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Epitome
Carton Brewing Company
- From:
- Carton Brewing Company
- New Jersey, United States
- Style:
- Black IPA
Ranked #2 - ABV:
- 10.3%
- Score:
- 95
Ranked #1,498 - Avg:
- 4.29 | pDev: 8.16%
- Reviews:
- 50
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 16, 2023
- Added:
- Dec 29, 2012
- Wants:
- 70
- Gots:
- 59
We don't have many rules at Carton Brewing and those we have we made up for ourselves. In general though, we strive for drinkability through balance and harmonization of flavors. But even self-imposed rules are meant to be broken. With Epitome we decided to embrace the teenage metalhead in each of us and get discordant with a seriously hoppy, high gravity, black ale. The only notions accepted were to make it bigger, bolder, hotter & faster. A Beast. The ABV had to push past 10, the black had to be "none more," and the hops had to be American and piled on like a double bass drum kicking faster and harder. Drink Epitome because things worth doing are worth over doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXRy7uocSG8&list=UUnN44_ILc3y0x6WbvjLR1Kg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXRy7uocSG8&list=UUnN44_ILc3y0x6WbvjLR1Kg
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Rhettroactive:
Rated by Rhettroactive from Virginia
4.28/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
May 28, 2015
4.28/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
May 28, 2015
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Limazulu from Idaho
4.99/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.99/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A-Dark dark brown, cloudy with slight khaki head
S-Roasty hops
T-nutty grassy bitter wonderfulness. Above average bitter, below average sweet.
M-Medium full body, chewy, dry finish
O-A stranded on a deserted island beer
Dec 16, 2023S-Roasty hops
T-nutty grassy bitter wonderfulness. Above average bitter, below average sweet.
M-Medium full body, chewy, dry finish
O-A stranded on a deserted island beer
Rated by bitterbeer from New York
4.8/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
4.8/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Solid, delicious, incredibly easy to drink.
Excellent bitterness.
Apr 18, 2023Excellent bitterness.
Reviewed by Wiffler27 from South Carolina
4.6/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
canned 11/16/17 and enjoyed on 1/15/18
deep oil black with a thick creamy head, looks just like a black ale is supposed to
smell is surprisingly "green". smells of sweet hops. close your eyes and this could be a west coast ipa by it's aroma
taste is full of sweet malt and bittering hops. like a well carbonated and well hopped stout. black ales are so fascinating to me. a "green" flavor due to its hoppiness and dark colored yet light tasting malt.
really good beer, probably the best black ale i've ever had. Carton makes great IPAs and have some funky yet tremendous experimental shit, i love them. yay NJ
Jan 16, 2018deep oil black with a thick creamy head, looks just like a black ale is supposed to
smell is surprisingly "green". smells of sweet hops. close your eyes and this could be a west coast ipa by it's aroma
taste is full of sweet malt and bittering hops. like a well carbonated and well hopped stout. black ales are so fascinating to me. a "green" flavor due to its hoppiness and dark colored yet light tasting malt.
really good beer, probably the best black ale i've ever had. Carton makes great IPAs and have some funky yet tremendous experimental shit, i love them. yay NJ
Reviewed by AZBeerDude72 from Arizona
4.28/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A: Pitch black with rich tan head and sticky lacing.
N: Hoppy with a nice sweet note, floral in nature, some citrus.
T: Thrown off, you see stout but get hoppy smooth notes. Great hops, floral, little bite, minor malt. Is this an IPA? LOL
M: Medium
O: Impressed with the presentation, you see a stout and get a hoppy beer with some stout feel but drinks like an IPA. Impressed to say the least, really great effort on this beer. I think this is the only beer that drinks like an IPA and looks dead on for a stout, outstanding.
Jan 13, 2018N: Hoppy with a nice sweet note, floral in nature, some citrus.
T: Thrown off, you see stout but get hoppy smooth notes. Great hops, floral, little bite, minor malt. Is this an IPA? LOL
M: Medium
O: Impressed with the presentation, you see a stout and get a hoppy beer with some stout feel but drinks like an IPA. Impressed to say the least, really great effort on this beer. I think this is the only beer that drinks like an IPA and looks dead on for a stout, outstanding.
Reviewed by JRed from New Jersey
3.69/5 rDev -14%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.69/5 rDev -14%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Black in body with khaki head that dissipates. Aroma of grape, grass, light medicinal. Tastes of grape, grass, pine, medicinal notes, molasses, big booze follows up, medicinal bitterness. Light bodied with light carbonation.
Jan 13, 2018Reviewed by eppie82 from Illinois
4.44/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From can. Very dark (opaque?) black with good bit of foam upon aggressive pour. Foam stuck around as you drank along. While cold, this smelled like a fruity IPA almost. But as it warmed, the chocolate and coffee malt profile really came out. The flavors were roasted malts, coffee, chocolate and even mild vanilla. These became more pronounced as it warmed a bit. Very creamy and smooth, with medium mouthfeel.
This was surprising in good way. Dangerously easy to drink for 10%+ abv. Would gladly get this again. Probably the best black ale I've had.
Dec 31, 2017This was surprising in good way. Dangerously easy to drink for 10%+ abv. Would gladly get this again. Probably the best black ale I've had.
Reviewed by ShaggaCurtisovich from New Jersey
4.79/5 rDev +11.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.79/5 rDev +11.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Wow! Close to a five. First, more breweries should churn out black ipas. Second, how did most miss the most important ingredient in this beer. To me vanilla stands out. Jet black nose lacing and a nice IPA taste with a smooth finish. This is the best black IPA I've had. Great job on this one.
Dec 17, 2017Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania
4.18/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.18/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On draft in a snifter glass
Black in color, off white colored head. Some lacing. Aroma is a nice mix of earthy hops and roasty flavor. Similar taste, nice mix of flavors. Moderately bitter, good balance of sweet and dry. A little cocoa. Medium bodied.
Dec 07, 2017Black in color, off white colored head. Some lacing. Aroma is a nice mix of earthy hops and roasty flavor. Similar taste, nice mix of flavors. Moderately bitter, good balance of sweet and dry. A little cocoa. Medium bodied.
Epitome from Carton Brewing Company
Beer rating:
95 out of
100 with
326 ratings
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