Yakima Glory
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown

 

 

 

It pours brown and yields a slightly darker colored body. A nice foamy white one inch head appears and lasts for a good minute before becoming lumpy and settling nicely at the top of the body. A fair amount of spider web yet foamy lacing occurs. Though a slightly transparent body when held up to the light, no carbonation is seen rising. The smell has the hops and the pine up front, a bit of grapefruit there, very subdued. The taste is bitter with the hops and pine dominating this aspect. The mouthfeel is a medium with nothing harsh on the tongue. It leaves a decent dryness. Though a fairly high ABV, still drinkable, the alcohol isn’t really noted or felt. Overall, a good beer by Victory.

 

 

How in the F is this a black ale? Don't they have to be dark colored? This one is a mixture of sunset colors like on the label. Brown, orange, red. Aroma of caramel more than hops. The label made me think hops. False advertising all around.

Taste did drop some hops. Not a ton, but more than the nose. A mix of brown malt, chocolate, honey, just a mix of all kinds of styles on this one.

 

 

 

On tap. Nothing about this states black IPA. The color was not dark. There was no hop aroma or taste. It was just incredibly bland. Definitely a case of false advertising.

 

 

 

 

 

Dark brown with a head of tan foam. Grapefruit and pine hops atop lightly roasted malt. Tastes of toasted caramel, lightly roasted malt, and dark yeast but the hops are so expressive, huge grapefruit, orange, and hints of tropical fruit ring with piney hops. Feel is classic for the style, hops and roast balance well with hops winning out through the sip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A standard bearer for American Black Ales. The complexity and integration of flavors are superb. Malty and thickly hoppy. It suits those palates that enjoy barley wines, and @ 9%, it drinks so easy. I referenced this ale in my Recent Project Pam review, so I noticed I had never rated this. Most "black IPAs " ain't so great. This one put the serious schnizzle in my nizzle. Nuff said.

Reviewed 1/17/12

L: Pours a very dark brown, near black. Good deal of lacing.

S: C-variety hop aroma that is simultaneously citrusy and resinous. Backed up and subdued by dark malts. Slight roastiness.

T: Strong, assertive hop flavor with citrus notes. Hop bitterness with roasty bitterness to match; both linger considerably. Tastes of highly kilned and roasted malts. Reminiscent of black coffee. Some taste of alcohol, but ABV is pretty well masked. Fairly dry, bitter finish.

F: Lingering alcoholic warmth, which is welcomed and not overdone. Full, lush mouthfeel. Low to medium carbonation.

Overall: Very nice beer—my favorite black IPA to date and my current favorite Victory offering. Nice seasonal to look forward to each year.

 

 

 

Though a winter seasonal, after smelling and tasting, I'd say it held up. Here's the rest:
This was poured into a pint glass.
The appearance was a thick black color with a one finger off white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute leaving a messy lacing.
The smell started off with bitter pine to a light citrus rind. Dark roasted malts developed as it warmed.
The taste was extremely bitter in the beginning and loses its cool as the bitterness really takes over. Pine and citrus take a backseat.
The mouthfeel was sharp and bitter with the hops pounding my tongue into submission. It sat about a medium on the body with not much sessionability about it.
Overall, I say this was a pretty good black IPA that I'd have again.