Tree Hophead Black India Pale Ale

Brewed by Tree Brewing
Style: Black IPA
Kelowna, Canada

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Bottle, shared with Robbie. Ironic that I had to come all the way to Ontario to get a beer that’s brewed 9 hours drive from my house. Was it worth it? Yes. Near black pour with a lasting brown head. I’m not sure how tey did this, but the aroma is nearly all rich dark malts (roast, cocoa, hints of figs), while t palate is overtaken by crushing hop bitterness. After about halfway, my sensesequilibrated and the whole thing reached a near-perfect harmony for me. Just an excellent example of war this style can achieve in a alanced beer. So very good.

650ml bottle from LCBO. Pours a solid black with a foamy beige head. No visible carbonation. Aroma: Malt, caramel, spruce, dough. Hints of chocolate. Palate: Medium bodied, smooth start, slightly oily and dry finish. Lingering aftertaste but not super dry like most IPAs. Taste: Sweet start. Less sweet finish. Not a super complex flavour. Very drinkable, for a beer of this style.

Deep black pour with a tight dark tan head. A rich sort of chewy aroma. A little bit of date and some earthy hop bitterness. Light sweetness and a bit of earthiness. Sweet and unctuous with a lot of dark chocolate and some roast. More cocoaish and a touch of soft brown sugary sweetness. More porter than BIPA but it’s tasty regardless.

650 mL bottle. Pours opaque black, tight blotchy tan/off white head. Looks suspiciously like a pint of Guinness. Very little aroma, what I do pick up is deeply roasted malts and a little hop bitterness. Tastes excessively malty, roasted grain flavor, over brewed coffee, and cocoa powder. No where near as much hops as I imagined or hoped for, feeling a little let down after enjoying two other Hop Head variants recently. Thick and heavy in body and on the palate, finish is long and sticky. Leaves your mouth well coated. Good, but not impressive.

(Bomber from Liquor Plus Douglas) Pitch black.Yeah this feels more like an imp stout, but then again if it were labelled as such I may complain it was more like a black IPA... such are the ways of a douche. Huge ass, morbidly obese stylin’, on this thing, with the liquorice and hops being at the fore. Recommended.

[4413-20120504] 1pt6floz bottle. Grainy toasted leaf mould malt aroma has a sweet hint. Slightly hazy, dark brown black body with a medium-lasting creamy tan head. Muted hoppy leaf mould malt flavour has a sesame seed base and toasted maple syrup finish. Medium body. Tasty, hidden alcohol, good. (6/3/7/3/14) 3.3
Overheard: "That was really Marlon Brando?" "And that was a real stick of butter too."
(c/o GregClow, w/ him, blankboy, garthicus, HogTownHarry, jerc)

As an avid impy and DIPA fan these BlkIPA collaborations of style are (is?) both fascinating and, more often than not a matter of strongly disagreeing opinion. This one is just very good beer, the boldness of the strong hops nicely tempered by the malt and dark ale fruit profile. Not just a bunch of roast and chocolate clashing away at the piney-citrus hops, just enough cocoa and roast coffee - the key here, dark berry--ish undertones of fruit hold things in balance and makes this a very fine brew, regardless of what we expect a black ipa to be. It’s just great.

Bottle, LCBO. Dark brown pour, small bubbly head. Strong aroma of hops and roasted malt - those hops are quite kicky. Taste is excellent - maltiness expect with a ton of earthy and citrus hops. A ton. Alcohol right there too, mouthfeel bordering on thick. This is a big beer and it lets you know it. A really well done black IPA.

Decent brew although not what I would expect for the style. Nose is malty molasses and caramel. Taste also malty sweet. Minimal hop presence. Is smooth and easy drinking but not what I would consider a black ipa. Decent but not great

Pours a black with a thin beige ring. Aroma of roasted malts, bitter chocolate and floral hops. Taste is a mix of bitter chocolate, roasted malts and a small floral hop bitterness. Such a confusing style, everyone has a different interpretation.