Founders Black IPA

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

On tap at Black Party Ok ,I was expecting the nice fragrances of pine and sprtizy hops, but the distinct dark cake aroma of the dark malts was pleasantly surprising,Taste was agian all aspects of dark malts,with touchs of molaasses and licorice,lots of pine and spicey hops with a sweet and bitter finish, the malt is so unusual here and garners so much attention,it almost seems to balanced to be an IPA,more a dark version of a quality Pale Ale. Apparently this will soon be bottled. Recommended

MBG Winter Fest 2008. Poured clear black color with an average frothy brown head that was mostly diminished with good lacing. Moderate roasted rye malt and hoppy aroma. Medium body with a slick texture. Medium to heavy bittersweet flavor with a medium to heavy bittersweet finish of long duration. Complex solid beer.

2008 MBG Winter Fest: Deep brown nearly black hue with a fading frothy head and spotty lace. The aroma has notes of charred and rye bread malt, piney and grassy hops, hint of pineapple and fig esters, and hint of fusel alcohol too. The taste is aggressively bitter from the dark malt and the abundance of hops. There is a subdued bready malt and fruit character as well before the spicy finish. The mouth feel is sprite and sharp, biting and astringent. A nice change of pace at the fest, another good example of the new hybrid style.

On tap at Founders. Pours a dark black to brown, though not impenetrable. The nose has a nice bite to this. Fresh piney hops seem to be crowded out by, RYE! The nose is much bolder than black rye, with perhaps even a hint of smoke. The mouthfeel is about average, though not poorly done, making this a nice sipper. The flavors again suggest black rye, but really are much stronger in the hop character. This is what I think Stone XI was supposed to taste like! (But I think I may have had a bad bottle of that) The flavor again has a hint of smoke in it. Resinous hop bitterness lingers with a bit of that spice from some rye character that Is swear must be in this. A lovely beer, I hope this makes it into bottles! I refuse to believe this is an IPA, but who cares about labels anyway?

Dark black pour, a little thin in body. Aroma is hops and a little malt at the same time, neither are overwhelming. Taste is to be expected, almost could be thought of as a hoppy porter. A good kick back brew, can be enjoyed even after a few since all the flavors work together well. Please bottle this!