Michigan Brewing Black Ale
Michigan Brewing Company

On tap at Spuyten Duyvil. Served in a nonic pint glass. Pours a very dark brown, almost black color. Small amounts of light pass through at the edges. Solid, light brown head about a fingers worth has really good retention and leaves a nice lacing almost all the way down to the bottom of the glass. Smells like sweet, chocolate, smoked malt with a nice fresh hop aroma that peaks through from time to time. Very full bodied. Thick, creamy mouthfeel transports large amounts of chocolate malt flavor throughout the palate. Slight smoke or char flavor as well. The highlight of this beer for me is how the malt flavor transitions into the almost perfectly balanced hop flavor. The hops taste fresh and young and piney, not too resinous. Yum. Nice bit of bittering at the end adds a nice touch. What an awesome stout. Reminds of Three Floyds Alpha Klaus with slightly less pronounced hops and less bitterness.

For lack of a better style category, I'm calling this a stout. If anyone knows better, change it.

Dark brown with a light ruby hue.

Chocolate and roast aromas mingle with an assertive spicy, citrus hoppiness.

Slightly sweet and roasty up front, there is a nice blood orange hop flavor midtongue. Leaves a lasting, pleasant bitterness.

This newest "experiment" is a very clean, full bodied, surprisingly hoppy brew. It would be great if they made this part of their regular line up.