Black Oak Brewing Co. Black Oak Ten Bitter Years Imperial IPA at 8.0% ABV
Pours clear pale to medium amber with two fat fingers of frothy tan head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, chunky lacing. Nose is caramel malt, pine, grapefruit, mango and pineapple. Taste follows suit, moderate sweet and emphatic peppery bitter. Medium sticky and chewy body, moderate sustained carbonation, and a long dry bitter finish.
An excellent American D/I IPA with loads of body and character. It’s hop-forward and aggressive, with very well integrated higher ABV. However, either the hop selection or the water chemistry are acting to dull the edge slightly – the hops aren’t as bright as they might be. (The bottle is only six weeks old, so I don’t see age as the issue.) That being said, it’s still a bit of a hop bomb (83 IBU) so it’s kind of like being hit in the mouth with a dull axe, instead of a sharp one.
8/10 #ryansbooze ryanbooze.com
