Mendocino Black Eye Ale

This is a dangerously smooth and drinkable beer. A very enticing blend of two great beers from this brewery. Rich tasting and warming with a nice hint of spiciness from the hops. Cool label also.

perfect looking nice and dark with a fat tan head, nice sweet chocolate coffee aroma, the taste was good nicely mixed and bottled black and tan, the only downfall i saw here was the fact that i dont like Eye of the Hawk very well and that was the ending flavor, EotH also made the palate a little watery, definitely a good beer and idea

Very interesting, and damn good! I think it’s under-rated here by a long shot. I don’t think it belongs in the "Ale" catagory, but I have no idea where else to put it. Pour is like a Porter; very dark, a bit of a head that goes away quickly. Aroma comes from the Stout; coffee and dark fruits. Flavor is dark fruits only lighter, if that makes sense, coffee and a bit of chocolate. Palate has a nice mineral feel to it which is nice, and it’s thin like a Porter yet more full than an Ale. Overall, this is an excellent blend of two styles I usually avoid which made something excellent. This is *definately* worth seeking out.

Very impressive on the pour with its thick blanket of beige foam and dark reddish plum colored body. In spite of the deep color and thickness of the body, the benefits of bottle conditioning are evident with good signs of carbonation. The nose is deep and predominantly malty giving me reminders of the fig rolls I used to eat as a kid. The complexity of two ales is more than evident with roasted malt, coffee, caramel, pale malts, as well as a deep berry and plum-like fruitiness. There are good signs of the Pacific and European hops that need a little persuasion to get out from behind the malt but once released show a fine herbal aroma. You get a good feel of the blend on the palate. The smooth, heavy foamy stout like character combines well with the overflowing drinkability of the lighter ale. The carbonation is very light, but the most impressive part is a wonderful smooth creamy silkiness. The flavors also benefit from the impressive complexity of the two brews. There’s the initial roasted coffee and creamy flavors, a touch of caramel and a burnt alcohol warmth towards the end. There’s also some refreshing cassis like fruitiness in the middle, while a tangy hop bitterness makes for a well-balanced finish. The tangy hop lingers well into the aftertaste but there’s also a comforting smoothness thrown in as well as a little roasted coffee like dryness. I’m not a fan of Black & Tan in the bottle but the mix of complexity and drinkability were great in this one.

Just came in to my regular store. Big head and a nice smooth texture. No overwhelmingly strong flavors. I thought of as a well balance Porter which happens to be a style I enjoy. This not one of those "Big" beers that everyone seems to overate here but a good solid brew.