Black Ales?

Try this if you get beers from Stone:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/38470/

 

Re "black IPA," as we now call it, did not exist until Stone introduced and billed Sublimely Self Righteous as such. I cannot remember if Sublimely Self Righteous was the first beer to be called as such, but it certainly was among the first.

For me, it really comes to acknowledging that categories or styles are not fixed in time, and I do try to acknowledge brewers' intentions. That said, there never was a stout quite as hop-forward as Victory Storm King at the time. Whether because of the growth of the black IPA or not, there still isn't. Little surprise that Storm King was listed among BA's top 10 beers less than a decade ago.

 

Maybe it's the combination of the roasted flavors with the high bitterness you don't like? I see you listed Porters and I imagine stouts as well, in your list of styles. I had tried few of these styles and unfortunately I thought Stone's Sublimely comes off a little too boozy. My favorite is Sierra Nevada's Blindfold that is only available in the spring pack. Right now I'm enjoying a Founders Black Rye.

 

If you do an internet search you will see that Greg Noonan brewed Blackwatch IPA 10 years before Stone.

 

In keeping with the subject line of this post and disregarding everything posted since. ..New Belgium brewed their 1554 a long time ago. Too bad that formula was lost.

 

there was a black IPA thread a week ago and more before that.
I love them, would drink more often if my local Barrier Brewing's Oil City was more available.
floral hops and roasted malt is a nice change from standard IPAs.
but I don't really like sours, sticky & sweet IIPAs and BA this or that. so people like different things.

 

I think it's something you either dig or you don't - I personally don't really go for black ales often (usually, give me an IPA or a stout), but I appreciate the really good black ales - but probably only once a year each...

Stone's Sublimely Self-Righteous, Firestone's Wookey Jack, Uinta's Dubhe, Dark Horse's Reserve Special Black Ale, Founder's Dark Penance, and Element's Dark Element are all top-notch representatives of the style - if they're not to your liking, you're probably just not partial to the style.

 

Try these:

Crooked Line: Labyrinth Barrel Aged Quadruple Black Ale - Uinta Brewing Company

Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

Hop In The Dark Cascadian Dark Ale - Deschutes Brewery

Dubhe Imperial Black IPA - Uinta Brewing Company

Cheers!

 

All winners in my book. Cheers John!

 

Lagunitas Nighttime was sensational.

 

Try Wookey Jack & Dubhe - if you don't like either of those, then move on to other styles.

 

I'm not sure what you disliked about black ales, but, aside from sampling the delicious beers that others are recommending, I would advise giving black lagers (aka Schwarzbier) a go. It might help you narrow down if you dislike dark beers that are lighter in body in general or if you dislike the combination of heavy hop and roasted malt flavors that characterize American black ales.

Personally, I'm a really big fan of the style even if it was hard to grasp at first and now realize that I desperately need to find a Deschutes Hop in the Dark. A beer whose existence had somehow evaded my knowledge until @Wasatch mentioned it...

 

Yes! That's one I always forget!

 

Sprecher's Black Bavarian remains to be one of my favorite Schwartzbiers. I had to throw that in.

 

Well, that was an interesting read: http://www.alestreetnews.com/beer-styles/435-black-and-bitter--true-origins-of-black-ipa.html

Thanks for the heads up!

 

In addition to the fine beers listed here, Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet deserves a mention here--particularly the most recent imperial version, Hoppy Feet 2.0.

 

Enjoy Stone ssr while it is still around already been discontinued in Alabama can't find anymore

 

my thought as well, though i was thinking of Kostritzer Schwarzbier: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/648/1774/

though the schwarzbiers probably have a lower abv than most cascadian dark ales/black ipas.

 

Big fan but in small stretches. After answering this question last week I pondered (over a Dubhe) why I go through these in phases. I came to the conclusion that when I enjoy a great Cascadian, eventually it whets my appetite for either an IPA or a stout, which gets me going on those styles for a while. Yet, a great IPA or stout does not lead me to desiring a Cascadian. So, even though I like them tremendously, I only seem to come back around to them when I have a brief "reset" in my drinking.

My favorites:

Sublimely, Wookey Jack, Yakima Glory, Dark Penance, Blakkr and my favorite local one - Great Dismal from O'Connor.