Black Hops ‘ABC Bomb’ Black IPA

Rating:

71835697_1178045479046262_2998842119931559936_n“This hoppy Black Ale is balanced by a strong citrus and pine hop aroma and a distinct roasty dark malt character. The use of American hops gives this beer a genuine IPA backbone with a unique spice flavour through the addition of rye. An American Black C-hopped bomb. One of our original 4 IPAs that comes in perfect time for winter.”

Glassware: IPA glass.

Appearance: Black with just the faintest amount of light cutting through. A thick and finely beaded crown slowly reduced and settled at the rim. Healthy lace clings as we go.

Aroma: Smells mighty fine…they’ve struck a lovely balance between the roasted malts and piney herbal hops. Sugar-sweetened coffee, nutty chocolate, treacle and damp earthy forest floor interweave with the piney and almost snow gum-like herbals. Definitely some grapefruit and orange peel alongside delicate savoury spice. Liking it!

Flavour: Follows on from the nose – charred malts provide those robust notes of coffee, dark chocolate and ash but the citrus and piney hops provide that crucial balance and bitterness. This harmonious marriage of flavour reaches well in to the finish and goes for days on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Dry and bitter…really coats the whole palate. Medium body and CO2. 6.5% ABV is well placed.

Overall: With all these new (but awesome) hops around these days it’s easy to forget the original ‘C’ hops which started the whole IPA craze. Citra, Chinook, Centennial, Cascade…these hops are to the IPA world what Elvis Presley was to rock n roll! They started the movement!