4.8 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 19/20
Bottle from Rehills in Newcastle. Inky black with spicy orange marmalade flavours and a bitter grapefruit finish. Superb!
4.5 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20
Pours black with some light coming through around the edges with a fluffy, beige head. Smell is dominated by fruity hops, if I was blind I’d swear this was a light beer from the smell. Taste truly shows the best of light and dark beers, roasted malt, fruity hops, a slight coffee flavour and some liquiorice, leaving a long finish. Truly excellent beer from a great brewery.
4.9 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 20/20
Black in colour and with a malty base, the zesty hops and dark fruit aromas make for a brilliant Black IPA. Great hoppy and intense finish
4.7 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 19/20
Pours almost jet, brilliant nose with all the hop goodness coming through, taste is superb with loads of hop charecter carried through on the body, very well balanced
4.4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20
[cask at the Stockbridge Tap, Edinburgh] Where to start with this one? Black as night, large, tight white head. Properly hoppy on the nose, tropical fruit and citrus, with a smooth, dark roast flavour. Rich fruit, with some alcohol, and then bitter coffee on the end – it’s as good a beer as I’ve had for a long time. I mean that – it’s an absolute stunner. All the flavours are balanced beautifully, and the alcohol is pitched just right. One of the best British black IPA’s I’ve ever had – and on cask, too. Joyous [06062012]
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
50cl Bottle from De Bierkoning. Black colour, creamy light beige head. Aroma of citrus hops, light pine, roasted malts, light smoke, coffee, chocolate. Flavour is roasted malts, light chocolate, coffee, all very smooth, nice citrus flavours, grapefruit, smooth bitter finish. Reminded me a lot of De Molen Stout & Hop. Medium to fullbodied, soft carbonation. One of the first BIPA’s I thoroughly enjoyed. And another Buxton winner.
4.3 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bottle from Cotteridge Wines, Birmingham. Pours black, with half an inch of froth. Smells excellent: juicy resin hops. Doesn’t taste quite as hoppy as it smells, due to the earthy, charcoal notes and mouthfeel. It is hoppy though, and the finish is bitter and rather dry, with a nib of licorice. Really very good - coats the throat and is a real mouthful of flavours.
3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Deadly black body with an impressively dense tan head. Aroma is quite subtle surprisingly; an indication of herbal, bitter hops, some faint toffee. Mouthfeel is massive for the style. Flavour is sweety yet herbal, perhaps mint in there somewhere, done gras, a lovely savoury bitter finish. Very nice indeed.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Cask@Reading Beer Festival 2012. Black colour, brown head. Aroma is roasted malts, fruits, some bitterness and mild catpissy notes. Flavour is roasted malts, some fruity and floral with also some mild liquorice.
4.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Bottle. Deep brown/black pour, thick tan head, lots of lacing. Nice rich hoppy nose, pine, resin, passion fruit, mango. Could easily be mistaken for a pale IPA. Rich body, sweet mocha front followed by a massive resinous hop hit and a big but smooth, rounded bitterness. I’m a fan of this style in general, but this is sublime.
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