Upland Komodo Dragon Fly Black IPA

From Upland Brewing – Komodo Dragonfly Black IPA is a well-balanced, dark, bitter, and totally unique beer experience. We brewed this IPA with a base of fresh Pilsner Malts and darkened the color with pure Black Malts, creating a clean malt character that allows the liberal hop additions to shine through. Komodo is dry hopped and aged with a pinch of lavender to add to the overall aromatic experience.

Upland Brewing – Komodo Drangon Fly Komodo Black IPA – 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.6.5% abv.

Appearance: As I was pouring this in my pint glass, it totally reminded me of pouring a can of Oskar Blues Ten Fidy. It really looked like motor oil.  Atop lies a thin tan cap of suds.

Aroma: Big roasty notes, like a dry stout or porter and a little bit of citrus.

Taste: A perfect balance of coffee and dark burnt malts, piney bitter hops and citrus zest in the finish.  The roast and burnt malts dominates the flavor for me. Please don’t be grossed out, but when I burp, I get that hop profile that is dominated initially by the malt bill.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, moderately carbonated.

Overall: If you take the name IPA off of the beer, and just worry about what it tastes, looks, and smells like, you have a champion. As far as Black IPAs, this was more black and less IPA than others I have tried.