GLB Imperial Black IPA

GLB Imperial Black IPA is one of four brews crafted to mark the 25th anniversary of Toronto, Ontario's Great Lakes Brewery. It's sold in 750mL bottles and clocks in at a muscular 9.5% alcohol. Moreover, it has a staggering 100 IBUs!

The Imperial Black IPA looks like a porter or a stout--it's almost black and nearly opaque. It pours with an extremely durable tan head and leaves behind thick curtains of lace. GIBIPA has a huge foresty hop aroma. It boasts an incredibly complex flavour that combines molasses and espresso notes with a tremendously bitter hop bombast. While this beer is bold and hugely flavourful, the one thing that doesn't overwhelm is the booze content, which is somehow well buried.

This is easily the best black I.P.A. that I've ever tasted. It wasn't cheap, but it was well worth the expense. I wouldn't open one of these bad boys routinely, but it's a top shelf special occasion brew.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.