Vacuum Readymade
Stillwater Artisanal Ales

Vacuum ReadymadeVacuum Readymade
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From:
Stillwater Artisanal Ales
 
Washington, United States
Style:
Black IPA
ABV:
8%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 9.04%
Reviews:
36
Ratings:
123
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 18, 2018
Added:
Jan 17, 2015
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  16
What is with the paradoxical term 'Black IPA' anyway? Whatever it is, we do love black beers.. also smoked beers, and of course everyone loves hops these daze.. A complex blend various smoked, caramel and subdued roasted malts lay the base for a combination of piney, dank and (dark) fruity hops.. While there is a lot to contemplate with this beast, just be sure to enjoy it without getting too sucked into its enigmatic composition.
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by HopsForBrains:
Photo of HopsForBrains
Rated by HopsForBrains from North Carolina

4.44/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Jun 04, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.87 by craigbelly from Iowa

Jul 18, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by mikeinportc from New York

Sep 19, 2017
 
Rated: 4.28 by ZachT from Canada (BC)

Sep 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.75 by JavierGC from Spain

Jul 11, 2017
Photo of justintcoons
Reviewed by justintcoons from Pennsylvania

3.21/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
12 oz bottle poured into an Imperial pint glass.

Appearance
Deep chestnut with mahogany highlights. Short khaki head.

Nose
Raisin, sherry, prune, caramel, smoke, and cherrywood.

Taste
Cherrywood, smoke, and earthy char. Underlying notes of raisin, prune, and sherry. Pine resin bitterness.

Mouthfeel
Medium-light bodied, crisp, off-dry, and moderately bitter.

Overall
The flavors aren't really meshing for me. Has a nice smoky and roasted malt profile but the hop flavors are weak and only add some unwanted bitterness.
May 04, 2017
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

3.79/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter. This interesting little ale pours a dark
cola blackish brown with a nice head of tan foam that settles to a thick ring,
thin light layer, and features some nice lacing. Nose of smoke, bakers cocoa,
light sweet caramel malts, piney hops, and a touch of pineapple and citrus.
Flavors follow the nose with char and smoke drifting into a heavy pine and
light citrus note with a touch of sweetness from cocoa and a ton of chewy smoked malts
that fade into bitter pine. Excellent mouth feel; medium light carbonation, full body,
and a bitter malt and hop finish.

Overall it is not bad for the style, but a bit overboard on the hop and smoke
which seems to lack a touch of balance. A BIG brew that while interesting
is a touch over the top.
May 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.85 by h4ger from Connecticut

Apr 30, 2017
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.72/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle - what does the 'Readymade' part of the name here mean?

This beer pours a clear, very dark brown colour, with a near-teeming tower of puffy, rocky, and somewhat bubbly tan head, which leaves some splendid layered cirrus cloud pattern lace around the glass as it very slowly melts away.

It smells of roasted caramel malt, cafe-au-lait, some indistinct stone and berry fruitiness, bittersweet cocoa powder, and more leafy, piney, and estery floral green hops. The taste is bready and doughy caramel malt, a touch of free-range ashiness, ethereal day-old coffee grounds, muddled black orchard fruity notes, minorly phenolic yeast, and more leafy, piney, and gently perfumed floral verdant hoppiness.

The carbonation is quite light on its mainly frothy feet, the body a so-so medium weight, and sort of smooth, as the roasted characters seems to know when to lay off the gas in this respect. It finishes off-dry, the malt and generic fruitiness keeping tabs on the lingering char and hop acridity.

Overall, this is one of the better versions of this style that I've come across of late - the roast seems to be applied with a deft touch, and the hops are not obliterated in the process. The 16-proof alcohol component is also well integrated, making this one a somewhat enjoyable to drink offering.
Mar 21, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by life_of_agony from Australia

Nov 07, 2016
Photo of Ciocanelu
Reviewed by Ciocanelu from Romania

4.15/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Black color with brown head. Aroma has sweet malt, caramel, fruity hops and a hint of roasted/slightly smoked malt. Taste starts with some bitter hops but continues with liquorice and some molasses. Finish has coffee bitterness and lingers with resiny hops. Medium body with soft carbonation. Quite nice beer, complex taste with well hidden alcohol.
Sep 03, 2016
Photo of ChipChaight
Reviewed by ChipChaight from New York

4.12/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz pour from West End Hall NYC on the UWS
Dark mostly opaque brown with a flash of white head, smell is sweet and biscuity, taste is sweet, roasted/smoked malts with a slight bitterness at the end, this beer is full bodied and quite sticky on the tongue. A nice smokey bitter elixir.
Jul 26, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by TheBeerdedCharmer from Pennsylvania

Jul 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.99 by whitenads from Michigan

Jun 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.64 by hippiegirlcitiworld from New York

Jun 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.88 by manfromanotherplace from New York

May 28, 2016
Photo of avalon07
Reviewed by avalon07 from South Carolina

3.81/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
L: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a thick texture. There was a two inch, tan-colored, fairly long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: A pretty good aroma of hops, roasted malt, and a bit of coffee. Sharper and lighter than I expected.

T: Tasted of an average amount of hops, some coffee, a tinge of smokiness, pine, roasted malt, a hint of chocolate, and caramel. The flavor here isn't as robust as other ABAs, but does have its charms. Subtle and interesting.

F: An average amount of carbonation with a somewhat thin finish. Medium-bodied.

O: In general, this is a worthwhile attempt at an ABA. Well worth a shot.
May 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.84 by kguard from Iowa

May 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.23 by Jame515 from Texas

Apr 27, 2016
Photo of Czarkazm
Reviewed by Czarkazm from New York

3.74/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Julian dating shows that this was bottled 11/1/2015. Pours a chestnut brown color, in the snifter, the body appears dense and black with a thin, creamy looking toasted khaki head. Held up to the light, the body shines with a crimson red glow. While still cold, the beer is very heavy on the bitter, earthy hops. Have to wait for it to warm up a little bit. Swirling the glass brings out additional notes of orange zest, pine needles, roasted malts, and bittersweet chocolate. Medium mouth feel with a huge punch of bitterness that lingers well into the aftertaste. The flavor is of pine resin, grapefruit pith, stale earthy hops, faint citrus, an ashy smokiness and roasted grains. I haven't seen this in the store before so I assumed it was relatively fresh; the hops have certainly faded but their bitterness definitely dominates. The sweet roastiness does help out once the beer has warmed but not to the extent that it needs to.
Apr 04, 2016
Vacuum Readymade from Stillwater Artisanal Ales
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 123 ratings