Poured from a 22oz bottle into a chilled pint glass. Found at Santa Anita Wines and Spirits

Appearance: Poured a jet black. Not a peep of light goes through it. A very fresh, active head with a grayish white half inch head, that never goes away. Thick lace is left after each sip.

Aroma: Close your eyes. You get a strong aroma of a light double IPA, if that makes sense. Some strong double IPAs do not have this much nose and aroma, but this one does, its just not overly piney or citrusy. The hops slightly tickle your nose. I know I sound fruity, but it is true.

Taste: A humongous mind fuck. You see a beer as dark as Old Rasputin, and your mind tells you burnt caramels and malts and coffe and chocolate. Again, with your eyes closed, this beer comes off as a mild double IPA. Whether my mind is playing tricks on me or not, there is a small hint of caramel.

Mouthfeel: Very clean and refreshing. Not syrupy at all, despite its appearance. Hits tip of your tongue like a 9 volt battery, skips the middle of my tongee, and leaves a nice sweet IPA aftertaste in the back of my tongue. A mild hop aftertaste, with zero bitterness.

Drinkability: Even at 8.7% ABV, because of its thinness for a double IPA, you could drink more than you probably should. A great time of year for this emerging style. I urge Stone to push for the beer style IBA instead of the contradicting Black India Pale Ale style name.

Bottle Release Date: September 10th 2007

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