Heavy smoke. Delicious.

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Can thanks to Will. Pours a dark brown with medium beige head that lasts. The aroma is fruity malt and cocoa. Medium mouth, cocoa, roast, brine, light bitterness, good.

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

World of Beer, Reston tap: pours black with a beige head. Aroma is chocolate and pine and some chocolate. Taste is rather bitter with a lasting aftertaste. Lots of roasted malts. Some tanginess. This is what you want from a black IPA.

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5

Curios looking can staring at me from the shelf at Lucia’s Bodega. You had me at DC Brau, and it wasn’t until I got home that I saw the brewed with oysters on the side. Somewhat hazy dark brow with faint ruby at the edges and a huge fluffy frothy tan head that slowly recedes leaving a sticky mess on the sides of my glass. Earthy pine with hints of coffee, caramel and chocolate, with a hint of salty brine. The flavor is rich and malty with big caramel and chocolate notes offset slightly with an earthy pine that is not big enough to cut through the malt. Lingering hop bitterness in the finish is at times a little harsh. Gritty ashy texture in the mouthfeel makes me feel like I’ve inhaled some dust and drank some water to wash it away. Medium body with a light to moderate level of carbonation. No easily identifiable date markings on the can so I can’t tell if this is an older sample or this is supposed to be a malty black ipa. I could drink this, but I would call it a hoppy porter and ignore the grit. My can claims 8.0% abv

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Draft at Dino’s. Black, brown head. Aroma of pine on a roasty background. Taste is earthy burnt espresso, coffee grounds, bitter pine. Delicious.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Full draft pour at Ledo’s Pizza in West Springfield. Poured a dark brown color, with a large tan head. Aroma was a bit smoky, lots of roasted malt character. Bitter dark chocolate character, some bitter hop character. Light creamy notes, mild mineral notes. Very tasty, nothing like how it was when I originally had it, which is why it deserves a re-rate.

Original Rating: Draft at Ballston Alexandria. Poured a dark brown color, with a large tan head. Aroma was a bit smoky, lots of roasted malt character. Bitter dark chocolate character, some bitter hop character. Light notes that I can only imagine are the oysters. Not sure I’m really digging this one, it’s not as creamy as I would hope and the Black IPA suffers from earthy, chalky character, with some residual citrus character beneath all the roasted malts. Maybe I’ll try this one again down the road.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

Pours black into a Sam glass. Tan head with good retention recedes leaving sheet lacing. Chocolate and brine aromas. Medium bodied with chocolate and espresso upfront turning to a medium length mineral finish.

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Nicely done. Lits of roast with salty oyster bite at the finish. Pours black with good head and lacing. Salty and bitter finish. Nicely done. Tap at RFD.

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

16 oz. can purchased at 7-11 Kittery, ME. Dark brown, nearly black color with lasting head retention. Aroma is earthy malts, dried leaves, pine and citrus hops.

The flavor is mostly the same as the aroma with a light hint of brine in the backend after the brew is warm. The brine note is very light and not easy to pickup. The hops and malt are balanced really well. Chocolate and citrus upfront of the sip with the earthy, pine hop note in the backend. Bitterness is held in check with the malts. Medium body with a drying texture. Overall this is a solid offering.