.  This 'IBA' is a part of Lakefront's Pure Milwaukee Genius Series, of which Fixed Gear is also a part.  I'm a huge fan of this style, so looking forward tasting Lakefront's rendition...

I'm pouring this brew into my snifter, it's a dark brownish black, almost looks like Dr Pepper.  The head is monstrous, with a light tan color.  Beautiful looking beer.  The aroma is of faint, sweet roasty malts, and some light citrus zest behind it.  The smell is far more mellow than the Black IPA I drank last week from Stone....that beer smelled like a hop-bomb, and tasted like a hop-nuke.  The nose on this beer indicates it will be more roast and less hop.

The taste confirms my theory.  Dark chocolate grains are the first to show up.  Then comes a wave of mild hop bitterness, a combination of lemon zest and pine, very nice hop profile that isn't overly bitter, but does work nicely with the roasted malt base.  The citrusy zest lingers for a long time after the drink.  The body is medium-heavy, and the carbonation is on the heavier side, but the mouthfeel leaves a smooth/creamy impression.  There is also a musky quality to the beer, almost like wet soil, although when I describe it that way it sounds gross....it's actually a nice quality that adds to the complexity of the beer.

Overall Rating:  This was a nice brew.  Great drinkability, goes down very smooth, and it has something for everyone.  The hop profile will keep the hopinistas interested, but the roasty malt backbone will attract the stout-lovers.  If you like Black IPAs, add this one to your list.

Stone - Sublimely Self Righteous Ale

On my way home from my place of business this afternoon I felt the intense urge to pick up some new beer.  This urge could not go unsatiated.  Even though I have no lack of bottles to review in my fridge currently, I wanted something different.  For me, going to the beer store is akin to a kid entering a Toys R Us for the first time in his life.  Every time I go to one I always find something new and I get a silly, childish grin on my face while I carry as many bottles as I can in my hands up to the cash register.  I intentionally leave the shopping carts and baskets, if available, at the door... God help my bank account if that ever becomes a habit of mine.

One of the bottles I picked up is from Stone.  Yes, Dunz just reviewed one of their brews this weekend and I wanted to get in on this party.  I have heard good things about Stone and found an impressive line up of their bombers at the brew store.  I went with one I was unfamiliar with and knew little about.  From what I derived by reading the lengthy story on the back of the bottle it was bitter, dark and well received back when it was featured as Stone's 11th anniversary release.  Its always good to see a special release beer become part of a breweries normal line up.  Must mean they are doing something right.  And I must say, I love the art that is featured throughout Stone.  Medieval gargoyles and winged beasts litter Stones website and bottles.  Very cool.

A deep brown, almost black brew flows into my mug creating a frothy tan head.  The hops are instantly permeating the air and very vibrant.  The aroma is almost all citrusy hops with a hint of roast and brown sugar in the background.  Had this been a blind tasting, I would have a very hard time identifying this as anything other than a big IPA.  The flavors flow through from the aroma with an intense bitterness and hop presence.  Lots of tart citrus flavors like grapefruit and tangy orange.  Some burnt caramel and roast begin to show up as the brew warms.  Very smooth mouthfeel with moderate carbonation.  A slight alcoholic warmth comes into play as I finish off this silky treat.

Overall 5.2/6.0 - Delicious.  I can toss other descriptors out there but delicious sums up my thoughts on this brew quite thoroughly.  Black IPAs, a relatively new brew category, are quickly catching on with craft breweries across the country.  Its no surprise that some of the best are coming from the West.  I would love to have Stone package it in six pack form.  In fact, Ill take a six pack of 22 oz bottles.  Jumbo sixer.  Now there's an idea!

21st Amendment - Back in Black IPA

Today I'll be drinking Back in Black IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, CA.  21st Amendment is one of those craft breweries that packages their beer in cans, because it's the hip thing to do.  The claim is that cans don't let any light through, thereby eliminating any potential skunkery due to light exposure.  Surly, a local craft brewery here in the Twin Cities, also cans there beer, and I am admittedly a Surly fanboy, so I have nothing against craft beer in a can.  This particular brew is an American-hopped black IPA that comes in at 6.8%ABV.

The can design depicts a revolutionary-style, angry-looking dude with a candle torch (but no pitch-fork).  The beer is a heavy dark brown with a fluffy tan inch of head.  The nose is a pleasant combination of citrus, pine and tropical fruits.  This smells like an IPA, no roasty malts to be found.  The taste follows the aroma almost to a T - very hoppy up front with zesty oranges and a light and welcome pine note complimenting it.  The malt backbone is strange in this beer - it's there, but it doesn't seem to contribute any real flavor to the beer - it just holds up the hop-profile with a bit of sweetness.  The body is sticky and full, with a nice amount of carbonation.

Overall Rating:  (3.8 out of 6.0)  This was a drinkable Black IPA - better than 21st Amendment's Brew Free or Die IPA.  It had more character, and a more robust hop profile.  I wouldn't mind drinking this again.

Odell's - Mountain Standard Double Black IPA

Odell's Brewery was founded back in 1989 in an old converted grain elevator in Fort Collins, CO.  They were just the 2nd microbrewery to open in Colorado....which means they were among the first innovators to start the mega-wave of craft breweries that have started up in the state over the last decade.  Odell's only recently began distributing their beer in MN, so over the last year I've tasted many of their beers and become a firm believer in their ability to brew deliciousness.  I don't have a lot of experience with Black IPAs, but....if it's hoppy enough, there's a very good chance I'll like it, so I'm going to give this Mountain Standard Black IPA a try. 

This brew comes in a nice looking dark bottle with a little description of the brew on the label (pictured below).  The cork pops with a small wallop, doesn't rocket off like those weaponized bottles of champagne.  I'm pouring into a pint glass - the beer pours a dark brown/black and immediately billows turbo-charged tan colored head.  The head is a meringue texture, very sticky and it doesn't want to receed.  Once it finally does, it hangs around in small chunks that never really go away.

The nose is full of pine, grapefruit, and a bit of roasty dark chocolate - not overwhelming or fumey like some IPA's, probably because the roasted malts help to mellow it down.  The first taste is full of piney, bitter hops right away, followed by a roasted character that is intriguing.  The malt profile almost reminds me of a Schwarzbier - roasty/bready and also much lighter than a porter/stout.   It really plays well with the hop profile, which is not in the 'Hop Bomb' category, but a nice sturdy american hop profile.  There is a tiny singe of alcohol on the tail end of the drink, but nothing indicates this is 9.5% ABV.  The body of this brew is medium, with a relatively heavy amount of carbonation and a nice crispyness. 

Overall Rating (4.9 out of 6.0)  I really enjoyed this brew - I was happy to get both hops and roasted malts in the same drink.  The beer has already disappeared, and I hardly even realized it....yes this is incredibly drinkable.  And by the way, don't drink one of these if you need to drive anywhere.  It's a sneaky ninja alcohol hammer!