Waller St. Black IIPA

Next up from Ottawa’s Waller St. Brewing was their Black IIPA. This brute clocked in at 8.5% and a thunderous 90 IBUs. Sold in 500mL bottles, the beer inside proved dark brown with a velvety blanket of tan head.

The beer has an assertive pine nose, with rich, toasty malts. The flavour of this beer is the real star. It blends a twist of licorice bitterness with pine boughs, dark molasses, and well-toasted malt to create a dense and engaging profile.

Though this beer found its way into my glass (actually a cottage mason jar) on a hot July afternoon, I suspect it’d really be best suited for a chilly campfire evening or an autumn afternoon. Still, it left me contemplative, satisfied, and a little tipsy.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

BBB

 BBB is a Torontonian Imperial Black IPA with lactose. Apparently, BBB stands for Brian’s Big Black Beer, though the can rightly notes that there are actually four Bs. It’s a 7.5% Cascadian dark ale (though I think calling it “imperial” is a stretch at that percentage). Brewed by Great Lakes Brewery, BBB is sold in 473mL cans. It’s a near-black beer that pours with an extremely durable and pleasantly fluffy tan head.

BBB has aromatics that combine roasted malt and evergreen bitterness. The flavour kicks off with some mocha sweetness, but pivots to a robustly bitter finish accented with pine and espresso. The use of lactose gives the beer a very creamy texture, which is a bit of an odd contrast to the bitter flavours.

This is an unusual offering—very flavourful, with decent strength and a curious texture.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Gotham

Gotham is a sinister black imperial IPA from Toronto standout Bellwoods Brewery. Twitter told me that this brew was available, and within 36 hours I was at the bottle shop picking up a 500mL bottle of the stuff (as well as a handful of their other excellent offerings). The label of this 8% ale features an imposing municipal skyline and an admonition to drink the stuff fresh.

The beer isn't actually all that dark--it's an attractive mahogany ale with amber highlights, underneath a dense and durable cream head. The scent of this bad boy is dominant, with chunky hops taking the pole position, but with a really compelling stone fruit sweetness not far behind. The flavour, too, is bitter first, but bolstered by a slightly honeyed plummy sweetness. There is also a modest splash of rummy heat.

I often rave about Bellwoods' acumen for making elite beers, but there's something really special about Gotham. What works about it is it's delicious and unusual flavour--this is an imperial IPA, a black IPA that doesn't taste like everything else on the market. At just 8%, I don't think it's quite strong enough to merit the "imperial" designation, and it's a touch too sweet, but this was a beer I couldn't put down.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.

Cabin Fever Imperial Black IPA

Taking in a little March Madness on a Sunday evening, I worked up quite a thirst watching my bracket disintegrate before my eyes. I did so poorly that it called for something strong and assertive, so I uncapped a 650mL bottle of Cabin Fever Imperial Black IPA. Cabin Fever is a 8.5% alcohol brute that pours coffee-black, beneath a fluffy off-white head. It's brewed by Victoria, British Columbia's Phillips Brewing Company.

While Cabin Fever doesn't have a strong aroma, it does give the impression that it's a powerful beer, with a suggestion of potent, dank bitterness. Here, flavour has much more depth than aroma, with pungent hops chops. It's murky and also has a big roasted malt presence.  Tastes pretty good to me.

Cabin Fever's label needs to be commented on--both complimented and criticized. On the happy side of the ledger, it's "made from 100% post consumer recycled materials. However, it should also be noted that the copy about the beer is a tad insensitive. It claims to be "crafted for the crazy in all of us", a "balanced beer for the unbalanced mind", and to have enough hops and malt to "satisfy all the voices in your head". Not exactly respectful or compassionate for persons with mental illness.

All in, it's a pretty decent imperial black IPA. Flavourful and robust. I'd buy it again if they changed the image.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

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.