4.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 19/20Pour from a 12oz bottle, impulse buy of a 4 pack at Hardings. Deep deep red brown amber - clear, not inky black but dark enough. A few fingers of pale off white head in the pour. Aroma dominated by hops - citrus and pine, a little floral. Taste is the barest hint of malt at the very start, toasted grain in the background, fine and complex hops start near the beginning and blossom as the swallow continues. Hops dominate with toasted grains and malt singing in the choir. Black IPA’s often seem to be a confused breed with the roasted grains and hops fighting for attention, but there is no confusion here, only excellence. A very fine brew.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 15/20
bottle. Very deep brown with small head. Nice brown ale base with sweet malt. Hops compliment nicely. Better than most other black ipas that I have
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
12 oz bottle, and this happens to be #850 for me. Pours a deep hazed amber with an orangey off-white head. Slightly sweet citrusy, pine hops with caramel on top of biscuit aromas. Flavor is a general mix of pine, citrus, and biscuit. It’s not bad, but not quite the punch I’d hope for.
3.1 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
12oz bottle from Kalamazoo mi, drakes party center. Dark creamy brown mahogany to deep amber pour. Inch or so of offwhite head. Moderate lacing. Strong, sweet hop scent that FELT powdery like detergent, mostly floral and pine aromas. Somewhat thin and chalky mouth feel, moderate carbonation. Taste starts with acute sweet caramel malt then gives way to strong pine hop flavor. More bitter than juicy Finish was subtle but sharply bitter, slightly tingly and a bit chalky. Don’t really sense the malt in this one that gives it its color and designates it a black IPA.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Draft at Kalamazoo Beer Exchange. Pours black with a tan head. Aroma of hops and chocolate. Flavor of chocolate, hops, and dark fruit. Great lacing. Thick palate. Chocolate finish with plenty of hops. Comes across as a mixture of stout & IPA which in my world is a fantastic combo. A lot of black IPA’s are disappointing to me, but not this one. Plenty of body. Definitely my favorite black IPA to date.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
12 oz bottle poured a deep black with a good head that stayed through the whole glass. Aroma of dark fruits a bit of hop good dry flavor on the finish with a hop overtone.
4.4 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Tons of hop aroma and taste! Combo of both fruity and herbal hops. Thick, long lasting head. Medium body. Saugatuck Brewing continues to impress me!
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