Tree Hophead Black India Pale Ale

Brewed by Tree Brewing
Style: Black IPA
Kelowna, Canada

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Pours black with a thick beige head. Aromas of dark chocolate, grassy hops, sweet dark fruits. Full bodied velvety mouth feel with low carbonation. Flavours of espresso, dried blueberries, dark chocolate. Long, bold bitter finish with hints of honey. Definitely one of the best I’ve had of the style.

This is a very good beer. Right up my alley. Pours nice and dark black ruby, with a nice thick slow cappuccino head that lasts and lasts. Very nice appearance. Tastes are of roasted malts and layered through with floral notes true to the IPA style. Nice carbonation for an overall good mouthfeel. I’m a fan for sure. I’d session the crap outta this one.

Pours a very dark brown/black with decent tan head diminishing to a nice sticky ring that laces the glass with a light covering that seems to stick around. Aromas of chocolate, roasted malt, some coffee and light grassy bitterness. Flavour is a mixture of bitter citrus, chocolate, roasted malt and sweetness that blends together quite nicely and for being 8 percent abv its not a boozy beer at all.

UPDATED: FEB 8, 2013 Pours an opaque black with a nice brown head that dissipates quickly but leaves some foam across the top and some sticky lace. Aroma is a citrus/floral chocolate, roasted malts and coffee. Taste bitter dark cocoa that transitions into chocolate sweetness that has a very smooth and gradual warming from the 8.8abv and then it throws some citrus hop bitterness on the very end. Very complex and full bodied but not heavy.

Plenty of chocolate, orange-citrus, biscuit and roast character in the sweet nose. Opaque black body is topped by a decent and lasting, fine-bubbled, tan-brown head that sticks to the sides of the glass and laces well. Flavour has interesting elements of a strong and hoppy stout without the sweetness of an Imperial Stout - lots of roasted malt character, strong bitterness, plenty of chocolate and citrus flavour. Bitterness and dark chocolate linger in the aftertatse. Medium body has strong effervescence that really lightens the mouthfeel. Dangerously drinkable as the alcohol is never apparent. Really well done. Tulip glass. Allowed to warm from fridge temperature. Bottle purchased at Brewery Creek in February 2012.

650ml bottle. Very dark brown pour, big tan head. Dark roasted chocolate malts and citrus hop aromas. Dark bitter chocolate malt and bitter hops blend together in the taste very well. Body is full, but not heavy. Overall, this really worked and was very enjoyable. This had the best qualities of imperial stouts and IPAs.

UPDATED: DEC 29, 2012 Bottle. Hophead mix pack from Santa. What a great idea. Dark brown. Light head. Moderate hop and malt. Very smooth body. Hoppy and chocolate notes. A hoppy chocolate porter. Yum.

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. Aroma: Dark chocolate with notes of citrus rind, nuts and espresso. Appearance: black copper, small tan head. Taste: rich and complex. full of hops, espresso, black chocolate, citrus, slightly bitter. Both a little sweat and a little sour. Palate: full body, slightly oily, medium carbonation. Finish is a gently increasing and lingering bitterness keeping notes of espresso. This is Tree’s most interesting brews. Must try.

Bomber - pours a deep blackunfiltered ale in the glass with a decent tight-pored tan cap. Aroma is pleasant - chocolate malts, some roastiness, nutty, lightly sweet and earthy. Although there is plenty of hop balance this is a malt pronounced flavor profile - rounded rich mouth feel, plenty of big chewy chocolate malts, complimentary hop bittering, dry finish. A decent malt forward rendition of the cascadian dark style. Good stuff.