Frostbite Black IPA

Foothills Brewing in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is the fount of Frostbite Black IPA, a 6.2% 74 IBU, an obsidian ale with a loose, off-white head. Frostbite has a rowdy aroma crammed full of roasted malts and dank hops. Its flavour is rich in nearly-charred malts, built on top of a very bitter and resinous lupulin body.

Black IPAs are a big ask, since I expect jumbo bitterness combined with roasty, malty elements. Foothills IPA does a pretty fair service of walking those boundaries—it’s hoppy and dank, but bold and well-rounded. I’d have liked it to punch a bit harder in terms of booze, but the IBU count is admirable, the colour is nice, and the aroma is robust.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.