Olde Hickory Black Raven IPA

Brewed by Olde Hickory Brewery
Style: Black IPA
Hickory, North Carolina USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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This is my new favorite beer. I went back twice to have it. Only thing I would suggest is to serve it colder. It is served almost warm and by time you finish it the beer is room temp. Great hops!

Oh yeah. I really like this one. It is simultaneously light and extremely hoppy. Pours dark and with a relatively large head. Some hints of roasting under the hops, which makes for a really interesting brew.

This beer is very unique in that it has some taste notes that you don’t really expect. Firstly, the color is appearance of the beer is very nice with a dark chocolaty color. Their is some nice aromas that accompany this beer, with a chocolate, and even citrusy smell to go along with it. The taste has a long bitter taste to it is accompanied with a orange citrus taste as well. Very good beer with a very long finish!

Bottle. Coffee malt, orange, and grapefruit peel/pine hops aroma - tough to put a finger on - seems to change with each sniff. Opaque brown with large tan head. Sweet dark chocolate/coffee malt and pine hops flavor. Light ash and black pepper finish. Excellent blending. Great beer.

Strong aroma is hoppy with a firm yeasty undertone, a hint of fruit, and a smoky whisper. It pours an opaque chocolate brown with a thick and rather persistent light tan head. Flavor is downright lip-smacking - hoppy and smoky, having notes of grass, citrus, burnt wood and coffee with just a hint of caramel and - could that be molasses? Smooth texture has above-average body and a good amount of fizz.

Bottle. Roasty coffee and chocolate malt, orange hops aroma, really fresh smelling. Black brown with a thick creamy tan head, thick heavy lacing. Coffee malt, ash, spicy pine hops flavor. Full creamy body. Malt character is porter like.

22 Ounce bottle poured into Stone 15th anniversary glass. A: Black with dark brown edges when held to light. 1 and a half finger tan head of very fine bubbles, good retention. N: Roasted chocolate malt mixing with earthy/piney hops. Very inviting. T: Similar to the nose but with a surprising entrance of peanut butter. Semi sweet chocolate, pine hops, and coffee grounds in the middle with medium hop bitterness in the finish. M: Just a hair high on the carbonation but with a silky almost oily coating of the palete leaving me wanting more. O: Great version of the Black IPA coming second only to Dubhe from Uinta in my book.

Bomber from Ross. Nose is roasted malt, light pine resin, and a hints of smoke and coffee. Pitch black with a medium, lightly lacing, beige head. Flavor is nicely bitter with some roasted coffee and a hint of smoke. Finishes with light bitterness and pepperiness.

Originally reviewed: 8/2/10. Had this new offering from OHB on tap at City Bev in Winston. Came out a creamy black with a wispy tan head on top. Decent retention. Left some light lacing on the glass edge. Scents of freshly-ground hop pellets, pine, and just a hint of roastedness. The mouth is smooth and firm. Decent carbonation level. Not too filling, though it’s thick in appearance. Great hoppy bitterness in this hybrid beer. Nothing harsh, just a crisp bite that finishes smooth and creamy. Light burnt flavor on the backend. I sipped this I walked the store lusting over all of the beer I couldn’t buy. Easily drinkable. Recommend.

Bomber from Bruisin’ Ales. Pours dark brown with a 3 finger creamy/foamy tan head. Aroma is roast malt, tingling hop and chocolate in that order. About med body. Flavor is bitter burnt malt, chocolate and floral/citrus/earthy hop in that order. It’s doing a bit of ring lacing, and the hop stands out firmly in the finish. Very nice.