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(512) Black IPA
(512) Brewing Company
- From:
- (512) Brewing Company
- Texas, United States
- Style:
- Black IPA
Ranked #70 - ABV:
- 7.5%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #13,628 - Avg:
- 3.94 | pDev: 10.91%
- Reviews:
- 25
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 07, 2024
- Added:
- Mar 12, 2011
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 8
An entirely new creation from organic 2-row, organic Crystal 60 and Carafa III, a huskless black malt that gives this beer it’s black color with notes of coffee and chicory without any tannic bitterness. The hop additions are many and generous, featuring Apollo, Horizon, and Nugget, clocking the beer in at 70 IBU. Over 11 pounds per batch of Nugget hops are added directly to the fermenter yielding a resiny herbal and spicy aroma. A hybrid style for dark beer fans who love hops.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by zbooks:
Rated by zbooks from Texas
4.25/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Mar 08, 2014
4.25/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Mar 08, 2014
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Atlas1 from Texas
3.31/5 rDev -16%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.31/5 rDev -16%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Picked this six pack up randomly a couple of weeks ago. Drank the first two that week and the remaining four have been sitting in my beer fridge ever since. And while I'm not crazy about the beer, I do kinda like the can. Very blunt. Sort of militaristic. I like the font.
Pours a nice dark brown color (but not black), very much like a porter. Held up to the light there are beautiful shades of crimson and burgundy. Two-finger head. Nice looking beer. The nose is smoky and earthy, with some faint hops. The taste follows suit, with a pervasive smokiness that lingers a bit too long in my opinion. Dry, with notes of burnt chocolate and toast. Funky aftertaste. Mouthfeel is smooth, but uninspired.
I have tried at least a dozen different "black" IPAs over the years, each time thinking I'm going to have a different experience and walk away liking the style. Unfortunately, I do not. And that might be the issue. It's far too much like a schwarzbier, which is fine and all, but ultimately I do not think schwarzbiers should be mixed with IPAs. The styles simply are not complimentary. Aside from the appearance, this beer just doesn't do it for me. If you like the style, though, bully for you. And come on over, because I have three left in my fridge!
Sep 10, 2023Pours a nice dark brown color (but not black), very much like a porter. Held up to the light there are beautiful shades of crimson and burgundy. Two-finger head. Nice looking beer. The nose is smoky and earthy, with some faint hops. The taste follows suit, with a pervasive smokiness that lingers a bit too long in my opinion. Dry, with notes of burnt chocolate and toast. Funky aftertaste. Mouthfeel is smooth, but uninspired.
I have tried at least a dozen different "black" IPAs over the years, each time thinking I'm going to have a different experience and walk away liking the style. Unfortunately, I do not. And that might be the issue. It's far too much like a schwarzbier, which is fine and all, but ultimately I do not think schwarzbiers should be mixed with IPAs. The styles simply are not complimentary. Aside from the appearance, this beer just doesn't do it for me. If you like the style, though, bully for you. And come on over, because I have three left in my fridge!
Reviewed by Siriusfisherman from New Hampshire
4.53/5 rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
4.53/5 rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
Pours a clear black with a rocky tan head. Excellent lacing. Big piney, earthy hops hit the nose backed up by dark roast coffee and dark chocolate. There is a very deep, spicy/herbal quality to the hops in the nose with a pithy, grapefruit edge. Right away a big earthy, piney hop spice smacks your palate, blending with a drying, roasted chicory coffee flavor from the malt. The flavors keep bouncing back and forth from herbal and green to deep and black with flashes of fruity flavors in between. The finish is dry with lingering bitterness and piney, earthy hop flavors. Overall, this is a gem of a beer. It really focuses on a realm of hop flavor not often seen in commercial beers, and does it in a style that is not brewed nearly often enough. 512 makes some really great old school beer, and this is my favorite I have had from them.
May 06, 2023Reviewed by donspublic from Texas
4.04/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from can into tulip, good 2+ finger khaki colored head, good retention and excellent lacing. Jet black in the glass, no light passes thru. Smells of roasted malt, herbal (almost like licorice) and pine. Taste follows the nose, good roast in the front, get the licorice, pine in the middle and it has a somewhat creamy finish and a good firm bitterness. Easy drinking and slight roast astringency on the palate, but not bad, makes you go back for more.
Mar 21, 2023Reviewed by AlCaponeJunior from Texas
4/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Grabbed a single in a mixer sixer.
Overall a solid selection. Nothing too extreme, but looked good, tasted good, a good example of the style and worth getting a sixer next time.
Mar 28, 2022Overall a solid selection. Nothing too extreme, but looked good, tasted good, a good example of the style and worth getting a sixer next time.
Reviewed by imnodoctorbut from Texas
4.2/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.2/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
pours a near black body with a billowing, rocky tan froth head that holds at two fingers height with high retention and leaves copious amounts of lacing behind as it settles to a murky cap with defined halo
aroma is sweet and robust, near coffee but not. roasted caramel malt and pine resin with a slight herbal nod and a little pepper to it
taste follows that nose. a little more like chocolate in the taste, the roasted caramel blends to molasses and coffee bean, and the resinous pine kicks in a little more herbal shade and a lot more pepper.
mouthfeel is high carbonation and medium-light bodied, running a little watery in the mid but bookended by chewiness. the finish is slightly dry and leaves a robust and condensed resinous aftertaste
overall:
if you like the style, c'mon in. if you're new to the style, this is a good entry point, but there are better examples for sure *cough*blakkr*cough*
super solid. 10/10 will sip again.
4.something to Slytherin
Mar 08, 2022aroma is sweet and robust, near coffee but not. roasted caramel malt and pine resin with a slight herbal nod and a little pepper to it
taste follows that nose. a little more like chocolate in the taste, the roasted caramel blends to molasses and coffee bean, and the resinous pine kicks in a little more herbal shade and a lot more pepper.
mouthfeel is high carbonation and medium-light bodied, running a little watery in the mid but bookended by chewiness. the finish is slightly dry and leaves a robust and condensed resinous aftertaste
overall:
if you like the style, c'mon in. if you're new to the style, this is a good entry point, but there are better examples for sure *cough*blakkr*cough*
super solid. 10/10 will sip again.
4.something to Slytherin
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas
3.88/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.88/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass
Appearance – The beer pours a deep brown, nearly black color with a one finger head of light brown tinted foam. The head has a fairly good level of retention, fading over time to leave a light level of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is strongest of a toasted and roasted malt smell mixed with notes of cocoa and a rather decent pine and herbal hop smell. Along with these aromas comes some notes of a caramel and molasses and a touch of grass.
Taste – The taste begins with a roasted and toasted malt that has notes of molasses sweetness and a bit of coffee. Along with these flavors comes a rather strong showing of pine hop right from the start, which is accompanied by a little bit of an herbal and earthy hop flavor as well. As the taste advances, the coffee gets stronger and brings more bitterness to the tongue. At the same time, a cola sweetness develops along with a touch of char. The cola and molasses flavors fade as the taste advances to the end, drying out the taste and revealing even more bitterness. With more earthiness coming to the tongue at then end, one is left with a rather bitter and somewhat more dank and roasted taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the medium to slightly more chewy side with a carbonation level that is rather. For the dark and more bitter flavors of the brew the feel is rather well done and creates a slow, but easy to drink sipper.
Overall – A nice dark IPA that leaves a dank bitterness on the tongue. Well worth a try.
Apr 20, 2021Appearance – The beer pours a deep brown, nearly black color with a one finger head of light brown tinted foam. The head has a fairly good level of retention, fading over time to leave a light level of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is strongest of a toasted and roasted malt smell mixed with notes of cocoa and a rather decent pine and herbal hop smell. Along with these aromas comes some notes of a caramel and molasses and a touch of grass.
Taste – The taste begins with a roasted and toasted malt that has notes of molasses sweetness and a bit of coffee. Along with these flavors comes a rather strong showing of pine hop right from the start, which is accompanied by a little bit of an herbal and earthy hop flavor as well. As the taste advances, the coffee gets stronger and brings more bitterness to the tongue. At the same time, a cola sweetness develops along with a touch of char. The cola and molasses flavors fade as the taste advances to the end, drying out the taste and revealing even more bitterness. With more earthiness coming to the tongue at then end, one is left with a rather bitter and somewhat more dank and roasted taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the medium to slightly more chewy side with a carbonation level that is rather. For the dark and more bitter flavors of the brew the feel is rather well done and creates a slow, but easy to drink sipper.
Overall – A nice dark IPA that leaves a dank bitterness on the tongue. Well worth a try.
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado
3.4/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.4/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
On-draught @ the brewery.
Pours a creamy pale khaki head atop an opaque black body. Head retention is poor; this dies within 30 seconds (if that).
Aroma suggests a scintilla of burnt malt, some dark malt sweetness, floral hops, herbal hops, and evergreen hop aromatics. Pleasant and inviting, seemingly marrying dark malt sweetness and hop bitterness to good effect. Aromatic intensity is average.
Tastes of evergreen/faint pine, floral hops, and subdued dark malt sweetness...I suspect the malt bill is mainly pale malt with dark malt or carafa in there more for colour than flavour... that's kind of cheating in terms of Cascadian dark ales. Hints of bready malt, ale yeast esters, and resin.
Creamy, smooth, wet, medium to full-bodied. Well-carbonated.
Depth of flavour is limited, as is hop pungency.
A solid Cascadian dark ale if a subdued one; dial up the hop pungency, scale back the 2-row committing more to the carafa, and keep this level of balance and we'll have a real contender on our hands.
B- / WORTHY
Feb 03, 2018Pours a creamy pale khaki head atop an opaque black body. Head retention is poor; this dies within 30 seconds (if that).
Aroma suggests a scintilla of burnt malt, some dark malt sweetness, floral hops, herbal hops, and evergreen hop aromatics. Pleasant and inviting, seemingly marrying dark malt sweetness and hop bitterness to good effect. Aromatic intensity is average.
Tastes of evergreen/faint pine, floral hops, and subdued dark malt sweetness...I suspect the malt bill is mainly pale malt with dark malt or carafa in there more for colour than flavour... that's kind of cheating in terms of Cascadian dark ales. Hints of bready malt, ale yeast esters, and resin.
Creamy, smooth, wet, medium to full-bodied. Well-carbonated.
Depth of flavour is limited, as is hop pungency.
A solid Cascadian dark ale if a subdued one; dial up the hop pungency, scale back the 2-row committing more to the carafa, and keep this level of balance and we'll have a real contender on our hands.
B- / WORTHY
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas
3.9/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On draft into a pint glass. Very dark brown with a nice thick foamy heads and great lacing. Subdued chocolate smell. Not overly hoppy, almost like a porter. The taste is chocolate and coffee with some dark toast. Fruitier taste emerges as it warms a bit. Nice beer.
Mar 14, 2017
(512) Black IPA from (512) Brewing Company
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
116 ratings
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