Holy Cowbell
Beavertown Brewery

Holy CowbellHoly Cowbell
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From:
Beavertown Brewery
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
Black IPA
ABV:
5.6%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.89 | pDev: 7.71%
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
59
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 10, 2020
Added:
Jul 25, 2014
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  12
SCORE
87
Very Good
Holy CowbellHoly Cowbell
Notes: None
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.75 by DvdP from Netherlands

Oct 10, 2020
 
Rated: 3.84 by TwiggyCZ from Czech Republic

May 08, 2018
 
Rated: 3.91 by desint from Belgium

May 04, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by Antyk from Belgium

Mar 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by kjkinsey from Texas

May 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.54 by FCox143 from England

Dec 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.65 by TGS from California

Nov 20, 2016
Photo of Vader444
Reviewed by Vader444 from Scotland

4.2/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pour from can into half pint glass. This is surprisingly good stuff. The hops and roasted malts combine curiously well resulting in aromas and flavours of spices, particularly cardamon. I often think that canned beers are overly fizzy but the carbonation in this is spot on; smooth and relatively creamy as stout should be. Overall a bit of a winner. Nice one Beavertown. Cheers!
Sep 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by sdm9465 from Canada (NS)

Aug 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by mtbdonn from Colorado

Aug 13, 2016
Photo of DJ-Hophead
Reviewed by DJ-Hophead from England

4.1/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
330 ml can, Three Brothers, Bristol - Pours dark brown with a medium tanned foamy head. Medium carbonation. Nice lacing. Smell - roasted malts, chocolate/coffee. Fruity hops - mango/grapefruit. Taste - sweet, roasted malts as well - chocolate/coffee. Hoppy background, light smoky notes. Nice well balanced variation on a stout.
Jul 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by kwjd from Canada (ON)

Jul 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Euroglot from Belgium

Jul 10, 2016
Photo of Bruno74200
Reviewed by Bruno74200 from France

4.14/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
India stout and not a black ipa. That's to notice because you'll notice it in the taste. It's not on the grapefruits : It's not an Ipa! It's a hugely hopped stout. I like it. Coffee, grass and a bit of pine. A bit light on the mouthfeel but it's make it suite drinkable
Jul 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by stephenlee from England

Jun 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.81 by jkhara12 from England

May 14, 2016
Photo of Jwale73
Reviewed by Jwale73 from Rhode Island

3.29/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
330ml can served in a shaker pint. 22/09/16 printed on the bottom of the can. Pours the color and clarity of cola with a tight, half inch, mocha-colored head that disperses into an oily slick. Spots of lacing are present during the tasting. Nose expresses cocoa, roast and a distinct hoppy quality. Taste is a bit blah - roasty, char and watery with a feint cocoa character and an earthy bitterness towards the back end. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with an assertive carbonation. Overall, it's definitely a hoppy stout, but it's pretty lacking in the flavor department. Somewhat disappointing given the promise presented by the aromas in the nose.
May 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Howlader from Canada (AB)

Apr 10, 2016
Photo of MrDell
Reviewed by MrDell from Switzerland

4.45/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
03.04.2016

Beavertown – Holy Cowbell India Stout
American Stout – 5.6% - 330ml can - Best before 22.09.16

Appearance: Very deep brown, almost black. Completely opaque with a huge head that looks like a frothy cappuccino.

Aroma: Smell is bitter dark chocolate, leather and moist tobacco and fruity hops.

Taste: You get a slightly soapy, resinous flavour which is actually very nice upfront, then it’s coffee, dark sugar and molasses in the middle before an ever so slightly bitter finish. Surprisingly sweet for what they are calling an India stout and very nice for it. You do get the coffee aftertaste with this but it kind of creeps in very pleasantly.

Mouthfeel: This is where this really comes up trumps in my opinion, being so smooth and velvety, and has a large amount of body considering its 5.6% abv.

Overall: Fantastic, possibly my favourite yet from all of the British craft cans that I've tried (second only to Black Betty). I'm not usually an IPA or stout fan but I absolutely loved this and Black Betty (black IPA) from Beavertown. Will definitely be getting more of this in. 9 / 10.
Apr 03, 2016
Photo of BigGold
Reviewed by BigGold from Mississippi

3.73/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
First had poured from 330-ml. (11.2-oz.) can, purchased with several other selections to take away from pub, into water glass. At time, I read "Stout" on the label, skipping over the "India," and made a note that Holy Cowbell is not a very stout stout, but a pretty nice black IPA. Well, yeah.
Mar 26, 2016
 
Rated: 3.6 by DispyDnb from England

Feb 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4.45 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Feb 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.83 by mytu420 from Romania

Feb 16, 2016
 
Rated: 3.67 by jroof1 from Massachusetts

Feb 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4.06 by speedvagen from Ohio

Jan 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by pin from Australia

Jan 11, 2016
Photo of Hoppsbabo
Reviewed by Hoppsbabo from England

3.81/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I refuse to acknowledge Black IPA as a style.

A: Black with a beige head.
T: Lots of burned toast. Nice and earthy. Tastes creamy but the mouthfeel is quite light and fizzy. Lots of nice American hops but it's a dry beer. Really would benefit from a bit of sweetness.
O: Pretty good.
Nov 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4.05 by steverx8 from England

Oct 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.85 by hdtrice from England

Oct 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4.12 by risenz from England

Sep 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4.3 by Arthuros from France

Aug 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.18 by Tdenham from England

Aug 23, 2015
Photo of hopley
Reviewed by hopley from Massachusetts

3.89/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
• Look – 3.75 – but couldn’t see it, drank from the can.
• Smell – 4.0 – Roasty and sweet smell.
• Taste – 4.0 – Nice dark and hoppy. Bitter in a quasi – roasty sense but not as strong as a porter or stout. It is what it says – an India Stout.
• Feel – 3.5 – Light body, more in line with a black IPA rather than a porter or stout.
• Overall – 3.75 - OK, I’d equate it with the black IPA craze, but I’m not really into them. Don’t think I’d drink again, but glad to have tried it.
Aug 22, 2015
Photo of 911CROFT
Reviewed by 911CROFT from England

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
330ml can into a tulip. Paid £2.80 for a single can.

Pours a pitch-black opaque body that remains unchanged when held to the light. A vast, four-finger in height, dense, dark tan coloured foamy head hangs around for an age, maintained by a huge amount of fine carbonation. It leaves layers of impressively thick, sticky lacing as it gradually dissipates.

On the nose heavily charred dark malts and bold resinous piney hops dominate but also noticeable are notes of mild roast coffee, sweet milk chocolate and caramel. Similar to the aroma, burnt malts and grains lead the heavily roasted flavour profile upfront, trailed by a touch of sweeter malts, tangy fruit, milk chocolate and lightly roasted coffee. Hops enter towards the middle providing balance with a mild piney bitterness that fades slowly, lingering long into the finish. Medium to full-bodied with exquisitely fine carbonation the mouth-feel starts out luxuriously soft and creamy, before transitioning to chewy, prickly and fairly astringent as the hop and yeast profiles become drying towards the back end. Intense roasted dark malts combine with bitter hops and robust earthy yeast to provide a long and smooth finish. Dry, complex, smoky, woody, leathery notes linger to leave the palate with an interesting tobacco-like impression.

Overall this is a great beer. At only 5.6% ABV it expertly balances drinkability without compromising on flavour, complexity or character. This little beer packs a punch! Recommended.
Aug 21, 2015
Photo of CrazyDavros
Reviewed by CrazyDavros from Australia

4.31/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours black with a small head.
Nose shows heavy piny and resinous hops with a whack of roasted malt behind.
Similar flavours, lots of dry roast and a hint of smoke followed by big piny, spicy and resinous hops.
Aug 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.58 by personpitch from Australia

Jul 01, 2015
Photo of josanguapo
Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain

3.49/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
From zombier. In Duvel glass. Playing KB Dark Side. Pretty good for a black beer. Nice hop flavor, not only coffee but something more soft and tasteful.
Jun 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by Marius from Netherlands

Jun 14, 2015
Photo of jazzyjeff13
Reviewed by jazzyjeff13 from England

3.81/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A 330ml can with a BB of Dec 2015. Purchased a little while back from Trembling Madness in York. The label calls it an India stout.

A: Poured into a Duvel tulip. Can conditioned. A very dark reddish-brown hue that appears pitch black in the glass. Yields a huge head of creamy light-brown foam that lasts for a few minutes before subsiding to a patchy surface layer. Nice lacing.

S: Aroma of dark, roasty malt with hints of burnt grain, coffee, mild cocoa, pine, weed, citrus peel, earthy yeast, subtle molasses and stewed hops. Plenty of dark malt and hop notes - good stuff.

T: Tastes of intense roasted malt with a hoppy character and a powerful bitter finish. Notes of burnt grain, coffee, cocoa, mild molasses, pine resin, dank weed, peel, grapefruit, citrus, earthy yeast and stewed hops. Faintly sweet, followed by a muscular hoppy bitterness upon swallowing.

M: Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with spritzy carbonation and good body. Hop oils stimulate the palate. Pretty astringent, accompanied by an aftertaste of bitter roasted malt, coffee, piny hops and earthy yeast.

O: Tasty - a nice hoppy stout. Confusing for the senses but enjoyable. Looks good, while the aroma and flavour are seriously stuffed with roasted malt, coffee and pine-laden hop notes. Earthy yeast lurks in the background. Decent body. Long on flavour - worth sampling if you like dark, hoppy brews.
Jun 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.84 by HopBelT from Belgium

Jun 11, 2015
Holy Cowbell from Beavertown Brewery
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 59 ratings