The Antithesis of Unearthly
Originally Published on "Brews of Our Lives"
Down here in the Tampa Bay area, our beer selection has improved dramatically in the last few years. We've gone from a relative beer backwater to the home of one of the most exciting new breweries in the country - Cigar City. Besides our own regional brews, we have also seen a huge increase in the selection of small batch brews from all around the country. As an apt example, I offer Iniquity - an imperial black ale from Southern Tier Brewing out of Lakewood, NY.
Per the writing on the bottle, Iniquity "is contrary to what one may expect from an IPA; this is an ale as black as night." However, I have to think they're referring mostly to the appearance of this black as night brew. Loaded with chinook, cascade, williamette, and centennial hops, this is clearly an IPA - even at first taste. But while the hops dominate and define this tasty brew, there is an underlying malt character that you might not find in other IPAs - I think the hop bitterness is evident, but the "debittered black malt" balances that bitterness out, making for a very pleasant 9% black IPA bomb.
Find one and drink it!
***For all the PA readers, I was at Cigar City Brewery the other night (and had some great beers), and I heard some bad news for fans from the north. Due to high demand, they're planning to stop supplying the PA market until later this year, after they get a couple new fermenters up and running. If you like the beers and see them around, snatch them up, as they won't be restocked for a while!
Down here in the Tampa Bay area, our beer selection has improved dramatically in the last few years. We've gone from a relative beer backwater to the home of one of the most exciting new breweries in the country - Cigar City. Besides our own regional brews, we have also seen a huge increase in the selection of small batch brews from all around the country. As an apt example, I offer Iniquity - an imperial black ale from Southern Tier Brewing out of Lakewood, NY.Per the writing on the bottle, Iniquity "is contrary to what one may expect from an IPA; this is an ale as black as night." However, I have to think they're referring mostly to the appearance of this black as night brew. Loaded with chinook, cascade, williamette, and centennial hops, this is clearly an IPA - even at first taste. But while the hops dominate and define this tasty brew, there is an underlying malt character that you might not find in other IPAs - I think the hop bitterness is evident, but the "debittered black malt" balances that bitterness out, making for a very pleasant 9% black IPA bomb.
Find one and drink it!
***For all the PA readers, I was at Cigar City Brewery the other night (and had some great beers), and I heard some bad news for fans from the north. Due to high demand, they're planning to stop supplying the PA market until later this year, after they get a couple new fermenters up and running. If you like the beers and see them around, snatch them up, as they won't be restocked for a while!
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