650ml bottle from Whole Foods Columbus Circle, New York @ Varjopikkujoulut

Bottled 10/17/14 - Pours pitch black with a smooth white head. Intense aroma of fresh herbal hops, grass, pine, citrus, some roastiness. Taste is hoppy, grassy and herbal with loads of fruits, pine, resin and some roastiness. Finish is hoppy, fruity and grassy with loads of pine, resin, hints of rye and slight roastiness in the finish. Complex, heavy and fruity with loads of flavor. Feels like a double IPA with just a hint of roastiness. Great stuff.

A bottle that I’ve been slowing looking around for a while and found at Brewer’s Haven in Boise. Seemed like a good choice to add into the Halloween lineup. Very dark brown pour, topped with a finger of creamy brown head. Pine, citrus and heavy roast makeup a potent aroma, strong and inviting. Heavy roast in the flavor, but a heavy dose of citrus brings the hops forward. Light pine. Picking up the rye very minimally and just in the tail. A very nice brew.

Bottle - Roasty malts, chocolate and huge pine notes. Jet black with a rich brown head. Roast, coffee, chocolate and pine hops. Lots of roast and good huge hops to balance. Big beer, but great.

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 5/7/2014. Pours dense pitch black color with a 2 finger dense and rocky tan head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, spicy rye, dark bread, floral, grass, pine, and floral/roasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of bright citrus/pine hops and dark/roasted malt sweetness; with good strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, spicy rye, dark bread, floral, grass, pine, and floral/roasted earthiness. Good amount of pine/grassy/roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, spicy rye, dark bread, floral, grass, pine and floral/roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, balance, and robustness of bright citrus/pine hops and dark/roasted malt sweetness; with a great malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very smooth, crisp, and fairly creamy/sticky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is an awesome imperial black IPA! All around great complexity and balance of bright citrus/pine hops and dark/roasted malt sweetness; and very smooth and crisp to sip on for the big ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.