Karl Strauss Blackball Belgian IPA

Brewed by Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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Tap. Pours clear amber with a large, frothy white head, long retention with excellent lacing. Aroma is average malt (biscuit, bread, meal), heavy hops (floral, citrus, herbal), and average esters ( apple/pear) with notes of apricot and peach. Flavor is average malt, heavy hops, fruity, citrus, and light alcohol. Medium body, warmth, and carbonation with a dry finish.

On tap. Pours with a clear copper body and a lasting, egg-shell hued white head. Aromas are spicy, grainy, candi sugar, caramel, phenols (mostly coriander), vanilla. Esters and phenols remind me nearly of the Unibroue yeast strain. Fruity, citrus, light tropical fruit. Flavors are sweet, tropical fruit, grassy, weed like hop profile. A bit boozy (didn’t know the ABV). Very estery, light phenols, mango, papaya. Medium bitter, lightly astringent finish. Lively bubbles and dry. Pretty tasty.

Thanks OCBeer. Very subtly masterfully done. A little like a black IPA, with some Cascadian. Deep yellow with retained head. Nice use of spices. Very good drinkability and refreshing. Hoppy, but not at DIPA level.

A: The beer pours a fairly clear light amber color with a large white head. S: Starts off fairly sweet. Caramel and toffee malt notes lead it off, but the hops begin to come through shortly after. Floral and grassy hop notes provide the bulk of the "IPA" character, and there is a fair amount of spice and yeast to the aroma as well. T: Not as sweet as expected, luckily. Strong spice (clove and all spice) and yeast flavors with a moderate breadiness. Some grassy hops and a hint of pine with a moderate hop bitterness. M: Medium in body with a medium to high carbonation. O: One of the more enjoyable Belgian IPAs, but it could have used a bigger hop profile.

Bottle at Victor’s bracket box tasting at Paul’s. Pours a lightly hazed orange amber with a thin white head. Spicy hops, toast, soft herbal notes. Medium bodied, toast and touches of caramel. Grapefruit bitterness starts early and lingers on the finish.

Sampled on 7/23/2011. This Double IPA pours a dark orange gold color from a 22oz bottle. Medium sized white foamy head with good retention and nice lacing. The aroma is fruity, sweet, yeasty and hoppy. A medium bodied Imperial IPA. The malts are fruity, sweet, orange and apricot. The hops are herbal and citrusy. Fruity and sweet then bittering at the finish. With a name like Black Ball I was expecting a Black IPA. Hint of orange peel and coriander, maybe some pepper as well. Hides the alcohol well. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Bottle thanks to Victor at Paul’s. Pours clear gold. White head. Nose/taste of peach, caramel malt, papaya and yeast. Slightly bitter grapefruit finish. Medium body.

Bottle from Total Wine, Sacramento. Pours golden with a decent off-white head and a citrus aroma. There is a spicy fruit and caramel malt flavor with a Belgian yeast feel - a liitle banana ester - and a very dry finish.

(22oz bomber thanks to bu11zeye) clear amber with fine eggshell colored bubbles. Nose of candied citrus, sweet bread, and rye. Taste of rye, Belgian spicy yeast, lightly fruity, and a spicy linger.

Clear amber color/ ivory head. Spicy yeast, floral hop, honey sweet malt aromas. Medium bodied. Spicy, floral hop flavors with spicy yeast, pale malt