Black IPA
Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company)

 

 

 

Pours a clear, very dark (to the point of appearing black) brown with subtle garnet highlights when held to the light. The pour produces a nice 3+ finger, frothy, tan, lasting head that leaves a thick coating of sticky lace. Aroma is a balanced mix of robust dark malt, resinous pine & floral hops backed by toasted dark bread, char, thin coffee & chocolate with a woody vanilla hint. Taste is less balanced with more malt character than the nose, heavy to roast, dark chocolate, molasses & thin coffee with a burnt note, that mingles & blends well with the more delicate hop flavors of mostly pine but with some earth. There is a faint anise/licorice hint expressing itself in the more balanced finish & persisting into the slightly bitter & burnt aftertaste. Mouthfeel is medium-heavy bodied with moderate carbonation, it is creamy, slick, coating & mildly chewy. One of their better & more original brews in quite a while. Too bad this is relegated to a variety pack, it should at the very least become a seasonal. Well done Samuel Adams/Boston Beer Company!

Dark brown to black in color with minimal light penetration. There's an inch of creamy tan foam on top. The aroma is packed with dark malt and a hint of smoke. Where are the hops in the aroma? The taste is a blend of dark lightly smoky malt and a touch of piney hops. That smoke note seems oddly out of place when I see "IPA" on the bottle. If this was a black ale that would be another thing. I'm getting more piney hops as it warms, but still plenty of smoke. The mouth is lightly oily and resinous.