Bottle (backlog 2014). Black body with a big, dense beige head. Nice aroma of dark, mild roasted malt and coffee. Flavor is sweet, dark, pleasant roasted malt, some dark chocolate, some coffee ad balanced bitterness. Medium body and pleasant aftertaste. Nothing extraordinary really, but tasty and well made.

Orange zest-spiced "black ale" by Moylan's, older bomber from De Caigny. Irregularly lacing, pale yellowish beige, moussy, stable head over a misty, very dark nut brown beer with wine red hue - but blackish in general appearance. Weird aroma, initially dominated by something very polishing wax-like, fortunately retreating after a while to make room for impressions of candied orange peel and marmelade, cashew nuts, dry liquorice candy, strawberry jam, wet toast, chocolate bars, dried dates. Sweetish onset, clean with some fig compote and marmelade sweetness, light sourish touch probably hinting at infection (from the orange zest, no doubt), softish carbo, smooth and bit oily mouthfeel. Caramelly and lightly nutty malt sweet body with lingering infectitious sourishness next to upcoming orange peel aspects with more and more cocoa flavour towards the finish, yet not becoming outspokenly chocolatey. Ends a bit powdery, with still that sourishness persisting over a caramel candy maltiness; hops, which I expected to be very pronounced in what seems to be intended as a Cascadian dark ale, provide only lightly spicy bitterness but hardly any aroma. Weird beer, a dark ale with orange zest alright, but certainly not a black IPA - not even close to that. Which is unfortunate, since I like a good Cascadian every now and then. The main issue here, however, is that the orange zest must have lead to a mild bacterial infection, resulting in a weird waxy aroma and not very flattering sourishness, though the whole remains interesting and drinkable. Still, I expected a lot more from this...

A black beer, a head is creamy, medium and light brown. MAroma has chocolate, coffee, dark and dried fruits with their sweetness, some liquorice. Taste has liquorice, dry roastiness and coffee, some bitterness and overally quite dry, hint of dried fruits. Almost full bodied, not stickyness, smooth. The aroma has taste are slighty different. Good and balanced.

From Aug 2008

This pours a clear medium gold with a 2 finger head of foam. Above average head retention and average lacing.

The smell is another massive hop permeating sensation. Lots of grapefruit and grass, not much fruit at all to speak of, and no malt presence at all. Something describing itself as a triple IPA...no surprise there but I hope the taste does indeed have some indication that malt was used. Oh yeah, some booze hits my nose buds but not much.

The taste..ok..this one is bitter and I *do* mean bitter. Grapefruit at its most bitter, some grass, I want to say there's some other fruit here but I'm finding it hard to find it. The malt? I *know* it's there some where but I'll be danged if I can taste any sign of it. Bitter, bitter, BITTER!

Ok, I'll settle down now. Mouthfeel is medium, the carbonation is very brisk, it finishes..you've guessed it..BITTER! This is a real palate killer and I won't have another brew tonight after finishing this bomber, not because the abv is overpowering as I think it's hidden well. I don't think my taste buds can taste anything after this monster of an Ale. And that's a shoot.

Bottom line: I'm glad I drank this after trying some other brews. I think it goes over the top for the style when it comes to a hoppy brew. When I finish this bottle, it will be my last encounter with Hopsickle.

Draft. Amber Beer with a cream head. Light citrus. Orange and grapefruit flavor. Medium bodied. Orange and grapefruit linger with light summer fruit.

Draught at Hopwater Distribution. Murky brown with a thin head. Aroma of cinnamon and spice. Flavour is tangy spiced malt, corriander, pepper chili finish.

Bottled 650ml. -from Beergium. Pitch black coloured, medium sized brown head, alcohol and mild chocolate in the nose. Roasted malt, chocolate, noticable alcohol, notes of coffee and wood with some dark fruits and roast in the finish. Decent one.

Draught at St. Augustine's, Vancouver
Beautiful amber color, clean. The aroma is lightly vinous, acetic, footy. Moderate sourness; it tastes like sourdough bread, mildly fruity and vinous, with traces of acetic acid.
Messy.