Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Raiden Black IPA Black IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$7.95 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 26-Jun-2016, reviewed 2-Jul-2016)
Appearance: nearly opaque black with brown margins, one fat finger of fluffy ivory head, decent retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: roasty malts, sharp rye, citrus, pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter, mild tart. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, slightly tart and mildly astringent bitter finish. (4/5)
Black… rye… IPA… what, you couldn’t whack some Brett in there and tick all the beer hipster boxes at once? OK, it’s a decent enough implementation of all of those factors, I’ll give you that. And given the Citra hops, I’m just glad there’s no cattiness to speak of. But… y’know… maybe that Brett’s not such a bad idea after all? It’s good, yeah, but it’s not next-level good. (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
