De la Senne Black in Japan

Brewed by Brasserie de la Senne
Style: Black IPA
Brussels, Belgium

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Nice Color for an IPA but cofee taste and aroma too strong and hops too light

A careful pour into my New Belgium globe glass produces a three-finger thick, lightly browned, tan colored head. The beer is a concentrated brown, approaching black color that shows a brilliantly clear, ruby hued depth to it when held up to the light. The aroma smells of concentrated citrus and tropical fruit notes backed by earthy, roasted, dark grain aromatics. Lychee, candied tangelo zest, some guava and floral peach like notes are anchored by softer notes of burnt grain, rounded toasted whole grain rustic bread, and a touch of burnt acrid / acidity that adds some French Roast espresso like character to the finish.

Fairly dry, and also quite light bodied up front, this doesn’t keep the citrusy / fruity hops from shining through though. Ample ripe tangelo zest, guava jam, lingering lychee, and lots of floral tropical fruit notes play the leading role in this beer. This has a light, but solid bitterness to it in the finish that is accentuated by a touch of acrid and bitter roasted / burnt malt character. The malt character plays a supporting role here, but still contributes flavors of toasted whole grains, browned toasted bread, cold pressed coffee notes, and some nicely chewy brown grain notes.

This is definitely a nice beer; I really like the hop focus and it manages to meld well with the roasted character, were so many Black IPAs can clash. This has a very light body to it, but manages to not come off as thin, nor does it dry out the fruit hop notes to the point of not being noticeable. Very nicely done.

Bottle from The Trappist. Pours near black with a thick light brown head and a roasty treacle aroma. There is a roasted coffee and chocolate flavor with a citrus finish. Complex and tasty with just the right amount of hop bitterness.

Bottle as Kuro Oni shared by Marcus. Aroma is dusty dark malt with pitted fruit and floral. Med body. Flavor is lightly chocolate malt with a burst of florality. Finishes with mildly burning bitter on the tongue. Good ale.

Bottle at het Brugs Beertje. It pours near black with a thick beige head. The nose is light roast, treacle, aniseed, bubblegum, candy sugar and fresh citrus. The taste is roasted malt, pine, resin, toast, treacle, light liquorice, zesty orange and pithy lemon with a set finish. Medium body and moderate coronation. Flavoursome and spot on balance. A delight.

bottle of beer poured in to a glass. consumed on a back porch. pours a deep dark brown with a long lasting light tan head. aroma of pleasant clean complex roasty dark chocolate and coffee. nice roast character. taste is dry clean roasted dark chocolate, toasted almonds, hint of citrus and resin hops. grate. dry. tasty. didn’t realize blackipa was bottled. always struck me as more of the dong type.

Bottle, 05/11/2013, bottled as Kuro Oni. Pours black, huge frothy head dies down after some time, maze of lacing left behind. Aroma is coffee bitterness with dark piney hops, bit of yeast, sweet chocolate roast. Taste again has decent hop presence to begin with, transitioning to earthy chocolate, dark roast, very porter-ish, pleasant light citrus bitterness on the finish and aftertaste. Medium body, almost creamy. Very nice, well done.

330 ml bottle. Pours a very dark brown with medium foamy head. Aromas of chocolate, dark fruit, and brown sugar. Flavors of roasted malts, pine, sweet plums, and candy sugar. Well balanced.

Pours a deep burnt umber with a two finger sticky thick foam. Aromas are roasted chocolate, earthy coffee and traces of sappy pine. On the palate its follows the nose nicely with a fine balance between roasty chocolate and coffee notes and bitter pine and citrus. Nice carbonation keeps it from being to creamy yet still round and rich. Big bitter pine on the finish cleans the palate nicely. Great beer.

at brugs beertje, bottle pours black ( clear) white regular foam, rather old hop in the smell ( this is 0,5 y old ) wattery mouthfeel. carbo is high, butt acceptable , bitterness, followed by a stoutish-oaty taste. very ok, but it would be way better if it had some thickness. what about eisbocking this ?