Long Black

Long Black, from Picton’s 555 Brewing Co., is billed as “a deceivingly easy drinking black ale”. It’s brewed with Cherry Bomb Coffee, and clocks in at 4.5% and 55 IBUs.

My pint arrived looking black and opaque, with a thin cap of tan head. The beer had a profoundly coffee-soaked aroma on top of rich malt notes. The beer is quite bitter, owing more to coffee than to hops. As well, there is considerable representation of well-roasted hops, chocolate, and a streak of something sweet and floral. The copy on the tap list likened it to a hint of elderflower, which seems credible.

While I was sitting on the patio enjoying my pint, a guy at the table next to me was working on a flight and enthusiastically polished off all except Long Black, which he clearly did not enjoy. Given that I thought it was a pretty solid and enjoyable little ale, I can only conclude that this is a divisive offering. But if you’re in Prince Edward County and in the mood for a dark ale with some character, I’d say give it a spin.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Scottish Brewing History Lesson #2-Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale

According to the label, Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale is brewed according to a 16th Century recipe. It checks in at 6.5% alcohol and is an extremely dark ale.  It looks like a stout, but its thin like an ale.  Very little light gets through this monster.  It is crowned by a relatively this dusting of tan head.

There is a strong scent: sweet, dank and alcoholic. The flavour is very round: mildly fruity and big on malt.  According to the bottle, there is a "red wine flavour." I think this characterization is pretty apt, particularly in the sour tang present in the aftertaste.

This is definitely not a session beer.  It's a touch too sweet for this guy to get behind on a regular basis, but it's an interesting brew and one that is worth trying. It's enjoyable, compelling and unlike anything I've ever tried before.  Definitely a treat to try a new "old" brew.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

India Ink Black Pale Ale

Trafalgar Ales & Meads hails from Oakville, Ontario.  I've been keeping my eye out for their brews ever since a former boss recommended them to me.  Trafalgar has a pretty interesting looking roster of brews--lots of things I'd jump to try if I ever saw them in the liquor store. 

Such was the case the other day when I came across the India Ink Black Pale Ale.  I was immediately drawn to this brew by its stark and stylish black and white label and its large bottle (650mL).  India Ink weighs in at 5% alcohol.  It pours very dark--not black like a stout or a porter, but a dark brown with faint red highlights.  It has a nice, round aroma with notes of toasty nut.  The initial flavour reflects the aroma--it's roasty, toasty and nutty.  India Ink contains an interesting mix of sweet and bitter.  For lack of a better word, this brew tastes gloomy.  However, for such a dark beer, the flavour was considerably more mild than I expected and nowhere near as hoppy.  It features a sharp, bitter aftertaste.  I thought I could detect notes of licorice, though on reflection, that might be due to my expectations for such a dark ale.

My experience with black ales is limited, so I didn't really know what to expect from this brew.  I found it left me reasonably satisfied and interested in exploring other beers in this category.  It was a bit on the thin side, but I enjoyed the way the gloomy colour matched the gloomy flavour.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.