Collective Project: Black IPA
Collective Arts Brewing

 

Can from Brewery for around $3.50

 

Not sure why this says retired as I just bought it from the brewery this week. Pours a nice dark brown with a tall fluffy mocha foam head which fades moderately slowly and leaves sheets of lacing during drinking. A little citrus hop & bready malt in the aroma, although I'm fighting a cold so I'm sure there's more I'm not picking up. Taste has some porter character with sweet caramel going along with a citrus sweetness from the hops. Not nearly as much IPA flavour of some of their other IPAs I've had recently but more than some other Ontario Black IPAs just the same. The mouthfeel is great with this beer though; full & velvetly smooth - unique in my experience for such a dark beer. There is the normal biting bitterness of a dark beer on the finish, but what stands out for me in this one is the sweetness & great mouthfeel. When in the mood for a Black IPA, I would have this one again.

 

Poured into a becher pint glass, the appearance was a dark brown close to black with a finger’s worth of white foamy head that fell off at a moderate pace. Slim messy lace. The aroma shaped roasted dark chocolate and milk chocolate to some bitter citrusy and piney hops. Light ash and some toast develop as it warmed. The flavor had the roast up front with the dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Sweet and bitter components of the citrus rind and pine flow evenly into the aftertaste and on into the finish. The feel was about medium bodied with a good sipping quality about it. Carbonation felt good and the ABV felt good as well. Overall, you’re doing a real good job, Collective Arts. I’m really glad to have sampled this.

 

 

I should have bought more than one, since i cannot buy it in my region anymore.

Hope I'll be abvle to get this one again.

: )

 

 

473 ml can served cold into a pilsner flute at Rib Eye Jack's. Been looking forward to trying this for some time now. Missed the labeling date on the bottom of the can so not certain about freshness.

Appearance - Quite black looking, only turns brown when held up to the brightest of lights. A finger or so of loose fluffy light beige head that sticks around for more than a few minutes.

Smell - Close to but not quite Ransack the Universe with a big tropical aroma. Some mild mixed roastiness in there for good measure.

Taste - Like the nose, fairly tropical with grapefruit and pineapple on the tongue. Subtle burnt roastiness in the background reminds you that this is a black ale, but on the whole rather fruity.

Mouthfeel - Smooth and easy drinking, not quite as crisp as some of the other IPA's I've had from them but pretty solid still.

Overall - With an ever expanding portfolio of IPA's, I'm coming around to thinking that Collective Arts is GLB light. One of the best IPA producers in Ontario with a number of other solid offerings. This one doesn't disappoint either.

 

 

 

 

 

From a 473ml can, pours a very dark brown colour with a pretty decent tan coloured head.
Aroma citrus, tropical fruit, roasted malts, cocoa, chocolate.
Taste citrus, tropical fruits, coffee, chocolate. Very nice.

Happy to be among first 10 reviewers of this top Black IPA, a favorite style, Canada - a favorite country of origin.

473ml can

A) The black body pour mounts up two fingers of mounding, mocha foam slowly resolves to a persistent thick film and sticks spidery lace around the glass.

S) Char, ash, citrus, tropical notes, with dry cocoa powder, pine, wet fall leaves & forest floor.

T) Follows smell with truly complex, roasted, wood fire notes, also cold coffee, pine, charred wood and burnt notes, with minimal but lingering citric hops in the finale. Char is dominant.

F) Medium weight, oily, finishing roasted/char, but lemony clean.

O) Top BIPA. Complex and must try. Try 12. Happy Canada Day. Good one to celebrate with.

Appearance - Pours a dark chocolate brown with three fingers of foamy mocha/tan head.

Smell - Roasted malts, burnt ash, piney hops, dark cocoa, orange zest.

Taste - Roasted malts along with a slight char flavour and the piney hops. Orange zest and a small amount of cocoa are also present as secondary flavours.

Mouthfeel - Medium with moderate carbonation. Finishes with lingering roasted malts and hops.

Overall - An agreeable black IPA that showcases the roasted malts. I wish the hops were more present in the aroma, as it feels the malts are the star of the show.