Black(Eye) PA
Right Brain Brewery

Had a pint at the Brewpub today for $5.75.

Beer was served black with a decent off white head.

Nose was nice as the late hopping with citrus hops were very prevalent. Roasted malts were definitely in the background.

Taste was nicely balanced with light chocolate malts that were lightly roasted balanced nicely by the citrus and piney hops.

Mouthfeel was light to medium bodied and pretty smooth.

Overall a pretty smackable beer that i would recommend if you like the style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This brew was served from the tap at Lockhart’s BBQ in Royal Oak, Michigan. It arrived in an etched house pint glass, showing cola coloring, with lighter ruby hues let up around the bottom. It held a quarter finger tall head due to a full pour, showing okay retention into sheets of lacing left dripping down the glass. No haze or sediment was noted, and carbonation appeared to be moderate. The aroma was big and malty with coffee malt roastiness sitting alongside solidly bittered pale malts, floral marigolds, and floral and perfume hops. With warmth comes soured vinegar acidity, raw barley, strawberry syrups, red onion, sweaty saltiness, and pink peppercorns. Our first impression is that the flavoring is surprisingly smoke, with crackling crispness to the darker malts. As we sipped, the taste opened with vanilla extract, pale malt bitterness, clean and stouty dark coffee and lightly chocolate malts, and big char-smoked bite. The peak came with soured lactic acidity, herbal hop balance, and spicy medicinal grittiness. Washing through the finish was a strong mix of buttery diacetyls, floral hop freshness, pale bite, brown malt inclusions, rumbles of clovey phenols, booze, plastics, and a revival of that dark smokiness, enhancing in particular the souring aspects of the sip. The aftertaste breathed of burnt rubber, mineral, grainy yeast, bitterly charred coffee malts, lemony sourness, chalked yeast, drying pales, and smoky leathers. The body was medium, and the carbonation was medium with healthy prickle. The mouth was left cooled and coated thanks to the big froth and cream of the sip. Slurp, smack, and finishing pop were all okay. Otherwise the mouth continued to water, with only mild astringency up high on the soft palate. The abv was appropriate, and the beer drank easily.

Overall, what we liked best about this beer was its flavoring. The bright smokiness actually catches you off guard, adding hearty depth to the grain bill, and keeping things sour enough to contrast against the softer, more aromatic hops. The char also helped to afford nice burn to the aftertaste, keeping things flavorful, but also making you want to come back for more to refresh the palate. The plastic, herbal, and phenolic inclusions added even more to both the aroma and taste, giving you a spicy and nicely sipping beer.