8.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

16 ounce crowler into tulip glass, filled on 11/15/2019. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1 finger dense and rocky khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a small cap that lasts. Thick soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, apricot, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, dill, coriander, cilantro, peppercorn, pine, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark bread/crust, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and roast/bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, apricot, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, dill, coriander, cilantro, peppercorn, pine, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark bread/crust, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery, roast, charred bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, apricot, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, dill, coriander, cilantro, peppercorn, pine, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark bread/crust, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and roast/bready malt flavors; with an awesome roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and no acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, sticky/resinous/rindy, and lightly chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 7%. Overall this is an awesome black IPA. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and roast/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly bitter/resinous/drying finish; not aggressive. Awesome Sorachi Ace profile. Very vibrant and fairly juicy/dank/earthy hops; with a great balanced roasted malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A really enjoyable offering, and impressive spot on style example. The hop profile is unique as expected, but works really well here!