Sierra Nevada - DevESTATEtion Black IPA Review

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Location: Chico, CA

Beer: DevESTATEtion

Style:Black IPA
Serving: Weizen Glass (22 oz.) 

ABV: 6.7%
IBUs: 67

From the bottle:
It’s a shame when good barley goes bad, but instead of crying in our beer – or lack thereof – we decided to do one better and make something new. Featuring organic malts and our estate-grown wet hops, this black IPA is the evil twin of our legendary Estate Ale. Black in color with a mild roasty flavor and moderate body, this beer has a bold citrusy and earthy hop flavor and aroma from the use of our own wet hops. We’d never let one bad harvest get in the way of a great beer, so join us in a toast to the memory of our devastating season.

A (3/3): Two fingers of thick rocky beige head that reduces to a thin but dense coating and produces moderate lacing.  The head retention on this beer is incredible I did not see anything but foam the entire duration while looking into the glass.  The beer is dark but not as black, as I was expecting; I would say burnt chestnut over black.  The beer is mostly clear but has a light haze, light passes through with little effort.  The bottle is sealed with a tough black wax, had to use a knife to get to it.

S (10/12): Browned toasted malts, slight citrus notes and a bold earthy hops character.  DevESTATEtion also supports a meager touch of dark chocolate and coffee aroma.

T (17/20): Much more malt flavor than hops, like a hoppy stout.  The wet hops can be tasted with a slightly vegetal flavor.

M (4/5): Full bodied with a slight lingering bite from the bitterness associated with both hops and dark malts.  Finishes creamy and slightly oily.

O (8/10): Very heavily malted for a black IPA with the hops take a supporting role in this beer.  I have zero qualms with this, other than the style that it is placed in.  Not what I was expecting, but still a very enjoyable and expertly crafted ale.

Total:(42/50)