Black Rajah
The Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse / Production Works

12 ounce bottle, no bottle date. Served in a DFH IPA glass, the beer pours very dark brown with a couple inch frothy light tan head. The head stayed around a long time, and there's also a lot of lacing. The brew smells like citrusy hops (tropical fruit, grapefruit), pine hops, bittersweet chocolate and roasted malt. Taste is pretty much the same as the aroma, but there's also some grassiness and coffee noticeable. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's slick and coating with a good amount of carbonation. I thought this was a good brew, definitely worth a try if you come across some. $11.99 a 6-pack.

 

 

 

 

Just shy of two fingers worth of slow to develop rich light khaki colored froth... Rock star retention... Color is a chill hazed flat black that lets light leak in around the edges of the glass... Big nose - you don't even need to bring your nose to the glass... Caramel, roasted malt and a touch of pine... Very inviting and surprisingly nuanced... Palate is spot on to the nose and also displays a certain depth and complexity... Feel is feathery and on the lighter side of medium bodied... Smooth and easy drinking... Very nice beer all around... Consider me a big fan...

 

 

This was overall balanced and well done I think. Or maybe im just getting more used to the style and adjusted my expectations lol. Idk but this is pretty good

 

Another beer review from Christmas Day, 2015.

Ah the end of 2015, I think the black ipa trend is about done. Black ale pours black with a brown head, at the full one inch level, looks good. As usual for a black ale, the commercial tug job about tropical fruit notes are overstated compared with reality. More of a roasted malt nose than a tropical fruit hop note. More bittering hops come through than aroma hops.

Taste is fine, has the hop bitter pine and grapefruit combo, alongside some roasted diner coffee notes. Well carbonated. The citra hops just don't do their normal citra thing when paired with a darker malt bill it seems. Good dry finish to it.

All in all I think this is a pretty good black ale, but they kinda set expectations up pretty hard with the handy about tropical fruit and Citra hops and whatnot. Its not quite elite 1st tier black ale but I'm comfortable calling it a good 2nd tier option. Thanks to leftpaw for bringing it out that Christmas.

 

 

Black Rajah brewed by ,The Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse / Production Works with an ABV of 6.80% This American Black Ale Pours out of a 12oz glass bottle into a pint beer glass. The color of this brew is a dark brown color with a light brown head. This brew has the look of black coffee, not saying that is a bad thing. The smell is Rich with roasted goodness an hops. You pick up a nice amount of roasted grains and malts in the smell of this brew as well. So far Black Rajah is a nice inviting brew. Now for the taste, it is Bold with roasted flavors. Coffee notes are present in the taste as well. There is a lot going on in this brew. I can't get over how smooth this brew goes down. It is really hard to pick up on the 6.80% ABV in this brew, it is just that smooth. The body of Black Rajah is a medium to heavy, but not to heavy. There is nothing overpowering about this brew, it has a super nice balance to it. The mouth feel is Bold, Rich, Roasted, Clean, Smooth, and Refreshing. Overall I am going to give Black Rajah a 4.25 out of 5. I would definitely look this brew up again givin the opportunity too. The Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse / Production Works, did a super nice job with this American Black Ale.

Midnight black body topped with a lush and creamy head. The smell exudes soft notes of cocoa and hop spiciness. The taste delivers muted notes of cocoa and milk chocolate with hints of grain char; spicy, earthy hop bitterness. The body feels heavy, smooth and velvety; semi-sweet feel overall but with an edge of dryness.

This beer brings some fine roasted grain and spicy hop character to your glass. Balanced with a flavorful punch.

12oz bottled 3/11/19 (3 months ago) poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass at fridge temp 6.8% ABV 70 IBU. The beer pours nearly black in color with almost no light penetration and light brown head. The head recedes slowly to a cap and leaves plenty of lacing. The aroma is old school pine and citrus. The taste is roast malt, pine, caramel, cocoa and grapefruit all mixed together with medium to heavy bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, adequately carbonated and dry in the finish. Overall, excellent. If you like black IPAs, this is the best one in (limited) distribution. I would love to have a 3 way tasting with SSR & Dark Penance. Perfect balance of all the components that make the style unique and enjoyable.