HB at home, thanks to Ben originally then LKS for muelling, 15/12/14. Murky mahogany brown with moderate tan spotting and edgeing. Nose is bitter dark fruits, light charr, toffee, red berry, straw, burnt cherries. Taste is better, pine, dank hop notes, light spice, cocoa rub, tropical fruit peel, light smokey tones. Medium body, moderate carbonation, semi drying close with dank hop bitterness tempered with some sweetness. So so CDA, lacks all round balance.

Bottle shared at the Kernel - thanks to BenH. Pours brown with a frothy tan head. The aroma holds toasted pine, earth, burnt malts. Medium sweet flavor with charred toast, oily pine, wood, dirt and orange rind. Medium bodied with average carbonation. Oily finish, resinous, with cocoa, roast, pine, earth, charred leaves. So so.

Swing top thanks to Ben H. It pours murky deep brown with a decent beige head. The nose is earthy, must, sweat, lightly cheese, aniseed and cocoa. The taste is bitter, roasty, soapy, orange rind, aniseed, earth, toast, light acidity and coffee with a dry finish. Medium body, high carbonation and foamy mouth-feel. Smells pretty awful, but taste is ok. A bit weird in general.

Bottle from The Beerhive. Dark brown body with a thick off-white head that holds well. Great lacing. Aroma of brown sugar, plum, earthy hops, coffee and flat Coca-Cola. Flavour of bitter blood orange, stewed tea, wood, lightly roasted malt and coffee. Dry finish. Medium body with an oily texture. Soft fizz. I’m probably splitting hairs here but although the bottle says it’s a Black IPA I found this to be more of a hoppy Brown Ale. Very good.

Cask at the Guildford arms... Light golden yellow... Small white head... Soft sweet floral fruit nose... Light sweet juicy fruits.. Light dry zezty hop... Hints of lemon.. Crisp refreshing with light bitter linger

Keg at the vintage... Deep murky... Brown.. Thick tan head... Soft sweet dry woody toffee... Soft sweet fruits... Dry roast... Dry woody malts... Soft roast.. Little fizzy... By monalith brewing

Re-rating. Definitely not as much evidence of the sour wild note this time. Quite a complex malt and hop bill, actually, and decent. Previous rating on 21/11/14 = 6+4+5+3+8=2.6 Bottle thanks to allmyvinyl. Appearance - cloudy dark amber with a decent head. Nose - lemon sorbet with dry yeasty finish. Taste - toffee with sour malt. Odd. Palate - light to medium bodied with a tangy texture and a long dry overly yeast influenced finish. Overall - sorry it’s too funky!

500ml bottle from Drygate. Pours hazy amber, thin white head. Funky aromas, sherbet, hop citrus. Taste is sherbet sweet, wild yeast funk. Not great. Too sweet and possibly infected?

500ml bottle from Drygate, Glasgow. Pours hazy amber brown, thin white head. Mint aromas, light tropical fruit, pine. Taste is good IPA base, light additional fruitiness. Good piney bitter finish.

Bottle thanks to allmyvinyl. Appearance - dirty honey with a decent lacy head. Nose - mint in amongst pine and tropical citrus do lychee. Sweet malt. Taste - mango and mint are gently interrupting the citrus hops notes. Nice solid malty backbone. Palate - medium bodied with a creamy texture and a long dry finish. Overall - good beer.