Blue Point Brewing Co.
Patchogue, NY
Available: NY, NJ, CT, FL, NC, PA, MD, RI
BP Toxic Sludge was brewed to benefit birds affected by BP’s Gulf oil spill. All of the proceeds go to Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research for their “Spreading Our Wings” Capital Campaign.
ABV: 7
ABW: 5.6
Color: n/a
Bitterness: 35
Original gravity: 1068
Black IPA is nothing new; I had my first in 1995. This one is a dark garnet rather than black, and sets up a nice dark tan head. On first cold pour, the roasted malts dominate the aroma and flavor with coffee notes and a slightly astringent roasted bitterness. The hops catch up as it warms, slipping through the roast and making a nice finish. Good with a bowl of gumbo, a cigar, or a cool fall afternoon.
Let us skirt the whole “Cascadian dark ale/black IPA” pseudo-controversy and get straight to the beer, shall we? Rather than black, this pours a mahogany brown with a lovely, thick off-white collar of foam. The nose shows its hoppiness first, with piney, citrusy notes, and a charcoal-ish roastiness second. In the body, there is raisin and date up front, followed by notes of black plum, burnt citrus peel, well-roasted coffee and just a hint of Islay whisky. The dry finish with a lingering bitterness concludes this quaffable and, I suspect, barbecue-friendly ale.
Lew Bryson writes about beer and whiskey from his home in southeast Pennsylvania. He has a family and two dogs. That's all you need to know.
Once described as “beerdom's Brillat-Savarin,” Stephen Beaumont is the author of five books and countless articles on beer, spirits, food, travel, and how it all goes together.
