Great Lakes Brewing 25th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing (Ontario)
Style: Black IPA
Etobicoke, Canada

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Dark black pour with a tight dark head. The aroma is quite spicy and peppery. More chocolate and less resin than the Puzzler. A touch of spiciness. Pretty nice as well.

On tap at WVRST tap takeover. Cascade aroma, not the puzzler’s balance. Back with a bubble head, big roast, carbonation, and these characteristics dominate the hopping. good drinkability

2012-11-08. Black body, nice tan head and lace. Pleasantly hoppy, leafy green hop character. 7++ Flavour is similar, nice bitterness throughout, green leafy hops, nice malty core. 7++ Average plus bodied palate. Less complex than the Puzzler was earlier, but richer and dangerously drinkable. Lovely stuff. On tap at Project X at Wvrst, Toronto

November 5, 2012 - on cask at Volo. Pours - black; smallish lasting frothy/bubbly light brown head. Aroma - oh yeah, that’s the stuff - resin, pine, light roast - incredibly light in alcohol presence, and the roast is neither sweet nor imposing - this is about lush hoppy bitterness, damned fine (9-). Taste follows, a little buttery (not diacetyl) - still not much alcohol, more roast, less hops, still good. Light body, a tiny bit syrupy, perhaps a tad undercarbonated (cask, on draught it would be better), only a medium length finish - soo smooth, soo easy to drink. Another GL winner.

In short: A very hoppy Black IPA. Tasty, very good even if it felt a bit too yeasty.
How: Bottle 750ml, consumed fresh one month after first bottle rating. Bottle sent to me by blankboy, thanks a lot Paul.
The look: Black body topped by a large rocky beige head with good retention and leaving lots of lacings on the glass.
In long: Nose is intensely scented pine-tree and grapefuits, only light notes of coffee hiding in the back reminded me that this is a Black IPA and not a regular IPA. Taste is chocolaty malts, a sip of black coffee, burnt-blackened toast, fluffy yeast, coniferous hops with light citrusy notes. Bitterness level of medium intensity and a little resinous. The malts lacked presence for this type of beer and the beer feels a little too yeasty, felt a bit like a Belgian Black IPA. But I’m nitpicking here, this is a fine beer, above average example of the style. Hard to believe this is a 9.5% beer, I downed my 750ml bottle like it was session beer. It is because of beers like this that I’m getting increasingly frustrated with car cup holders that don’t fit 750ml bottles.

Bottle [750ml]. Pours a lovely dark brown, almost black, with a large lasting frothy light-brown head. Lots of lacing on the glass. Nice aroma of toasted malt, lots of leafy hops, some herbs, light alcohol and notes of coffee and lactic notes. Flavour is equally toasted malt and a good amount of leafy hops along with some coffee. Alcohol is pretty much hidden in the flavour. Medium bodied, slightly creamy mouthfeel. A fantastic Black IPA, in fact, one of the better ones I’ve had. Well done! ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

[4930-20121108] Tap. Roasted wood malt aroma. Hazy, black body with a medium-lasting creamy tan head. Roasted bitter woodsy malt grain flavour. Full body. Quite tasty, nice bitter balance. (7/4-/8/4/16) 3.9
(Project X @ Wvrst, Toronto, ON)

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color ale with a large light brown color head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of bitter, floral and earthy hops with a nice side of roasted malt with light lactose notes. Taste is a great balanced mix between some roasted malt with dry bitter notes and light coffee notes overplayed with some good pungent, floral and citrus hops. Body is full with nice creamy texture and good carbonation with no apparent alcohol. Well brewed with lots of complexity.

Bottle, thanks Colin for picking this up in Ottawa, I never saw it in KW. Pitch black with a gigantic bubbly tan head. What a fantastic fruity hop aroma! Lovely. Taste - yep, juicy juicy hops, very fruity over a nice medium malt body. So drinkable without a hint of alcohol. Served blind I could not guess it was a black IPA, so not sure what that adds besides a cool looking pour. What it is though is simply one of the best Ontario beers I have ever had. Thanks Great lakes!

Dark brown color. Hops outshine roasted malt in the nose. The mouth is surprisingly medium body for such a heavy beer. Very well balanced, with caramel, toffee and roasted malt in the back of the throat and grapefruit up front. Never too full on in any direction, or super complex, but just highly enjoyable black IPA. Moderate bitter finish. Very pleasant. beer.