Black IPA
Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery
- From:
- Blacks Kinsale Craft Brewery
- Ireland
- Style:
- Black IPA
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.84 | pDev: 19.01%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 9
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Sep 26, 2020
- Added:
- Jun 27, 2014
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 8
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
No description / notes.
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Reviewed by VicCooper from Ireland
3.46/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
“Ambushes your senses” it says on the standard Blacks of Kinsale style bottle.
Top: forms a 2” light tan head, but it doesn’t look well, big bubbles like a washing up liquid would form. Although it lasts for 5 minutes.
Colour: cola like, little to no haziness, in front of light source shows a red hue.
Smell: a fairly standard IPA smell, with hints of yeast, pine, and fresh citrusy notes.
Taste: if you expect a “stout meets IPA” experience, you’ll be let down. It’s 90% IPA. It has a good amount of hops creating a decent bitterness. The taste follows the nose pretty much. Undefined citrusy freshness, with some pines. Light+/medium- body, semi-dry finish. Alcohol is well hidden, nearly session IPA by feel.
Lasting aftertaste, the bitterness lingers surprisingly long.
Summary: it’s not a bad IPA, but nothing like expected. It really DOES ambush the senses... Don’t overchill, as it shines better above 10-12 Celsius degrees.
Meh. The problem with the Kinsale guys, their beers can be like playing Russian roulette, really a hit or miss. I refuse to review their Cherry stout (so-so, barely okay-ish), or the flat out horrible Pineapple express (just don’t, please), the Cyro IPA (literally no aftertaste, the sip goes down and like you had nothing in your mouth)... But there’s their KPA, or Imperial stout, or their Session IPA, the 1601 Lager, which are all very nice. So, you’ve been warned.
Sep 26, 2020Top: forms a 2” light tan head, but it doesn’t look well, big bubbles like a washing up liquid would form. Although it lasts for 5 minutes.
Colour: cola like, little to no haziness, in front of light source shows a red hue.
Smell: a fairly standard IPA smell, with hints of yeast, pine, and fresh citrusy notes.
Taste: if you expect a “stout meets IPA” experience, you’ll be let down. It’s 90% IPA. It has a good amount of hops creating a decent bitterness. The taste follows the nose pretty much. Undefined citrusy freshness, with some pines. Light+/medium- body, semi-dry finish. Alcohol is well hidden, nearly session IPA by feel.
Lasting aftertaste, the bitterness lingers surprisingly long.
Summary: it’s not a bad IPA, but nothing like expected. It really DOES ambush the senses... Don’t overchill, as it shines better above 10-12 Celsius degrees.
Meh. The problem with the Kinsale guys, their beers can be like playing Russian roulette, really a hit or miss. I refuse to review their Cherry stout (so-so, barely okay-ish), or the flat out horrible Pineapple express (just don’t, please), the Cyro IPA (literally no aftertaste, the sip goes down and like you had nothing in your mouth)... But there’s their KPA, or Imperial stout, or their Session IPA, the 1601 Lager, which are all very nice. So, you’ve been warned.
Reviewed by stcules from Italy
3.49/5 rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.49/5 rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Beautiful dark color, mahogany edges. Quite beautiful off-white foam, too.
Toasted, caramel smell. A hint of roasted, and grassy hops.
Caramel and dark malts in the taste, well used hops, not too strong but enought to balance.
From the hop, citrus and light piney notes.
Not too long aftertaste, but pleasant, roasted and hop.
Feb 13, 2019Toasted, caramel smell. A hint of roasted, and grassy hops.
Caramel and dark malts in the taste, well used hops, not too strong but enought to balance.
From the hop, citrus and light piney notes.
Not too long aftertaste, but pleasant, roasted and hop.
Reviewed by flyingpig from Scotland
3.45/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.45/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
500ml bottle from SuperValu, Ennistown, Ireland (€3.59):
Not a bad black IPA here, not quite as hoppy as I'd have liked but there was some touches of bitterness & pine coming through; both could have beer stronger though. The dark malts & roasted flavours, alongside some chocolate seemed to be the easiest to detect but the beer held a nice balance & easy going down so I'll not complain too much.
Sep 19, 2016Not a bad black IPA here, not quite as hoppy as I'd have liked but there was some touches of bitterness & pine coming through; both could have beer stronger though. The dark malts & roasted flavours, alongside some chocolate seemed to be the easiest to detect but the beer held a nice balance & easy going down so I'll not complain too much.
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania
3.52/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.
L: Pours a dark mahogany brown... nearly black. Not much light getting through. Two fingers of brownish head.
S: Roasted grains and hops... pine/evergreen.
T/F: Nice roasted barley flavors. Not nearly as strong as a stout, but still hints of coffee which all gives way to a surprisingly light hop profile. Good evergreen notes... pine needles and garden herbs. Medium in body... well carbonated. Finish is a lingering bitterness a la IPA.
O: A decent black IPA and fairly on point for style. Very drinkable.
Sep 09, 2016L: Pours a dark mahogany brown... nearly black. Not much light getting through. Two fingers of brownish head.
S: Roasted grains and hops... pine/evergreen.
T/F: Nice roasted barley flavors. Not nearly as strong as a stout, but still hints of coffee which all gives way to a surprisingly light hop profile. Good evergreen notes... pine needles and garden herbs. Medium in body... well carbonated. Finish is a lingering bitterness a la IPA.
O: A decent black IPA and fairly on point for style. Very drinkable.
Reviewed by mickwin from Ireland
2.33/5 rDev -39.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
2.33/5 rDev -39.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
dark brown, moderate froth, dissipates quickly. aroma of orange with trace of hops. flavour is sour milk, rather disappointing, don't like this ale at all
Jan 04, 2016Reviewed by oldglory78 from Ireland
3.72/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A cross between a stout an IPA. Nice chocolately, coffee with some citrus maybe orange. Not much head and lacing. Sweet up front with a bitter back end. A very decent variation and easy drinking (5%) of a black IPA I would definitely recommend. Drank from a 500ml bottle.
Jan 24, 2015
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)
3.8/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.8/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
*Blacks* Kinsale *Black* IPA is, ironically enough, more of a really dark brown. We could call it black and we wouldn't be wrong... just a wee inaccurate. Proper lighting reveals subtle colouring and a complexion that's not exactly inky. It's very dark but far from intimidating. The glass wears its greyish foam proudly, like ribbons won at a state fair.
The nose offers a level of hoppiness that for some North Americans would be considered novice, but it's still reasonably aromatic, with a pulsing pine needle build up. With a little warmth and air these earthy, herbal notes actually start to resemble jalepeno peppers. It's an interesting, highly appealing note that really distracts from the initial impressions of chocolate cake and roast malt.
At 5%, this is somewhat of a miniature Black IPA - far more so in alcohol content than character. There's still satisfying doses of mocha and bakers chocolate and a good rash of piny hoppiness. Granted, it doesn't quite capture the whole picture; this has general forest-y flavours but not the drenched resinous qualities of a true Cascadian Dark.
On the other side of that coin, however, this brewer avoids the style's frequent pitfalls too; there's nothing even faintly burnt or remotely astringent about it. There's obviously no trace of alcohol. The flavours of artisan chocolate and fresh-pressed coffee, simple and bashful though they may be, are immensely tasty and accompanied by lingering hints of nougat.
The self-proclaimed "passion and personality" of Blacks of Kinsale is quite evident in their Black IPA - the "lots of hops" part as well. My North American palate is a little spoiled when it comes to this style, hence being a little underwhelmed by this slightly more approachable version. But I imagine the craft drinkers of Cork are rejoicing; this brewery seems very promising.
Oct 17, 2014The nose offers a level of hoppiness that for some North Americans would be considered novice, but it's still reasonably aromatic, with a pulsing pine needle build up. With a little warmth and air these earthy, herbal notes actually start to resemble jalepeno peppers. It's an interesting, highly appealing note that really distracts from the initial impressions of chocolate cake and roast malt.
At 5%, this is somewhat of a miniature Black IPA - far more so in alcohol content than character. There's still satisfying doses of mocha and bakers chocolate and a good rash of piny hoppiness. Granted, it doesn't quite capture the whole picture; this has general forest-y flavours but not the drenched resinous qualities of a true Cascadian Dark.
On the other side of that coin, however, this brewer avoids the style's frequent pitfalls too; there's nothing even faintly burnt or remotely astringent about it. There's obviously no trace of alcohol. The flavours of artisan chocolate and fresh-pressed coffee, simple and bashful though they may be, are immensely tasty and accompanied by lingering hints of nougat.
The self-proclaimed "passion and personality" of Blacks of Kinsale is quite evident in their Black IPA - the "lots of hops" part as well. My North American palate is a little spoiled when it comes to this style, hence being a little underwhelmed by this slightly more approachable version. But I imagine the craft drinkers of Cork are rejoicing; this brewery seems very promising.
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