Hop Head Black India Pale Ale
Tree Brewing

Hop Head Black India Pale AleHop Head Black India Pale Ale
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From:
Tree Brewing
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
Black IPA
ABV:
8.8%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 10.26%
Reviews:
35
Ratings:
77
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 12, 2016
Added:
Feb 14, 2012
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  6
Hop Head Black IPA is dark brown / black in colour, delivering an aroma of roasted malt tones. With five different varieties of superior hops and six malts, Hop Head Black IPA brings out a malt forward taste with a lingering hop bitterness.
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Ratings by allergictomacros:
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Reviewed by allergictomacros from Canada (ON)

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A - Easy on the pour there.... huge billowy head. Quickly patches up and drops to a reasonable level. Clear, ruby red liquid underneath.

S - Lots of roast with hints of char and pineapple. Dark sugars.

T - Big alcohol punch seems too strong for a dark ale like this. There's hops here, but they take a back seat to the booze and sweet malt. Dark, roasted grain and hoppy bitterness compete on the back end. Hints of apple and mild fruit as well.

M - Medium-light in mouthfeel. Low carbonation despite the big foam.

D - Pretty drinkable given the bigness of this brew. There's a lot going on here. Seems to lean a bit too much on the sweet side for me.
Jul 02, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by boszormeny from Canada (ON)

Feb 12, 2016
Photo of coder
Rated by coder from Canada (ON)

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Very dark. Malty and hoppy with an espresso/burnt caramel after taste. Medium carbonation. Worth the try.
Jan 31, 2016
 
Rated: 4.19 by BigGruntyThirst from Canada (ON)

Jan 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.71 by Ultrarunner100 from Canada (ON)

Jan 09, 2016
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Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
650ml bomber served cold into a pint glass. Purchased for about $7 CDN from the local liquor establishment.
This bottle is advertised as 8.0% ABV as opposed to 8.8% ABV.

Appearance - Dark brown in color with ruby highlights. A nice finger of off white head is poured with reasonable head retention. A thin white film lingers on top of the beer. Clarity is good although the beer is just a dark enough shade that only the most direct light permits you to see through it.

Smell - Light roasty aromas, sweet slightly burnt caramel backbone and a general tropical fruitiness.

Taste - Pretty much like the nose, some mildly toasty flavors offering slightly burnt caramel backbone and some tropical hop flavors that aren't quite as intense as I was expecting.

Mouthfeel - Smooth, full bodied, good levels of carbonation and super easy to drink.

Overall - A well crafted if less bold than expected Black IPA, that hits the right notes of sweet and bitter with a good balance between the two. Certainly worth investigating and trying a bottle while this presumable limited run is in stock.
Jan 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.78 by Bf_89 from Canada (ON)

Dec 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.18 by Mousel from Canada (ON)

Dec 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.65 by polloenfuego from Canada (NB)

Dec 13, 2015
Photo of DaveBar
Reviewed by DaveBar from Canada (ON)

3.82/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Purchased at the LCBO for around $7.00 or so for around $7.00 or so for a 650ml bottle. Served at 5deg C in a draught glass

A- Opens well and pours a 2" high white head that has a bit of a brown hue to it that dissipates in less then 2mins. Very dark almost black colour.

S- Not much here at all.

T- Nutty and hoppy. Nice black IPA. Does not have that burnt flavor to it at all. Very malty for an IPA. Slight metallic taste to it though.

M- Pretty creamy

O- Rather good blend. Like it and will buy again while it is fresh and again when I see it on tap.

Food Pairing

This nice little brew went well with...... brazed lamb shank! Root veggies and a nice Moroccan spice blend just does this brew well

Enjoy
Dec 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)

Dec 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Ericbeech_87 from Canada (BC)

Jun 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by rogerdandy from Canada (AB)

Feb 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GoHabsGo from Canada (ON)

Feb 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Ivanhoes_Backpack from Canada (NB)

Jan 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by yancot from Canada (ON)

Nov 28, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by MJ63 from Canada (ON)

Oct 26, 2013
Photo of Jeffo
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Got this at the LCBO in the Loo.

From a bomber into a snifter

APPEARANCE: A clear brown pour yields a one finger, medium looking, fluffy, light tan head with very good retention. Bistre brown body, clear, with no carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a full wisp and sticks to the sides of the glass nicely. Splotchy wisp remains leaving touches of lacing down the glass. Good looking.

SMELL: Some roasted aromas, cocoa powder, sweet cream, vanilla notes and floral hops on the nose. Nice, bold and plenty enticing.

TASTE: Lightly roasted with caramel sweetness up front, moving into a bitter-sweet finish with roasted notes, bitter floral hops, some caramel sweetness and light cocoa powder. Coffee bitterness as well. Like a very hoppy stout, and very enjoyable.

PALATE: Medium body and carbonation. Creamy on the palate, goes down fine and finishes slightly dry. BItterness lingers.

OVERALL: This is pretty solid for sure. This was a better black IPA than the others I sampled were examples of their respective styles. Looks like a porter ans tastes like a really hoppy, bitter stout. Enjoyable and worth drinking again. Recommended.
Oct 11, 2013
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Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3.17/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Bottle: Poured a black color ale with a medium size foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of roasted malt with light dry bitter notes. Taste is also dominated by dry roasted alt with some hoppy bitter and dry notes. Body is a bit light for style with good carbonation. I thought this was too bitter and almost astringent with the body too thin for the style.
Oct 03, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by georgiaboy8686 from Maryland

Sep 23, 2013
Hop Head Black India Pale Ale from Tree Brewing
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 77 ratings