Downtown Willi IDA
Willimantic Brewing Co.

 

 

 

Served on-tap in a tasting glass at their brew pub.

Appearance is dark brown with a finger of head. This black ale has a nose of roasted malts, black licorice, wood and a little apple. Its` taste is sweet with some chocolate and brown sugar. But that is balanced out by the roasted malts, coffee and some hops. The body is medium and finishes smooth with just a slight bitterness. A good choice if you find yourself in Willi.

Beer is dark brown with a white head with low carbonation that leaves some lacing on the glass. Retention is fine, looks like beer.

Beer is shockingly tobacco-ish in the nose. It is bitter and roasty with possibly some oak in there. Interesting.

Beer is medium in body and has some hop earthiness with a moderately bitter finish. The carbonation is decent the finish isn't too dry. the beer overall is pretty decent and well balanced. I'd have it again.

On tap at SAVOR 2011. Served in a goblet.

Pours avery dark brown with a small off-white head and some sparse lacing that fades into a thin collar. The nose carries a bit of roasted grain and some grainy tannins. There is also some light earthy hops. The flavor has a bit of earthy hops and roasted malt, ending with a bitter finish, partly from the hops, partly from grain tannins. Medium body. Good carbonation. Decent enough, though I wouldn't plan on having this again.

Poured from a growler into a tulip.

a - Pours a dark brown color with an inch of white head and light carbonation.

s - Smells of vanilla, roasted malts, chocolate, and light coffee. Also a little bit of weird funkiness.

t - Tastes of coffee, bitter chocolate, roasted malts, vanilla, and a hint of alcohol.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

d - A decent dark IPA. Reminded me a stout almost, but some weirdness to the smell. Would give another shot.

Thanks to ppoitras for shipping this one in GatM.

A-Pours a dark amber brown with a huge frothy mocha head and sheets of lacing.

S-Roasted malt erupts from the growler when it is opened. Some hints of bitter hops are also detectable.

T-Sweet caramel malt in the front, nicely creamy with some bitter earthy hops in the finish. Tasty but a little bit underhopped.

M-Medium bodied, creamy and light on the tongue.

D-Very tasty.

HV

Screw-top growler filled at the brewpub.

First imperial pint pours with a 1/2" dark tan head, over the cloudy reddish brown brew. Head falls gradually, with sticky, well-lasting lace. Aroma is dark malts coupled with fresh green hops. Taste is roasty dark sweetness that gives way to generic bitterness that eventually fills the mouth to the swallow. A bit of a tingly aftereffect, oddly. Mouthfeel is creamy smooth in the front half, prickly on the backside, and drinkability is pretty good. Not quite all I was hoping for, but I'd get it again.

Had on tap at the brewery. Asked the waitress, what's it like, not familiar with India Dark Ale, frankly never even heard of a IDA... is it hoppy brown ale, hoppy porter, what is it, etc? She offered a sample, I accepted, and promptly ordered a pint.

A: Dark brew, thin taupe head. Porter?

S: Smoky, hoppy aroma. Hoppy porter?

T: Nicely balanced malt body, lots of pleasant smokiness, healthy dose of mixed hops, notably pine. Definately a hoppy porter. Touch of caramel, touch of banana. Pine hop finish. Nice balance all around, very tasty.

M: Dry and slightly astringent, hoppy resin finish.

D: Excellent.

Awesome beer, very well done. Rare to find something so new and different that's also so good. Call it what you want, but I'm calling it a hoppy porter. Two thumbs up, highly recommended.

A bold unfiltered India Dark Ale hopped with Magnum and Perle balanced with a chocolate and roasted finish. 6.5%abv was just about right but could have been a bit higher and been fine as well.

I really enjoyed this beer and love the concept of a hoppy DARK beer. Nice job!!

Reviewed on 5/23/08. On tap at the brewery. Pours dark black with a small light head. Aroma of roast and smoked meats (ham in particular). Flavor initially citrusy with a slight dark chocolate and smoked finish. The smoke really dominates in this beer, which made it less enjoyable for me.
6/4/6/4/12 (3.2/5)

Had this one at WBC yesterday.

Poured with a 1/4" head which dissipated to very prominent sheet lacing which held on throughout. Very dark mahogany/ruby coloring; actually very attractive. Some spicy hops in the aroma. Some astringent bitterness, but not "bad". The mouthfeel was very full and good. A very smooth beer. There is a definite malt backbone here, with the hops winning out in the end (no surprise for a DW brew). This was the fave beer I had during my visit yesterday. A very hoppy dark beer.