Bivouac Black IPA
Hutton & Smith Brewing Company

 

Look: Pours a motor oil jet black color with a one finger; beige head of dense foam. Laces the glass very well.

Aroma: Dark chocolate and flambeed orange, a touch of marshmallow and spruce sap.

Taste: Upfront, roasted notes of gentle chocolate malt, along the lines of fruity arabica coffee - with a complement of brick oven, heavily toasted bread like flavors. The initial impression you get is dry and bitter but at no time is it overpowering. It slowly evens out into a brief flash of sweet milk chocolate and mild toffee; before going bitter again with some really lovely flavors of floral orange peel and earthy, spicy pine needles.

Feel: Silky and rich; low carbonation velvety body. Easy drinking if you like your dark beers.

Overall: This was really interesting. I was never a huge fan of Black IPAs but this changed my opinion on the style.
I always thought BIPAs were kind of a novelty beer - as there are no real definitive style guidelines, and most of the ones I've had just taste like the brewers threw everything and the kitchen sink into the recipe and just kinda said "eh it will do - that'll be 16$ a four pack please" - with no real effort or rhyme or reason to the flavor profile.

Unlike others I've had, this definitely did not get bogged down by either spectrum of the "stout" or "ipa" tug of war; or lost in the weeds with no real definitive characteristics.

I got exactly what I would expect from a good BIPA - chocolate malt roasted stout/porter goodness - with a bitter, slightly tropical and spicy IPA hop backend.

Both styles of beer had their time in the spotlight, at no time did they compete against each other to form this; unpleasant amalgam of flavors that is so prevalent in other representations of the style.

I'm just babbling now; long story short - it's a fine BIPA, probably the best I've had. H&S does it again folks.

Had Bivouac Black IPA poured from 12-oz. can, bottom stamped (apparently) canned on "08/17/22," into tulip pint.

Pours nearly absolute black, transmitting only a little golden-brown light at edges when backlit, with 1/2- to 1-finger, creamy light-tan head, which has excellent retention and leaves a coating of Belgian lace down the glass. Aromas of sweet citrus and a little pine off pour, then mild roast malt and a hint of coffee join the fading citrus. A creamy malt body to start, then mild roast malts and coffee are in evidence, before hop bite joins, bringing just a bit of citrus, with the coffee returning and a little piney hop bite joining for a nicely crisp, dry and invigorating finish.

Seriously black IPA, with lovely fruity and pine aromas off pour, which unfortunately don't sustain or make much impact in the flavor, although the mild roast malts are hoppily carried into a surprisingly but welcome dry finish. Glad Bivouac is still around, when most Black IPAs have left us, as a hoppy if only implicitly fruity lighter black ale is a nice alternative to a porter this time of year.

 

 

I'm trying this beer at the brewery. It poured a nearly opaque dark with ecru head that is leaving a spotty lace. The scent had faint roast and hop notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with roast malt start with bitter hop finish. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall its a solid beer and is on par with Stone Sublimely Self Righteous.

 

Very very nicely done!

Best beer I've had from this brewery...

Lots of piney hops and dark roasted flavors...

No way its 8.9%...very well hidden...

Terrific example of the style...

Recommended

 

 

Can dated 8/12/18. Looks like a porter but with a white foamy head. Smells of raost malts,pine, citrus. The taste starts as a toasty porter but immediately changes to a citrusy IPA moving toward a piney pale ale. The flavor profile and layers are pretty incredible! The feel is medium and bubbly and has a nice kick in the back! Overall bravo

Poured from can to a Spiegelau IPA glass (props to JDog for the beer).

Pretty beer, almost jet black. Looks and pours like a porter. A fingers worth of thick head, abundant lacing.

Smell is tops, I just wish it were stronger: Big IPA citrus fruit with wonderful burnt hops and vanillas.

Taste has a lot going on. Warmed up by the time I sat down to do the review, which seems to have shifted the IPA/Porter marriage of taste more to the creamy Porter.

Feel starts like a standard IPA then evolves to a creamy porter as the carbonation fades.

This is my first Black IPA. There is much going on that I can’t express- I waited until I was almost done with a glass to start writing. I can’t say this is a beer I’d drink very often, but the complexity is great and it was more than interesting to try. It tastes like a one night stand between an IPA and a Porter, but a little more intentional.

12oz can, served in a snifter glass. Pours a dark black body, one finger mocha head, very good retention, splotches of lacing. Smell is citrus and resin, moderate roast, milk chocolate, bit of espresso, fair bit of more resin, crisp herbal nose. Flavour is roast, milk chocolate, resin, herbal tea-like sweetness, grapefruit and touch of lemon. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, good carbonation, soft with reasonable softness and a mild herbal bitterness on the backend. Solid black IPA, good balance, nice roast and nice hop presence.