Probably the latest version of this... does RB really need 3 entries for it? Ushitora First Impact American Black IPA Cola black with a light beige head and ruby highlights. The aroma is pine and roasty malts. Medium bodied and super smooth with a soft round mouthfeel. The taste is toasty roasty dark malts, oats and chocolate with soft piney hops. Well balanced and a great example of the style.

Full, balanced, toasty, SHAZAM! I don't usually find two black IPAs at one place, but great for comparison.

Tap at Bankan. Pours a hazy deep brown with a small head. Dark chocolate aromas with a weird chalky, sweet aroma that lingers. Dark fruit and bitter hoppiness on the palate. More roasted cacao nib. Feels a little one-dimensional. --- Beer merged from original tick of Uetake #111 First Impact on 12 Sep 2016 at 19:55 - Score: 7. Original review text: Dark chocolate and bit of a weird sweetness on the nose. Dark fruit. Bitter hippiness on the palate with roasted cacao nib. It's ok.

Tap at Ushi-Tora. Deep brown to black with some slight cloudiness. Huge roasted malt-forward nose with dark chocolate, grass and hop aromas. Average carbonation with a medium body. More roasted malt notes come out on the palate. Bitter, roasty finish with some light grassy hops. Finish is a little spiky and rough. --- Beer merged from original tick of First Impact #055 on 01 Apr 2016 at 19:24 - Score: 6. Original review text: Roasted malt nose, chocolate, astringent bitterness in the palate. Roasty finish with a touch of grassiness.

Tap at Komachi. Roasty nose, light citrus and grass. A bit of chocolate and coffee. Light body and flavor, a bit thin. Crisp and dry. Roasty but no big chocolate or rich malt. Ok hops. Nice enough but not special. Very thin and light.

dark brown color. Cappuccino color nose. Medium body fairly decent. Not as hoppy or as good as the Baird version though