Black IPA Research Series
Frost Beer Works

 

Dark Hop Ale, a style I miss as Wookie Jack was a prime time glorious beer and as were many others. It blew up too fast and then just died completely; middle ground would be nice. Not sure this is a "Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale" but hyped for a hoppy black beer.

A- Midnight black pour from the tallboy into a short, narrow weizen glass. A head rises very quickly with a thick and foamy texture and great retention peaking at about an inch high. Big bubbles eventually pop and wide cuts of lacing form after each sip.

S- A really, really nice aroma that brings big hops but the edge has to go the roasty grains here as they provide balance and then some to the cones. A beautiful roastiness opens things up with dark chocolate, hints of coffee, blackened barley and cocoa nibs leading into pine, citrus and floral hop notes. Off to a great start.

T- The flavor really is a tale of two parts almost more than any other beer that comes to mind right away. In the first ten seconds 90% dark chocolate, brownies, toasted grains, roast barley, cocoa nibs, toffee and caramel dominate before leading into hops which are truly bright in the aftertaste. With that brightness are notes of citrus (orange), pine resin, slight stone fruit, floral and earthy hops. Shifts towards the hops with time but balanced very nicely.

MF- Fluffy and creamy texture. The beer is medium bodied and the carbonation is very high for even a dark hoppy brew. Ends with both roasty and citrus hop oil bitterness. Very smooth even with the high CO2.

It is always nice when you go into something with excitement and it more than lives up to what you are looking for. Never going to be a dominant style but when brews are balanced like this with both a great roast black ale malt contingent and bright, fresh citrus and pine hops it is just a purely enjoyable experience.

 

 

 

 

 

Treated as an imperial black ale, this was poured into a tulip. The appearance was a black color with a finger’s worth of light tan head. Quickly dies off leaving a messy lace, somewhat coating the glass and speckles forth towards the beer. The aroma sharply pronounces big piney hops initially bold and up front. Earthy "loam" comes in for a bit of spiciness. Dark roasted malts play underneath. The flavor seems to yield to the piney boldness of the hops initially and then the earthy/spicy loam slides in a semi-sticky almost sweet fashion. Blended sticky roasty/sweet/spicy/piney bitter aftertaste (well combined). Semi-sticky bitter to roasty sweet sort of finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with good palate wrecking quality as the style seems to normally convey. Carbonation felt good. ABV felt good as well. Overall, good imperialized black IPA that I could come back to.

From a 22oz bottle, dated 02/02/17. Served in a nonic.

Pours pitch-black like india ink with a finger and a half of poufy, lumpy, chocolaty cream foam. The head holds together well for over five minutes before settling back to a silky, bubbly cap with dense lacing.

The smell is roasted grains, charred chicory, dried grass and dusty chocolate.

Taste follows the nose closely, lots of roasty, toasty bitterness, grassy herbs, blueberries, rose hips, tobacco and cocoa. There's an intriguing, elusive almost-sour taste underlying everything which seems like it could be fermented grain but which is probably from the ale yeast. Finishes mostly clean with just a kiss of that sour-fermented-fruit bitterness, there and gone.

Feel is crisp and clean, light-medium bodied, brightly carbonated, and drying at the end.

Overall, a very-most excellent black ale! I will definitely be having this again.

Bottle dated 2/2/17
-Looks like a black ale with moderate frothy tan head with good retention. Black and opaque.
-Smell is excellent. Mostly stone fruit, roasted malt, and chocolate.
- Taste is more of the same. Slight sweetness at first with taste of stone fruit and chocolate maybe a little roasted coffee note ending with a nice, lasting pine bitterness.
- Mouthfeel is creamy for a beer of this style. Vey pleasant and drinkable.
- I agree with previous posters, very good beer. This is probably the best black IPA I've ever had. Worth seeking out if you're a fan of the style and live in the NE.

Bottle dated 2/2/2017 poured into a willy glass. A huge head of milk chocolate-colored foam tops a motor-oil black beer and leaves gobs of lace over the glass as it descends. Aromas of earthy hops mix with roasted malts and dried fruit. Taste is great - reminds me of a lighter version of Beezlebub. Sweet roasted malts at first but finishing with a hoppy burst of bitterness. Mouth is a tad heavy for an IPA, this could almost pass as a hoppy stout. Overall, this beer is really good. I'll be looking for more.

Bottled 12-7-16
Moderate pour yields a one inch+ tan head, dark brown body, and very nice lacing. Nose of roasted malts, malted milk, and slight mocha. Taste follows with some bitterness. Nice almost creamy mouth feel. This is flirting with being a milk stout. Overall this is clean, smooth, and very well done.