Close Encounter Black IPA
Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois, United States 🇺🇸
IPA - Black / Cascadian Dark Rotating|
Score
7.62
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Close encounter is a bold venture into depths unknown. The best of both worlds co-exist between a rich roasted malt character and an aggressive hop presence that will probe your taste buds like nothing you have experienced before. Don't fear the unknown, embrace it! You never know who or what you will encounter...
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7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can. Pours inky black with large tan foamy head, hoppy aroma with a bit of caramel, medium carbonation, lightly bitter mocha taste, thick body, longish hoppy finish with mocha aftertaste. Very smooth and nice hoppy mocha brew.
Tried
from Can
on 13 May 2016
at 13:01
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can - pours black with a thick, well-sustained tan head - smells of cedar, pine, charred maltiness, berries, chocolate - creamy texture - medium to full body - flavor has a strong woody, peppery, green hop quality to it, complimented well by moderate (but non-abrasive) malt roastiness - some chocolate, coffee - spicy finish - solid, but 13 bucks a four pack?.
Tried
from Can
on 27 Feb 2016
at 18:39
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
16 ounce can into snifter, no can dating. Pours fairly pitch black color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy tan head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense foamy lacing clings around the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toasted dark bread, light smoke/char, floral, grass, and roasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/tropical/pine hops and roast/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toasted dark bread, light smoke/char, floral, grass, and roasted earthiness. Moderate amount of pine/citrus rind and roast/char bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, lemon/orange peel, pine, dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toasted dark bread, light smoke/char, floral, grass, and roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/tropical/pine hops and roast/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from hop/roast bitterness that increases through the glass. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately sticky/resinous, and lightly creamy/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice Black IPA style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/tropical/pine hops and roast/bready malt flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Can
on 13 Feb 2016
at 20:08
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
16 oz can, 1/25/16. Pours almost black with a thin head. Average, drippy lacework. Roast / burnt malts on the aroma. Resiny hops coming though behind the malts. In the flavor the two switch places and the hops are stronger up front with the roast / burnt flavors coming through on the close. Finishes likes the bottom of the coffee pot, with that burnt flavor really lingering on the tongue. Hops and malts felt just a little misaligned here, but its still a tasty beer.
Tried
from Can
on 25 Jan 2016
at 17:25
8.4/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 7.5
Can. Pours opaque black, medium brown bread, creamy with great lacing. Aroma is Citrus, pine, roast, cocoa, grapefruit. Light plus sweet, medium bitter. Perfect combo. Medium plus body, creamy mouthfeel. Great black IPA
Tried
from Can
on 14 Dec 2015
at 19:30
8.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Purchased at Bottles and Cans in Chicago, IL; enjoyed at home on that first Monday night after Daylight Savings Time when you leave work at 4:30 PM and it’s already dark outside. So it’s a good stout night. Appearance is pitch black, thick, huge bubbly dark tan head. Aroma of chocolate, cocoa, rich in grassy hops, smells powerful. Taste is pretty damn good, rich and dessert like with a bountiful hoppy backend. Only 7% ABV but definitely has a burn to it. Very good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Nov 2015
at 17:40