If you are going to collaborate with Moonlight Brewing, ya’ just gotta choose a style that will incorporate dark malts. And if you are going to collaborate with Societe Brewing, you better hop it up.
So, obviously…
Obvious Choice
Holiday Cheers – Day 4 – Frostbite Black IPA from Foothills Brewing
Going east from SoCal we find colder snowier winters and possibly Frostbite, as in the Black IPA from Foothills Brewing.
“The official beer of Jack Frost. Skillfully blended barley and roasted wheat malts team up with a big blast of flavor and aroma from Pacific Northwest hops. The result? A Black IPA as refreshingly bracing as a cold winter day.”
Nine Minutes
New month, new One Batch Dispatch from Stone Brewing . 9 Minutes to Midnight is a double dry-hopped imperial black IPA blended with a bit of whiskey barrel-aged Stone 25th Anniversary Triple IPA.
Review – Fall Seasonal Black DIPA from Institution Ales
My love / hate relationship with Black IPA’s continues with the 2021 Fall Seasonal from Institution Ales.
It pours a dark brown, near black with a light tan head. It has a spiced coffee latte aroma. Not PSL but nice. The balance is tilted more to the malt side. Quite bready and filling. The bitterness is more of a counterpoint. I like the re-emerging trend back to this style but I just wish the hops would be more assertive.
The Mortician Returns
Today is Black IPA day here at BSP. I am quite glad that this style has re-emerged and is being connected to fall seasonal / Halloween.
Here is another version from Lucky Luke Brewing re-released for 2021….
Back in Black
I need recent days, two fan favorite beers returned to distribution. First….
Stone Brewing stuck SS-R in its 12 Days of IPA’s box and then this year decidedly to re-release it all on its own. That was followed by…
…the label re-designed Wookey Jack from the SoCal Firestone.
How many more Black IPA’s do you think will cone back this year?
Do Not Forget
Certain IPA sub-styles have not lasted. Brut IPA, I really liked. Not to be found anymore. White IPA lasted less time. Session IPA had a moment but that momentum faded. But the king of busted IPA dreams was the Cascadian or Black IPA. Rare was the one that balanced dark malt with bitterness just right.
And maybe, Common Space has unlocked it with their new Citra hop version.
Black Hearted
Last year brought Double Two Hearted, which was really good and now 2020 brings a throwback to the Cascadian Dark Ale times with a Two Hearts Valentine’s Day brand extension from Bell’s with Broken Hearted. How the honey and extreme hops work with darker malts is to be seen.
2nd Piece of Magic
Frogtown Brewing is hitting an anniversary mark and part of the celebration is their 2nd Tiki Series IPA, this time they are going back to an old IPA sub-style.
2018 Holiday Beer # 14 – Shortest Day Winter Ale
The mascot of the Winter Solstice adorns the label of Shortest Day Winter Ale from Full Sail. Read on for more info on this CDA: “Brewed to celebrate the winter solstice, Shortest Day is a Cascadian Dark Ale brewed with 2-Row Pale, Crystal, and de-husked Chocolate malt. It pours a deep dark black with a lacy tan head. With aromas of dark roasty malt and hints of tropical and citrus fruit, Shortest Day offers bold flavor with excellent balance. De-husked chocolate malt imparts dark chocolate flavor while crystal adds depth and complexity. Generous additions of Mosaic, Simcoe and Citra hops lend flavors of fruit and sweet floral notes.”