Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. Puzzler Belgian Black IPA - Barrel Aged

Puzzler Belgian Black IPA - Barrel Aged

 

Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

  IPA - Black / Cascadian Dark Regular Out of Production
Score
6.11
ABV: 7.3% IBU: - Ticks: 5
Originally pieced together with midnight roasted malt, Belgian yeast and American hops, this Puzzler was barrel-aged exclusively for the Snowcase pack, deep in body with roasted malt flavor & smoothed out with vanilla bourbon, the last move is simple; remove cap to solve.
 

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6.2/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Medium brown but without much head. The aroma is what it says - a dark fruit Belgian-style ale with a whiff of grapefruity hop. Has a mellow bitterness, a little dark fruit...probably more Black IPA on the palate. But tart at the back, and nothing here is particularly interesting...just an aimless experiment.
Tried on 01 Apr 2016 at 17:27

5.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 5.5
Tasting at Matt’s
Dark brown color, close to dark, small head. Strange aroma, there is some malt and hops, but also some vegetables and spices. Medium body strength, light residual sweetness, some roasted malt and chocolate flavor, but fundamentally earthy and dusty, with a light presence of oak chips; ordinary bitterness.
Not bad. Mostly clumsy.
Tried on 20 Mar 2015 at 20:21

6.8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 7
Draft - Sweet pine and light roast. Jet black with a rich light brown head. Boozy bourbon and wood notes, light hips notes and a rich dark roast finish. Bourbon overwhelms what I thought was a great black IPA.
Tried from Draft on 04 Mar 2015 at 16:47

4.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 5 Flavor 4 Texture 4 Overall 4.5
650 ml bottle. Pours black with moderate foamy head. Aromas of green wood, booze, vanilla, and resin. Flavors of same. Where did the original Puzzler go? A great base destroyed by an overbearing poor barrel aging.
Tried from Bottle on 20 Feb 2015 at 20:42

5/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 5
341mL bottle, pours black with a small beige head. Aroma brings out cheap bourbon, with vanilla, and vegetal notes, especially celery. Flavour is about the same, with cheap bourbon notes, vanilla, and vegetal notes. There are subverted notes of light roast, but not much hops left. So far inferior to the regular Puzzler. Quite shit.
Tried from Bottle on 21 Jan 2015 at 22:45