Sleight Of Hand - Beer Camp #94 | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Brewed by:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
California, United States
sierranevada.com
Style: Belgian IPA
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.70%
Availability: Limited (brewed once)
Notes / Commercial Description:
Dark Belgian IPA. AKA - Sleight Of Hand
Added by BeerAdvocate on 01-11-2013
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 510 | Reviews: 125
Reviews by the Alström Bros:
4/5 rDev +5%
Jason, Sep 15, 2013
More User Reviews:
3.67/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours nearly jet black in to a small tulip glass except for some brownish red highlights showing thru when hed to the light,a large blooming light tan colored head atop.Like others of the Beer Camp series Ihave today the aromas are light and somewhat unassuming,some yeasty spice and earth stood out mainly.Earthy and bitter chocolate flavors stand out most,alot of bitter chocolate,mild yeasty notes but they are heald in check well,some leafy hops in the finish.Not bad,it won't knock you over the head in flavor but it has nice subtle components to it.
555 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours nearly jet black in to a small tulip glass except for some brownish red highlights showing thru when hed to the light,a large blooming light tan colored head atop.Like others of the Beer Camp series Ihave today the aromas are light and somewhat unassuming,some yeasty spice and earth stood out mainly.Earthy and bitter chocolate flavors stand out most,alot of bitter chocolate,mild yeasty notes but they are heald in check well,some leafy hops in the finish.Not bad,it won't knock you over the head in flavor but it has nice subtle components to it.
555 characters
3.89/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Beer camp Belgian Black IPA #31
A: Almost completely black, letting just a little bit of light through showing deep garnet hues. The head is a very long lasting, rocky brown foam.
S: The nose comes together like a blend of juniper, lemon, licorice and spice with a touch of chocolate. A medium-strong aromas of citrus and fruit hops having, a lot of that herbaceous dry hopped character,, blending with a medium phenol and a medium-low roast malt. The hops are lemony and melon-like while the phenols are peppery and somewhat clove. There is a light malt sweetness and a low floral alcohol aroma.
T: A smooth blend of melon, grape and citrus fruit flavors from the hops along with a medium-strong hops bitterness. There is a light touch of dark roast and malt sweetness but the balance is fairly bitter. The Belgian yeast character is there with a medium amount of spice and the fruit hard to name under the hops. The finish is off-dry and the after taste if a hops bitterness and a light roast.
M: A medium-full bodied beer with a medium-strong level of carbonation.
O: The hops are strong but they they still let plenty of the dark malt and yeast come through to compliment the flavor profile. When I think IPA I always want more hops but I’m can back off to enjoy a well crafted, balanced beer with a lot going on.
1,324 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Beer camp Belgian Black IPA #31
A: Almost completely black, letting just a little bit of light through showing deep garnet hues. The head is a very long lasting, rocky brown foam.
S: The nose comes together like a blend of juniper, lemon, licorice and spice with a touch of chocolate. A medium-strong aromas of citrus and fruit hops having, a lot of that herbaceous dry hopped character,, blending with a medium phenol and a medium-low roast malt. The hops are lemony and melon-like while the phenols are peppery and somewhat clove. There is a light malt sweetness and a low floral alcohol aroma.
T: A smooth blend of melon, grape and citrus fruit flavors from the hops along with a medium-strong hops bitterness. There is a light touch of dark roast and malt sweetness but the balance is fairly bitter. The Belgian yeast character is there with a medium amount of spice and the fruit hard to name under the hops. The finish is off-dry and the after taste if a hops bitterness and a light roast.
M: A medium-full bodied beer with a medium-strong level of carbonation.
O: The hops are strong but they they still let plenty of the dark malt and yeast come through to compliment the flavor profile. When I think IPA I always want more hops but I’m can back off to enjoy a well crafted, balanced beer with a lot going on.
1,324 characters
4.12/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Beer Camp 94 from the 2013 Beer Camp 12 pack
Poured into a Stone IRS snifter.
Almost as dark as a IRS but not as viscous.
Great head, even at 1/4" over the top of the glass. Very nice brown, fluffy head.
Very easy down, great mouthfeel and light lacing.
While I'm usually not a huge Black IPA fan, this was very enjoyable, very tasty and quite memorable.
359 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Beer Camp 94 from the 2013 Beer Camp 12 pack
Poured into a Stone IRS snifter.
Almost as dark as a IRS but not as viscous.
Great head, even at 1/4" over the top of the glass. Very nice brown, fluffy head.
Very easy down, great mouthfeel and light lacing.
While I'm usually not a huge Black IPA fan, this was very enjoyable, very tasty and quite memorable.
359 characters
3.98/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Imperial Pimt.
Appearance: Just about pitch black with persistent tan head and light lacing.
Smell: Roasted, chocolate, smoke and some hard to identify fruitiness.
Taste: Strong roasted malt body with chocolate, char, coffee and smoke. Lemon and tropical notes play against the malts, but seem secondary. Some light banana as well from the Belgain yeast. The yeast is more noticeable on the borderline Saison-like finish, with a fruity spiciness. Bitterness is relatively restrained.
Feel: Fairly full body that is smooth and creamy with light carbonation. Finish is semi-dry.
Overall: The Belgian IPA and Black IPA styles are already polarizing for attempting to mesh together styles that seemingly should not, but you have to commend Sierra Nevada for taking it to the extreme and then meshing those styles together. The results are a little muddled, but overall I really do like it.
929 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Imperial Pimt.
Appearance: Just about pitch black with persistent tan head and light lacing.
Smell: Roasted, chocolate, smoke and some hard to identify fruitiness.
Taste: Strong roasted malt body with chocolate, char, coffee and smoke. Lemon and tropical notes play against the malts, but seem secondary. Some light banana as well from the Belgain yeast. The yeast is more noticeable on the borderline Saison-like finish, with a fruity spiciness. Bitterness is relatively restrained.
Feel: Fairly full body that is smooth and creamy with light carbonation. Finish is semi-dry.
Overall: The Belgian IPA and Black IPA styles are already polarizing for attempting to mesh together styles that seemingly should not, but you have to commend Sierra Nevada for taking it to the extreme and then meshing those styles together. The results are a little muddled, but overall I really do like it.
929 characters
4.21/5 rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice. Date on the "Beer Camp" box is 07/29/13.
Appearance: Pours a dark brownish black with a moderate amount of bubbles. Big three finger tan head which slowly recedes into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a lot of creamy lacing around the glass.
Smell: A yeasty Belgian style aroma with big hints of earthy hops and dark malt. Belgian yeast upfront with some farmhouse funk, clove, and pepper spicing. Fruity esters of banana, pear, grapes, orange, lemon zest, and slight mango. Earthy and floral hops with hints of pine resin and grass. Dark roasted malts with hints of chocolate, coffee, toast, grains, biscuit, caramel, and toffee. A pretty interesting and good aroma.
Taste: Like the aroma, a balanced and tasty mix of Belgian yeast, earthy hops, and dark roasty malt. Upfront Belgian yeast with some farmhouse funk and clove and pepper spices. Big hop presence with floral and earthy notes. Fairly grassy with some noticeable pine resin. Fruit notes of banana, orange, grapes, lemon zest, pear, and a little mango. Big dark malt presence with roasty notes of chocolate, coffee, toasted bread, biscuit, grains, caramel, and toffee. Tastes like a combination of Saison, piney IPA, and oatmeal stout. Very good.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy, silky, and pretty smooth. Pretty drying with well hidden alcohol.
Overall: A very good twist on a Black ale. Good Belgian style yeasty notes with a solid balance of hops and dark malt. The flavors play off each other well.
1,565 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice. Date on the "Beer Camp" box is 07/29/13.
Appearance: Pours a dark brownish black with a moderate amount of bubbles. Big three finger tan head which slowly recedes into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a lot of creamy lacing around the glass.
Smell: A yeasty Belgian style aroma with big hints of earthy hops and dark malt. Belgian yeast upfront with some farmhouse funk, clove, and pepper spicing. Fruity esters of banana, pear, grapes, orange, lemon zest, and slight mango. Earthy and floral hops with hints of pine resin and grass. Dark roasted malts with hints of chocolate, coffee, toast, grains, biscuit, caramel, and toffee. A pretty interesting and good aroma.
Taste: Like the aroma, a balanced and tasty mix of Belgian yeast, earthy hops, and dark roasty malt. Upfront Belgian yeast with some farmhouse funk and clove and pepper spices. Big hop presence with floral and earthy notes. Fairly grassy with some noticeable pine resin. Fruit notes of banana, orange, grapes, lemon zest, pear, and a little mango. Big dark malt presence with roasty notes of chocolate, coffee, toasted bread, biscuit, grains, caramel, and toffee. Tastes like a combination of Saison, piney IPA, and oatmeal stout. Very good.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy, silky, and pretty smooth. Pretty drying with well hidden alcohol.
Overall: A very good twist on a Black ale. Good Belgian style yeasty notes with a solid balance of hops and dark malt. The flavors play off each other well.
1,565 characters
3.18/5 rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Seems miscategorized as a Belgian IPA. The label says Belgian style black IPA, which also seems miscategorized.
Dark brown and opaque with a beige frothy head that settles out quickly. Low aroma of lemon and phenols. Initial flavor of roasted malt, followed by clove and phenols, some faint floral hops, not much hoppiness to offset the malt. Any bitterness is contributed by the darkly roasted malt. More phenols in the finish. An acrid and ashey bitterness lingers. Moderate to full mouthfeel, dry like an irish stout. Seems like a Belgian style dark ale or Belgian style stout.
581 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Seems miscategorized as a Belgian IPA. The label says Belgian style black IPA, which also seems miscategorized.
Dark brown and opaque with a beige frothy head that settles out quickly. Low aroma of lemon and phenols. Initial flavor of roasted malt, followed by clove and phenols, some faint floral hops, not much hoppiness to offset the malt. Any bitterness is contributed by the darkly roasted malt. More phenols in the finish. An acrid and ashey bitterness lingers. Moderate to full mouthfeel, dry like an irish stout. Seems like a Belgian style dark ale or Belgian style stout.
581 characters
4.08/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured into belgian goblet; pure black, with a moderate dense tan head that descends steadily leaving fine rings of awesome lacing.
Smells interesting; cocoa and black malt melds with belgian yeast and some sort of odd smell...furniture polish? Could just be sharp alcohol or some other notes.
Taste is unlike anything I've had before; dark cocoa and fermented fruit blends with belgian yeast and slight alcohol, also some hops and I don't even know what's going on. Neat!
Mouthfeel is thin but smooth.
Overall, this is a very cool beer. A lot going on, but it works well together. My favorite of the Beer Camp 2013s I've had so far, if only because the last 2 had no hop flavor at all...
691 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured into belgian goblet; pure black, with a moderate dense tan head that descends steadily leaving fine rings of awesome lacing.
Smells interesting; cocoa and black malt melds with belgian yeast and some sort of odd smell...furniture polish? Could just be sharp alcohol or some other notes.
Taste is unlike anything I've had before; dark cocoa and fermented fruit blends with belgian yeast and slight alcohol, also some hops and I don't even know what's going on. Neat!
Mouthfeel is thin but smooth.
Overall, this is a very cool beer. A lot going on, but it works well together. My favorite of the Beer Camp 2013s I've had so far, if only because the last 2 had no hop flavor at all...
691 characters
3.5/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Small light brown head and very thin lacing above a black colored beer.
Dark roasted malts with some black licorice in the aroma.
Dark roasted malts, light dark chocolate and black licorice blended taste, with a lesser degree of some hops coming through.
Dryish lightly bitter aftertaste with some of the darker tastes remaining with this medium bodied beer.
A decent enough tasting black IPA but not really enough hops tastes for me.
438 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Small light brown head and very thin lacing above a black colored beer.
Dark roasted malts with some black licorice in the aroma.
Dark roasted malts, light dark chocolate and black licorice blended taste, with a lesser degree of some hops coming through.
Dryish lightly bitter aftertaste with some of the darker tastes remaining with this medium bodied beer.
A decent enough tasting black IPA but not really enough hops tastes for me.
438 characters
3.92/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Beer camp 2013.
A: Pours very dark with a dense two finger slightly tanned head. Takes a few minutes to dissipate. Leaves a complete coating of lacing on the opposite side of the snifter as I sip.
S: Belgian yeast is the first thing I notice. Roastiness does come through of course. Good touch of farmhouse earthiness and yeast. Hops come through with an herbal character. Bit of sweetness.
T: Hops are prevalent from start to finish. Real nice belgian qualities with the yeast and touch of funk. The roastiness of the malts compliments the belgian tone. Booziness does come through a bit reminding you its there.
M: Fairly light body for such a boozy and flavorful beer. Carbonation is pleasant. Finish is a bit sticky from the hopping which is understandable.
Overall another good beer camp selection by Sierra Nevada. Good mix of IPA styles going on here in this brew. Certainly worth a try.
938 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Beer camp 2013.
A: Pours very dark with a dense two finger slightly tanned head. Takes a few minutes to dissipate. Leaves a complete coating of lacing on the opposite side of the snifter as I sip.
S: Belgian yeast is the first thing I notice. Roastiness does come through of course. Good touch of farmhouse earthiness and yeast. Hops come through with an herbal character. Bit of sweetness.
T: Hops are prevalent from start to finish. Real nice belgian qualities with the yeast and touch of funk. The roastiness of the malts compliments the belgian tone. Booziness does come through a bit reminding you its there.
M: Fairly light body for such a boozy and flavorful beer. Carbonation is pleasant. Finish is a bit sticky from the hopping which is understandable.
Overall another good beer camp selection by Sierra Nevada. Good mix of IPA styles going on here in this brew. Certainly worth a try.
938 characters
Sleight Of Hand - Beer Camp #94 from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
3.81
out of 5
based on 510 ratings.