Nine
TRVE Brewing Co.

for their ninth anniversary, a mixed culture black ipa, genius, delicious, and possibly the first of its kind i have ever encountered, just smart and well executed and original, i love everything about it, and it was killer to have this on tap at the brewery, its been way too long for me in here. pretty coal black pour with an inch of airy frothy off white head, low shine, good carbonation evident. the nose is familiar trve funk and tartness, more bretty than sour but elements of both are here for sure, and with the dark roast of the grain base and the peppy piney hops, this really is quite complex. i like the almost burnt depth of the roast, the coffee note that goes with it, and that there seems to be bitterness both from the hops and from the grain. the flavor is wonderful, somewhat mellow compared to the aroma, less bitter than anticipated, slightly oily from the hops, which start early and stay late, not overdone at all, very tastefully proportioned, pine sap and dank weed there, and they leave plenty of the room for the fermentation profile to stand out, dry at the end but really complex, bretty and mature without being woody or overly rustic, surprisingly clean for what it is. this is hearty and warming, wintery and even cozy, but its unique and delicious enough that i am into it as an every day drinker. the texture is amazing too, medium bodied and fluffy, effervescent, and fast finishing for the style. i love the trve mixed culture at work in something a little different here, not to be missed!