The final review of my 12 Days of Christmas! And I know I have an IPA in my stout glass, but I’ve always used this glass for dark ales.
Flashlight shows a clear black cherry red with light head retention, smells of coffee, roasted malts, and herbal hops. The taste is crisp and toasty with notes of smoke, dark chocolate, and grapefruit. The finish is long and moderately bitter, featuring notes of grapefruit pith, herbal hops, and smoke. Overall, it’s really hard to say if this is a black IPA or just an imperial stout. There’s a touch more citrus character, but ultimately, it’s a dark, smoky, malty beer that I’d just call a stout myself. Either way it is quite enjoyable and definitely worth trying if you’re not a fan of Stones normal lineup of IPAs.
