Draught middy size at The Royal Albert Hotel, Sydney, on October 11, 2015.Clear very dark brown to black color, dense tan to light brown head. Sweet, roasted, malty taste. Grainy, sweet aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel, medium low bitterness. Sweet, tobacco flower, light roasted scent. Some alcohol.

(Bottle) Fantastic looking beer - black with ruby hints and big dense tan head. Pleasant complex aroma, mainly pine hoppiness but with some earthy, cheese and coffee hints. Medium body with plentiful soft carbonation. The tastes starts with some nice gentle sweetness - berries, candy. There’s dark chocolate notes in the mid-palate which steadily develops a complex bitterness which is hop and dark coffee / burnt bitter. Doesn’t quite work for me, the bitterness is too aggressive and dark.

Pours black with a large off white head.Nose shows figs, chocolate, sultanas as well as piny and resinous hops.Mixture of black ipa and old ale in terms of flavours. Soft roast and piny hops but also some figs and port-like notes.

With its black body and frothy head, this looks like a great BIPA, but it’s downhill from there. The aromas of bread, sweet biscuits, orange peel and lemon prove a somewhat strange combination and in the mouth the citrus overpowers the malt completely so that there’s this odd mixture of grapefruit and boiled lollies. The palate is watery and the length short. Probably the worst BIPA I’ve ever had.

Nut brown colour, slightly nutty aroma, earthy and quite toasty character w both malt and hops contributing. A bit yeasty. Off-dry finish. Some good elements bit the yeastiness prevents it all from coming together.

Growler, 11C. Dark brown with a large beige head. Aroma of chocolate, bananas, lemon, oranges, spices. First sniff is all sweet and fruity, then citrus hops really blast through. Silky mouthfeel. Alcohol is dangerously well-hidden. Sweet chocolate, caramel, banana, some light tropical fruits swept aside by bitter orange and lemon. Fine finish is hoppy, dry and a little salty, but disjointed with what came before. Interesting and fun though.