Hopfenstark 7 Sisters / La Pléiade Alcyone

Brewed by Hopfenstark
Style: Black IPA
L’Assomption, Canada

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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En fût. Verre de 12 oz dégusté directement à la brasserie lors du party 6e anniversaire. Arôme: Odeur de torréfaction avec une pointe de sauce soya. Apparence: La couleur est noire. Présence d’un moyen col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Léger goût de torréfaction, de chocolat et de sauce soya. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement huileuse. Faible effervescence en bouche. (Rating #4646

In short: A tasty and unusual hoppy black beer.
How: Tap at brewery tasting room, Hopfenstark 6th anniversary party.
The look: Black body topped by a medium beige head.
In long: Nose is moderately hoppy (green hops pellets), a dry semi-rustic sensation (dusty attic) and notes of cocoa. Taste is very roasted with plenty of burnt grainy chocolaty malts (flavor of burnt chocolate chip cookies) with light notes of rustic yeast, and assertive hopping with a green herbal and slightly resinous character. Bitterness of medium intensity leading the way to a rather dry finish. Full body with a lively carbonation, a nice mouthfeel. This was a tasty beer for sure, but it also felt a bit chaotic with the rustic yeast, roast, strong bitterness, dryness, etc... Overall this was a fun experiment that I enjoyed, but it is not something I can objectively recommend. My first beer at the Hopfenstark anniversary party after standing in line in the cold for one hour to enter the brewery, and standing in line in the cold to enter in a local beer event is a great way to spot people who will never be the prime minister of my country.

tap at torst. pleasant pine and tropical fruit hops backed by a pleasant roast, dark chocolate, cream. i think black ipa before i think saison yeast, but the yeast does seem to add a nice earthyiness. well executed. dry. nice.

Draft at Torst. Pours black with a foamy white head. Aroma is slightly of chocolate and malt; not overpowering. Tast is malt, espresso, chocolate and some fruitiness from the saison yeast.

UPDATED: MAR 11, 2013 Draft at Torst. Pours black with tan head. Nose and taste of roast chocolate, saison yeast, grapefruit and citrus. A little bit of earthy chocolate in the finish. Medium body.

Drank on tap (12 oz) at Vices et Versa (Montreal) on February 10, 2013. Black, medium head. Chocolate aroma hops, malt notes roti. Fruit taste sour and bitter chocolate, amplified by hops, good bitterness of chocolate and hops. To date the best black IPA in my opinion!

Black with a good tan head. Nice aromas of chocolate and tangerine hops. Medium body, clean bitterness, lots of orange and citrus, velvety palate, all in balance. Very nice mix of black Ipa and belgian yeast. Very nice beer. On tap @ Vices & Versa 9th anniversary.

Dégustée en fût au Vices & Versa. De couleur noire et opaque. Nez de malt rôti doux, moyen de chocolat noir et de houblon herbeux aux notes résineuses avec des notes de café et de pain grillé. Moyennement ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen ainsi qu’une texture légèrement huileuse et aux notes crémeuses. Goût de malt rôti avec des traces de chocolat au lait et de levures ainsi qu’une légère-moyenne amertume de houblon herbeux aux notes florales (une amertume présente en arrière-goût durant toute la gorgée) dès l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un léger goût de chocolat noir avec des traces de pain grillé puis en finale l’amertume de houblon se fait plus herbeuse, légèrement résineuse et aux faibles notes citriques en plus d’être accompagnée de notes de café ainsi que de traces d’alcool. Post-goût long-moyen et plutôt sec, moyennement amer de houblon herbeux aux notes florales, résineuses et citriques avec un goût rôti ainsi que des notes de chocolat noir. (6 février 2013)

On tap at Hopfenstark during their anniversary party. Pours a deep black with a medium sized tanned beige head. Big cocoa and roast on the nose, with a bit of hoppiness behind it. Medium bodied, toast, roast, some earthy hops. Then there are some yeasty esters that show up as well, slightly phenolic. Yeast and warm roast into the finish, toast and a bit of char. Very interesting. Somewhat disjointed at times and going in different directions, but it’s certainly tasty.

My Bottom Line:
Roasted cereals, dark chocolate and coffee bean allusions are diversified by resinous hops and their bitterness in this balanced, highly flavorful Black IPA.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A slice of foam covers the brown-laced black.
-The Saison yeast may contribute fruitiness, but it tends to get overwhelmed by the rich grain bill and expressive hoppiness.
-The body is comfortable; not too dry, but not too sugary either.
-Malts are present toasted bread notes.
-Alcohol is never a bother.

On tap at the brewery.