HOPS
Black Bellows Brewing Company
- From:
- Black Bellows Brewing Company
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Belgian IPA
- ABV:
- 6.2%
- Score:
- +6 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.47 | pDev: 3.75%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Oct 23, 2019
- Added:
- Nov 20, 2018
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands
3.26/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.26/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Got this one at the LCBO this past summer
From a 473ml can into a pint glass
Hops: Mosaic, Citra, Cascade
Belgian yeast
APPEARANCE: Pours out clear with a two finger, slightly foamy and looser white head with very good retention. Transparent amber orange with medium levels of carbonation evident. Head slowly recedes to a full wisp and clings to the glass. A good wisp remains leaving lots of lacing down the glass. Good looking.
SMELL: Belgian spices, apple and pear phenols, some citrus notes and caramel aromas as well. Medium strength.
TASTE: Spicy Belgian yeast, esters of apples and pear, with citrus hops at the swallow. Some caramel sweetness in there as well. Bold finish of citrus lemon, caramel sweetness and spicy Belgian yeast lingers. Quite hay, wheat and yeast forward.
PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Creamy on the palate, smooth as well, goes down smooth and finishes a bit dry. Some yeasty spices linger.
OVERALL: This is okay. Belgian yeast makes it Belgian first but the citrus hop character is good fun as well. There’s honestly nothing New England about this. Not something that quenches my thirst for a hop forward IPA per se, but if you’re into American hoped Belgian beers, this will work really well for you. Cheers!
Oct 23, 2019From a 473ml can into a pint glass
Hops: Mosaic, Citra, Cascade
Belgian yeast
APPEARANCE: Pours out clear with a two finger, slightly foamy and looser white head with very good retention. Transparent amber orange with medium levels of carbonation evident. Head slowly recedes to a full wisp and clings to the glass. A good wisp remains leaving lots of lacing down the glass. Good looking.
SMELL: Belgian spices, apple and pear phenols, some citrus notes and caramel aromas as well. Medium strength.
TASTE: Spicy Belgian yeast, esters of apples and pear, with citrus hops at the swallow. Some caramel sweetness in there as well. Bold finish of citrus lemon, caramel sweetness and spicy Belgian yeast lingers. Quite hay, wheat and yeast forward.
PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Creamy on the palate, smooth as well, goes down smooth and finishes a bit dry. Some yeasty spices linger.
OVERALL: This is okay. Belgian yeast makes it Belgian first but the citrus hop character is good fun as well. There’s honestly nothing New England about this. Not something that quenches my thirst for a hop forward IPA per se, but if you’re into American hoped Belgian beers, this will work really well for you. Cheers!
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.62/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.62/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Jan 10 2019 and served slightly chilled. Ah, a January IPA randomly showing up on shelves in early May. I suppose it must've been lost in transit on the way from its distant source across the continent at... Collingwood. Thanks, LCBO. Reviewed from notes.
Pours a hazy, translucent golden-amber, capped with 1 cm of frothy white head that fizzles off within two minutes' time. A scant amount of lace is deposited in its wake; a thin collar and filmy, soapy cap are the other survivors. Not as gorgeous as this style trends, but it does smell nice - very spicy and floral, with grapefruit, cantaloupe and passion fruit coming to mind. Also a light suggestions of stone fruit, pine resin and grainy pale malt sweetness.
It tastes of bready, doughy malts and wheaty cereal grain sweetness; hints of lightly caramelized sugars are also apparent, along with bruised apricot, grape must and passion fruit. Notes of orange, grapefruit and pine resin come forward on the back end, building towards a melony, spicy, lightly phenolic finish; the aftertaste consists of citrus pith and spicy notes. Medium in body, with low to moderate carbonation levels and a soft, smooth texture. I found this fairly quaffable, but I can see how this set of hops and yeast traits might not be for everyone.
Final Grade: 3.62, a B grade. Black Bellows' HOPS! might be one of the most generically named beers I've had in a very long time, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it, at least a little. Belgian IPAs are a tricky thing to perfect, and this one doesn't quite thread the needle IMO - although how much of that is personal preference, or is directly related to this one's 4 month age, I cannot say for certain. Either way, it's not the brewery's fault that this took so long to show up here, so I will absolutely give it another shot (and update this review as needed) as soon as I can find a fresh can.
May 14, 2019Pours a hazy, translucent golden-amber, capped with 1 cm of frothy white head that fizzles off within two minutes' time. A scant amount of lace is deposited in its wake; a thin collar and filmy, soapy cap are the other survivors. Not as gorgeous as this style trends, but it does smell nice - very spicy and floral, with grapefruit, cantaloupe and passion fruit coming to mind. Also a light suggestions of stone fruit, pine resin and grainy pale malt sweetness.
It tastes of bready, doughy malts and wheaty cereal grain sweetness; hints of lightly caramelized sugars are also apparent, along with bruised apricot, grape must and passion fruit. Notes of orange, grapefruit and pine resin come forward on the back end, building towards a melony, spicy, lightly phenolic finish; the aftertaste consists of citrus pith and spicy notes. Medium in body, with low to moderate carbonation levels and a soft, smooth texture. I found this fairly quaffable, but I can see how this set of hops and yeast traits might not be for everyone.
Final Grade: 3.62, a B grade. Black Bellows' HOPS! might be one of the most generically named beers I've had in a very long time, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it, at least a little. Belgian IPAs are a tricky thing to perfect, and this one doesn't quite thread the needle IMO - although how much of that is personal preference, or is directly related to this one's 4 month age, I cannot say for certain. Either way, it's not the brewery's fault that this took so long to show up here, so I will absolutely give it another shot (and update this review as needed) as soon as I can find a fresh can.
Reviewed by eberesford from Canada (ON)
3.48/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
3.48/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Looks good orangey gold - aroma promising - spicy hop notes and some phenolic notes like a saison - but on the palate the hops go to the resinous and piney and this clashes with the peppery / phenolic notes from the yeast. Too bad!
Apr 03, 2019
Reviewed by polloenfuego from Canada (NB)
3.52/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The brewer calls this a Belgian inspired New England IPA. I'm not sure about that. Looks good on pour hazy gold with a nice head. Smell is sweet malts and hops. Taste comes in sweet and citrusy/fruity from the hops. Feel is middleweight, carbonation is fair and finish is dry.
It's alright, but I wouldn't look for it again.
Feb 07, 2019It's alright, but I wouldn't look for it again.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!