35th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA
Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub

35th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA35th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA
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From:
Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Black IPA
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.71 | pDev: 12.4%
Reviews:
31
Ratings:
171
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 22, 2018
Added:
Apr 28, 2014
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  29
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by green_plastic:
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Rated by green_plastic from Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%

Jul 19, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by COBEERHUNTER from Colorado

Jul 22, 2018
 
Rated: 4.06 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Feb 05, 2017
 
Rated: 3 by COR8RFAN from Colorado

May 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by sposter4 from Pennsylvania

Feb 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Gobzilla from California

Jan 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by Cramerican from North Dakota

Jul 31, 2015
Photo of BucannonXC5
Reviewed by BucannonXC5 from California

3.62/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Type: 22-oz. bottle
Glass: Stone Ruination IPA pint glass
From: Palm Springs Liquor in La Mesa (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $2.99 (on sale from $7.99)
Purchased: June 14, 2015
Consumed: June 17, 2015
Misc.: Enjoy by Oct. 3, 2014

Poured a black color with 3-to-4 fingers of khaki tan, rocky head. Settled nicely on the top after a few moments. Good amount of layered, foamy, spiderweb lacing on the sides of the glass. Very good retention. (Sight - 4.00)

Smelled roasty malts, chocolate, nuts, Cascade, caramel and toffee. Still pretty good considering it was eight months after the enjoy by date. (Smell - 3.75)

Tasted kind of close to the nose, getting smoky, roasty malts. Also Cascade, floral, chocolate, toffee and light Citra hops. Alcohol is well-hidden, but that could be the beer being eight months past due. (Taste - 3.50)

Medium-to-full body. Oily-to-creamy texture. Average carbonation. Abrupt, smoky finish. (Feel - 3.75)

Obviously I would have liked to have this fresh, but it wasn’t that bad. Would like to have some more beers from Boulder Beer. (Overall - 3.50)

3.62 | 82 | B
Jun 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.07 by sneth019 from Maryland

May 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Hohnbaum from Kansas

Apr 18, 2015
Photo of ONUMello
Reviewed by ONUMello from Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
22oz bottle best by October, 2014 poured into a pint glass
A: Dark brown with a thin head
S: Toasted malts and a nice hoppiness, though rather generic
T: Like the nose. Certainly past its best-by date though didn't taste old, just not that complex. Nice mix of dark malt and hops
M: Medium-bodied, somewhat bitter, hides the alcohol well
O: A decent black IPA but nothing more; kudos to Boulder for providing us with now 36 years of alternatives to bland beer!
Apr 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4.05 by Swright752

Mar 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by CampusCrew from Florida

Mar 23, 2015
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Reviewed by Uno from Iowa

4.99/5  rDev +34.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
It's a very good beer, overall, but I'm not sure it's a black IPA (or, rather, American Black Ale). Tastes almost like an imperial stout to me (which isn't a bad thing, as far as I'm concerned).
Mar 08, 2015
Photo of Boto
Reviewed by Boto from Connecticut

4.04/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
22oz bottle: this one pours a very dark brown color, yet it is clear. A small tan head that leaves some lacing. Good nose. Some pine, herbal notes, a hint of chocolate and a whiff of alcohol. The taste is good. Big malt body, with just a small underlying sweetness. A pretty fair amount of hops to balance the malts. A touch bitter. Some roasted malts, chocolate, herbal flavors. Some grains and citrus. This is good!
Feb 26, 2015
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.57/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
"Dark black in color with a big all-around hop presence, Boulder 35 remains a well-balanced IPA with a smooth roasted malt flavor. And at 9.5% alc./vol., it's a perfect beer to share among friends while raising your glass to Colorado's vibrant craft beer scene, all started 35 years ago. Party like it's 1979!" Brewed in the style of an American Black Ale. Brewed as a one-off commemorative release to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Boulder Beer. Available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a tulip glass. Served above 54 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a frothy foamed head of a caramel-tan color over a very dark brown body with espresso highlights. Retention is good and lacing is light and patchy. 4

(Smell) Hop notes of pithy citrus, pine resins, and zesty grapefruit with a moderate acidity meets malt aromas of lightly roasted grains, chocolate malt, black patent and caramel syrups with a perceived low sweetness. The hop profile seems to dominate the nose with a relatively tame malt backbone to counter. 3.75

(Taste) The malt profile doesn't meet the cleanliness and accessibility of the aroma, even despite having a milder malt flavor than most black IPAs. Light black patent malt, chocolate and faint roast generate a toasty but light body with a mild sweetness. The hop flavors sweep in for the midsection, mostly pithy citrus, herbal and vegetal hop flavors, finishing moderately grainy with notes of grapefruit peel and earth. Some yeast-generated flavors of licorice and raisin add some complexity to the beer. A bit hot and grainy, especially on the finish. 3.25

(Mouthfeel) The texture is mildly chewy, lightly slick and moderately dry. Carbonation is medium, generating a medium frothiness and a mild crispness on the finish. Body is shy of medium for the style, medium+ overall. Balance is slightly grainy and bitter over sweet. Alcohol presence is medium, and there are no off characters otherwise. 3.5

(Overall) Those wary of super bitter Black IPAs may stay away from Boulder Beer's 35th Anniversary Ale. The hop profile is more noticeable and better ranged than others in the style, generating subtle citrus and grapefruit character in addition to the more common notes of herbal, peppery, spicy and earthy hops. Despite the diversity of the hop profile, the beer itself is noticeably grainy for what is in the bottle, exposed mostly by a limited depth malt profile that doesn't quite hit the mark on roastiness, depth of body nor sweetness. The resulting beer is one that falls short of the golden standard for Imperial Black Ales on account of its malt lightness and gruff booziness. While there are far worse anniversary trials and errors out there, perhaps Boulder's 35th anniversary celebration may be a birthday party-in-a-bottle worth forgetting. I'd pass on this one.

Boulder Beer's
35th Anniversary Ale Imperial Black IPA
3.57/5.00
Feb 18, 2015
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Rated by tjsmith910 from Florida

2.56/5  rDev -31%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
not at all what i expected
Jan 31, 2015
Photo of jucifer1818
Reviewed by jucifer1818 from Florida

2.31/5  rDev -37.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
WEAK.

This is a weird beer, but in retrospect, it makes sense. It was dark, but it honestly tasted like a American Barleywine (but one that was REALLY dark.

the nitro carbonation was a unique touch, but honestly, did not work.

It tasted like a hot barleywine with the consistency of baleys Irish cream, without the Benefit of sweetness /chocolate/coffee to back it up.

Could had been worse, but pass it.

This was a review of a 3 buck pour of the stuff.

2.5/5
Jan 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by skaboom420 from Pennsylvania

Jan 18, 2015
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Reviewed by BeerDawgs from Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
L - black/ dark brown with 1 finger of head and some lacing left on the glass. No clarity

S - black licorice and some dank hops. Great aroma but you need to stick your nose in deep

T - the hops have faded on this one. More of a porter. 9.5% is well hidden. Mildly sweet, and fade citrus and bitterness on the back end

F - medium bodied and medium carbonation

O - a good brew which was probably better fresh
Jan 06, 2015
35th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA from Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 171 ratings