Black Forest Brewing's Black IPA: Back in Black!

In the words of Mark Twain, "The rumors of the black IPA's death have been greatly exaggerated."

Black IPAs are a rare breed in Colorado Springs (and the country, for that matter), but they should be sought out if you like a nice toasty malt backbone combined with some hop bitterness. Despite the ‘black as night’ color of these types of IPAs, they’re surprisingly smooth—dare I say floral? The Black Forest IPA is one of the best I’ve had. It has a roasted, chocolatey grain bill and hops that aren’t too over the top. The difference between other dark beers, like a porter or stout, and this black IPA is that it genuinely has an IPA flavor. So, it’s the best of both worlds. It’s one of Black Forest’s flagships, so you’re not in danger of missing it if you come along in the summer. Like I’ve mentioned in other posts, there shouldn’t be a season for drinking dark beers, so don’t shy away from drinking this one when the weather is warm.

After my IPA, I decided to try a 10oz pour of Black Forest Brewery’s saison. I’ll reserve my review for a separate post (and with a full pint in front of me) but I have to say, it’s one of the best saison’s I’ve had. It’s called Midnight in the Forest, so you can imagine the color. The flavor profile is similar to the black IPA, but with the typical yeasts that characterize farm house ales like the saison. So, if you’re in the area, don’t pass up a sample of the saison along with the black IPA!