I met a douche-y kind of guy at a local brewery some time ago, and we had a short exchange about black IPA/Cascadian dark ales. He insisted that all the black IPAs he had tried were plenty hoppy. It has always been a concern of mine that perhaps my taste simply wasn't sensitive enough to discern the hops from the dark malts, which would be really sad because black IPA is a pretty popular style. Of course, people must be able to discern the tastes, or otherwise it wouldn't be so popular (buh huh huh).
This is the first black IPA I've had that had actually has some hop presence. You know what? It's pretty good. Hoppy, malty, dark, and bitter of all kinds. The body is lighter than a porter even. Still not much to say though. It's all pretty powerful flavors. I hope I can find more Cascadians like this one. (I originally typed "black IPA". I guess the name is going to stick.
- Appearance: Very dark, but clear pour. Thin tan head.
- Smell: Slight hop aroma like a pale rather than an IPA with a hint of roastiness.
- Taste: Hoppy and dark and layers of varying bitterness. Still strongly dark malt, but the hoppiness doesn't get drowned out.
- Mouthfeel: Lighter than its color might indicate. Lighter than a porter, though finishes with a bit of residue.
- Drinkability and Overall: This is probably the first black IPA I've really liked and cared to drink.
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