Big Al Hop Villain

Brewed by Big Al Brewing
Style: Black IPA
Seattle, Washington USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Brown, thin beige head. Aroma has more roast than hop. Taste is also kind of confusing. I would call this a hoppy Porter rather than a Black IPA. Not that it’s a bad beer, I just like my BIPA’s to have very little roast character and more focus on the hops.

On draught at Ivar’s on Lake Union in Seattle. Holy roast - with some bitterness. Nice

Sample at the Tap House Grill in Seattle. The beer is a brownish-black color with a medium tan head that burns away steadily. Partial rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted malt and piney hops. Medium body with flavors of sweet malt, pine needles, hops and caramel. The finish is roasty with a mild hops aftertaste. Decent overall.

Draft at ncbc. Pours black with a scant tan head. Dense sheets of lace. Mild roasty piney nose. Creamy medium body with soft carb. Roasty piney mid palate, fairly subdued for the style. Might just need some bubbles. Mild finish.

From tap. Pours dark brown and black. Aroma is roasted dark malty and light fruity. Bitter, dark malty and light liqourice. Smooth and dark maltybflavoured. Bitter, dry and malty finish.

Very OK. Looks good, but the nose is a reserved version of IPA aromatics. Medium bodied, but leaning to the thin side. Enjoyable, but forgettable.

Draft, dark brown with fluffy foam, laces well, aroma is hoppy caramel, with soft hops and leathery caramel flavor, chocolate also

Growler. Poured a dark brown with a creamy tan head that settled to a ring and left good lace. Aroma of milk chocolate and hop background. The flavor found a mix of milk chocolate and light pine, Medium body and a roasted aftertaste.

On tap @ Bailey’s Taphouse, Portland. Dark reddish brown with a medium beige head. Fruity aroma with baked biscuits and caramel. Flavor is fairly bitter with some toasty malt and bit of bitter chocolate. Medium body with a slightly chalky mouth feel. Kind of a red/black IPA, pretty good, lots of great hop aroma.

Draft at Magic City Brewfest. Poured dark brown with a small head. Aroma and flavor had some dark malts and some piney, citrus hops. Not hoppy enough to warrant a name like "hop villain" without drawing some ironic jabs.