Spinnakers Lion’s Head Cascadia Dark Ale

Brewed by Spinnakers Brewpub
Style: Black IPA
Victoria, Canada

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Some hops, piney style. Some sour malt in finish. Lacing good, clear dark brown with good head. Creamy texture. Ok, but nothing too hardcore. English take on BIPA. On tap at brewpub.

6-pack from Spinnakers Liquor Store. Good balance of Hops and malts. Slight chocolate and toffee flavour. Decent beer for sure. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

A really good session beer! Taste is hoppy, slightly bitter and fresh. A strong aroma and blackish appearance. Although dark a very "light" drinking beer. The effects of guaranna are noticed after a few of these pints. Overall a very satisfying beer and one I would recommend!

650ml bottle pours almost black in color with a small white head that leaves no lacing on the glass. Aroma is roasted grains and flowery hops with some nuttiness. Taste is roasted and hop bitterness with some nuts and a malty sweetness to balance things out. Medium bodied with decent carbonation leaving a pleasant touch on the palate. A very nicely done dark ale that is highly recommended.

UPDATED: APR 24, 2013 (Bomber from Liquor Plus Douglas bought a few weeks ago) As sour as gueuze without the redeeming characteristics. A regular pour saw it froth up over the rim. Tried it in two glasses to be sure. There’s no questioning what I’m faced with here, I’m surprised I’m the first on RateBeer to have gotten it. Wait a couple months if you want a good batch, I guess.

This is the second time I’ve gotten a Spinnakers that was seriously off... I’ve got nothing against them, they’re highly respected in my city. But what the heck? They taste it before bottling, don’t they? My first full drainpour.

EDIT, April 24 2013: Had this yesterday on tap, felt like a brown with some English qualities, loaded up with hops. Well-balanced. Not much else to say, just felt I should have the rating reflect my new impressions.

Bomber at Hops Brown,small beige head.Nose of light roast,brown sugar.Toasty earthy malt profile, lasting medium strength hop finish. Low carbonation

Poured from big bottle to a pint glass. Big roast flavour with woodsmoke aroma and dark malty, nutty taste finished by some toffee sweetness. Earthy, hearty beer with very small cascade hop character. At just 55 IBU it’s not what you might expect from a West Coast dark IPA, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a tasty, tasty beverage.

Definite roast and nutty notes, dark malt is the most prevalent in the aroma with a light floral earthy hop presence. Like and english black ipa. Pours dark brown, black more or less, nice off white head and lace. The flavor is roasty with light sweetness, earthy, nutty, floral and lightly bitter in the finish. Interesting take on a Black IPA.

Draught at the brewpub
Dark brown color; creamy head. Very nice roasted malt and coffee aroma. Lean body, but the mouthfeel is round enough; good dark caramel flavor, with hints of roasted malts and chocolate; correct bitterness level. Better flavor than other heavily roasted beers, but also not fruity-hop oriented.
Very pleasant.

Tap @ brewpub. Amber orange appearance with an off white head. Slightly roasty, soapy, hoppy nose. Low carbonation. Toasty, mild to moderate earthy hoppy, toffee malty flavor. Disappointing.