Hop Czar - Cascadian Dark Ale
BridgePort Brewing Co. / Brewpub

Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.24/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This was poured into a pint glass. I had to have two bottles to get a good feel for the beer. The appearance was a black color with a one finger white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute leaving a sticky speckled lacing that was super light. The smell had a sharp pine to citrus bitter hops allowing a nice roasted dark coffee bean to come out. The taste was mainly the roasted coffee bean as the citrus and pine starts to dull out a bit. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a pretty good sessionability about it. The carbonation seemed to be a tad lower the most CDA’s but I’m okay with that. Overall, it’s mainly an average CDA but the best thing about it is it’s smell.

Jun 22, 2017

Libeertarian from Montana

4.23/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

From notes taken 03/14/17:

Saved this from April of 2015. Not really intentional, but I also knew it wouldn't be that bad considering how dark it is and the ABV. It may even be better than it was fresh, even if the hops deteriorated a little. Looks like I at least enjoyed it more than the other seven reviewers (extremely bad form, person who rated it a 1.35).

Mirky and metallic, just barely transparent at certain angles toward the light, dark reddish brown. Head is a golden brownish tan, foamy, tall, heavy, chunky, mound-forming, well-retaining. Dankness, oranges, dark fruit, resin, grains, dark chocolate on nose. So very dank, spicy, soily, and leathery on the palate, with smoky and toasty suggestions subdued. Tart backdrop, but no specific fruit notes can I detect and it balances well with earthy and smoky character. Extreme peppery retro-olfaction. Dank, metallic, soapy aftertaste. Full-bodied, thick, smooth, extra astringent, fairly hot, tingly to velvety suds.

Mar 17, 2017

Stevem68 from Ohio

3.81/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a chocolate color. Has a roasted malt aroma with a hoppy note. Flavor is a roasted / toast malt. You get subtle hops but not a strong presence. Leave a touch of bitterness in the finish but drinks pretty smooth. Overall a nice beer but nothing special

Oct 29, 2015

Oregonbrewdude91 from Oregon

3.79/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pour from tap at Bridgeport, color is dark dark dark, has subtle malt tones with a almost dry hop flavor profile, very thin but very drinkable and the head is virtually nonexistent. Overall 3.5/5
O.B.D91

Apr 07, 2015

MikeMilanoDesign from California

1.35/5  rDev -62.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

first time i had it it was amazing. then the second time, a year later, i got it i thought it might just have been sitting on the self to long. but it was super skunked. i think they are either fermenting at a super high temp or just not storing properly

this time its the same thing. its super skunked. almost taste like metal. super disappointed.

Dec 27, 2014

russpowell from Arkansas

3.58/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a chill hazed mahogany with a thumb of tan head. Great lacing & head retention

S: Roastyness & carob

T: Roastyness, faint pineyness, dryness & charred grain notes. A little bit of molasses, charred grain

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation. okay balance

A different take on the style, not hoppy enough to really hold my attention, but worth a go if you not just a complete hop-head...

Oct 15, 2014

alerivers from Texas

3/5  rDev -16.7%

I've really enjoyed the single hop variants hop czar has but out for their 30 anniversary, but this was my least favorite.

Poured dark black, with malty tan head. Very little lacing as consumed.

Aroma: was balanced between malt & hop, was expecting a really balanced flavor based on aroma.

Taste: strong malt flavor with slight chocolate. Hop comes through & lingers with low ibus. Smelled better than tasted.

Mouth feel was in between an IPA & a porter.

Sep 30, 2014

Reidrover from Oregon

3.9/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle bought from Fred Meyer in S.Salem $3.79 Dark ale almost black with a large bubbly ,frothy tan head. Very porterish dark chocolate nose..semi dark roast coffee beans and just a touch of floral hop. Balanced flavour dark and bitter from the malts as well as the hops.. melds well. Nice thick palate and a long lasting bitter coffee after taste. Nice CDA..more on the Imperial porter side.
Totally not the same as Black Rain..stronger and better

Sep 28, 2014

DerAtomsmasher from Washington

3.68/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown with a latte-colored head. Smells vaguely of a Christmas tree with a little caramel sweetness and orange somewhere. Not cloyingly heavy, packs a very piney, resinous punch with almost no toasty characteristics from the malts - more of a dryness.

I've never had their Dark Rain, so I don't know how it compares.

Sep 28, 2014