Hoppy Total Eclipse Black Ale

Brewed by Hoppy Brewing Company
Style: Stout
Sacramento, California USA

Bottle from Park Lane Liquor in Lancaster, CA. Pours black with a thick and foamy beige head that dissipates slowly. Patches of lacing on the glass. Roasted chocolate malt aroma with hints of coffee. Medium-bodied with a roasty character and flavors of grainy malt, coffee and hops. The flavor is chocolatey at times as well. The finish is mostly burnt malty with a mild coffee and hops aftertaste. Not sure if this is a mild Stout or some kind of hybrid Stout/Schwarzbier but either way it is pretty good.

$2.99 Bomber from Bottle Barn; Nose of grassy hops, coffee, chocolate, and roastiness; Clear very dark brown with a big cinnamon, glass-lacing, long lasting head; flavor is heavy with chocolate, has mild hop bitterness, and roasted coffee undertones, with a mildly bitter finish. Actually very excellent; what a find for a $3 beer!

A middle of the road stout, this brew poured dark and rich. The flavor left something to be desired and it had too bitter a finish.

22 ounce bottle. A bit roasty and toasted with some lightly sour lactic aroma present as well. Mild hints of sweeter malts also present themselves in the aroma. Rather transparent mahogany body with a tan head that leaves decent lacing and has some nice staying power. Unfortunately, the body on this is rather light in color. Start is a bit astringent and acidic. A little fruity, before it becomes burnt, and quite roasted. Somewhat smooth later on with a long, bitter, hoppy finish. Tastes a bit like cascades or something along those lines. Pretty flavorful and hoppy, but there is just a weird little astringency in this that throws it off a bit.

Pours very dark with a light brown head. Great beer, but a little too much bitter taste at the finish.

650 ml bottle from Bevmo. Black with a creamy tan head. Mild chocolate aroma. Tangy chocolate aroma with a fint of fruit and a roasty almost burnt finish.

Black with a tan head. Aroma is very roasty. Flavor is a little bit of roast coffee, some licorice sweetness, and some bitter hops. Rather unique for the style and a pleasure to drink.

Dark chestnut color with a somewhat frothy tan head and some fine lace. Scent remind me that this is a "PNW" type dark ale. Sweet roasted malt, dark chocolate and grilled grapefruit. I like it from the refreshing sort of scent that is not heavy or overpowering. As it sets some blueberries and coffee come out. Smooth and moderately heavy feel. Much drier than the aroma suggests. Dry roasted coffee and malt flavors. Rather simple, but quite drinkable. Light acidity suggest some black malt that make this one seem more like a porter. Subdued light pine sap in the background. For me this is one of those brews that I could drink all day while working on a home project. Well balanced and drinkable. In a way reminds me of Barney Flats. I really need to try that one again.