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DogZilla Black IPA
Laughing Dog Brewing
- From:
- Laughing Dog Brewing
- Idaho, United States
- Style:
- Black IPA
- ABV:
- 6.9%
- Score:
- 77
- Avg:
- 3.36 | pDev: 20.83%
- Reviews:
- 286
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 08, 2023
- Added:
- Aug 02, 2008
- Wants:
- 14
- Gots:
- 23
True to its IPA roots Dogzilla has a massive hop presence that is Piney and Citrusy. A malty backbone, along with the dark malt gives it a bit of a roasty finish. Brewed with Simcoe and Cascade Hops, Pale Malt, Munich, and Black Barley.
69 IBU
69 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by TheBeerAlmanac:
Reviewed by TheBeerAlmanac from Kentucky
1.34/5 rDev -60.1%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
1.34/5 rDev -60.1%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
Bottle poured into a pint glass
A: Pours a cloudy, dark amber color with a spongy head that lays on pretty thick.
S: It smells strange: hops, cinnamon and olives. Yes, olives. Smell it yourself, you’ll believe me then.
T/M: Has a high amount of carbonation with a smoky and salty profile. There are hints of light citrus as well as a bitter finish and…olives. Not the obligatory black olives either, just plain, green olives. I think someone ordered this beer “dirty.”
Is it possible I had a bad bottle? I don’t know, this beer is too weird to be good. If this is the way it’s supposed to taste, I’ll pass next time.
Jun 21, 2011A: Pours a cloudy, dark amber color with a spongy head that lays on pretty thick.
S: It smells strange: hops, cinnamon and olives. Yes, olives. Smell it yourself, you’ll believe me then.
T/M: Has a high amount of carbonation with a smoky and salty profile. There are hints of light citrus as well as a bitter finish and…olives. Not the obligatory black olives either, just plain, green olives. I think someone ordered this beer “dirty.”
Is it possible I had a bad bottle? I don’t know, this beer is too weird to be good. If this is the way it’s supposed to taste, I’ll pass next time.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
4/5 rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 oz. bomber. Almost black, clear dark brown with humongous beige rocky head, fluffy lacing, head at leas 1 inch over the lip of the glass. Floral, citrusy hops with some roasty malt in the background. Wonderful!
Feb 08, 2023Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.81/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Reviewed from notes and I received this in a trade. This was poured into a pint glass. The appearance was a nice jet black color with a one finger white to off white foamy head that must have sat there for a good minute before it decided to even make an effort to dissipate. The lacing was a nice spiderwebbed show in its entirety. The smell was such a nice allocation of roasted dark malts to coffee tones to the citrusy hops - all combined and leading into a nice satisfying aroma. The taste was exceptionally balanced between the citrus hops to the roasted coffee tones to the roasted dark malts. There was a nice citrus/coffee aftertaste and a long dry bitter coffee finish. On the palate, it sat about a medium in body and tried to show somewhat of a sessionable quality about it, however, I found it to be more of a sipper. The carbonation was fairly smooth and was mainly good for the style. Overall, in my opinion, this was a nicely done American Black Ale, well worthy of having again.
Jun 27, 2017Rated by leefx from Arkansas
2.46/5 rDev -26.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5
2.46/5 rDev -26.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5
Damn near a drain pour for me. Just not great at all.
Jan 21, 2017Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.39/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.39/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
I can see why they stopped making this one, it had some real variation issues, then when Total Wine got it, it just sat on warm shelves for months.
Very black color, drops light tan head. Aroma is the best part of this one, pine and orange/citrus together, some grapefruit.
Taste has around 50ibu, some from roasted malt, not too roasty. Simcoe hops. Without the pine and citrus this feels run of the mill, I've enjoyed it far more on tap than in bottles. The body isn't all that heavy or roasty, so maybe this is that dehusked patent malt. Either way, when its in its prime, its in that 2nd tier black ipa, when it isn't its just average stuff.
Aug 13, 2016Very black color, drops light tan head. Aroma is the best part of this one, pine and orange/citrus together, some grapefruit.
Taste has around 50ibu, some from roasted malt, not too roasty. Simcoe hops. Without the pine and citrus this feels run of the mill, I've enjoyed it far more on tap than in bottles. The body isn't all that heavy or roasty, so maybe this is that dehusked patent malt. Either way, when its in its prime, its in that 2nd tier black ipa, when it isn't its just average stuff.
Reviewed by braker649er from Washington
2.47/5 rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.47/5 rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Reviews are varied. Is it possible bottles are varied, too? I hope so, because mine was poor. Anyway, it has been retired, and I can't say I'll miss it. I wanted to like this for its black IPA ambition, but it was not to my taste, and that's putting it kindly. Trying to break it down fairly, the look was dark and cool, decent head. But the smell started to hint to me that this one wasn't going to work out. Taste was dank in a not-good way. Vegetal, like hop leaves. Something seemed to have gone wrong with the combo of the hops and malt on this. I did not taste citrus. I wonder if the bottle I drank was old? But it couldn't have been great to begin with. Mouthfeel was fine. But I still didn't make it through my bottle.
Jan 25, 2016Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire
3.55/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.55/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
From the 650 ml. bottle. It was bottle 03/11/15. Sampled on August 11, 2015.
The pour is a deep dark brown color to just about black with a foamy mocha head.
The aroma has a hop characteristic but more of a dark malt characteristic. Charcoal might be one word for it.
Mainly smooth and medium body.
The taste is of dark roasted malts leading to a moderate to bigger hop finish. Lingering. It has some Black IPA characterisics.
Aug 11, 2015The pour is a deep dark brown color to just about black with a foamy mocha head.
The aroma has a hop characteristic but more of a dark malt characteristic. Charcoal might be one word for it.
Mainly smooth and medium body.
The taste is of dark roasted malts leading to a moderate to bigger hop finish. Lingering. It has some Black IPA characterisics.
Reviewed by KomodoDragon from Virginia
3.77/5 rDev +12.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +12.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
One of those black ales where it's black put it up to the light and you can see thru it. Cream head, nice lacing.
Not much to smell. some raisin, maybe some tobacco leaves.
Nice roasted malts, subtle and a quick bitter finish.
too carbonated for my liking.
Drinkable, but just meh.
Jul 23, 2015Not much to smell. some raisin, maybe some tobacco leaves.
Nice roasted malts, subtle and a quick bitter finish.
too carbonated for my liking.
Drinkable, but just meh.
Rated by Oleyomoleyo from North Carolina
4.59/5 rDev +36.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.59/5 rDev +36.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Does not disappoint! Nice black IPA.
Jun 28, 2015Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania
3.59/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a brown 22 oz. bottle. Has a black color with a 1 inch head. Smell is of roasted malts, chocolate. Taste is roasted malts, smoke, some chocolate, hops are present, but in the background, finishes dry. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is an enjoyable beer.
May 20, 2015Reviewed by Charlie_Mops from Oregon
3.54/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Color was more of a dark amber than a full black color.
Head retention was exceptionally good, leaving almost a fine sea foam after sitting for 20 minutes.
Nice hop aroma and flavor, but lacking in maltiness.
Overall a nice beer for the price, but not one I'm dying to have again.
Feb 28, 2015Head retention was exceptionally good, leaving almost a fine sea foam after sitting for 20 minutes.
Nice hop aroma and flavor, but lacking in maltiness.
Overall a nice beer for the price, but not one I'm dying to have again.
DogZilla Black IPA from Laughing Dog Brewing
Beer rating:
77 out of
100 with
518 ratings
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