Route of All Evil Black Ale

Two Roads Brewing Co.

Stratford, CT

According to brewmaster Phil Markowski, “the idea behind Route Of All Evil was to make an ale that was not porter, not stout, not black IPA but black ale.” The beer is hopped with Crystal, Centennial, Chinook and Cascade hops.

ABV: 7.5

ABW: 5.97

COLOR: 40

BITTERNESS: 70

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1070

AVAILABLE: CT, RI

Informational literature says this beer is meant to “stride the line between robust porter, stout, and black IPA.” One can definitely see where they were going with this, as Route of All Evil is none of these, but offers suggestions of each. The nose starts off with a touch of fruitiness that leads to flavors of dark roasted coffee, a hint of blackstrap molasses and ample doses of bitter chocolate and treacle. It ends with a decidedly black IPA character, with a lingering hop bitterness that coats the tongue and sticks around longer than Uncle Mel on Christmas Day.
- Lisa Morrison

Described as a black ale, this is a bold attempt to occupy territory somewhere between a robust porter, a stout and a black IPA. Does it work? I think so, but not without qualification. Piney hops and smoky, charred grain harmoniously share the action, but I would prefer a touch more sweetness, a little less grassiness and perhaps a deeper chocolate note, just to make the beer rounder and richer. I also think it’s unnecessarily strong. You can balance tangy hops and roasted grains without 7.5% alcohol, which, for me here, tends to get in the way just a little.
- Jeff Evans

Lisa Morrison
Lisa Morrison, aka the Beer Goddess, talks beer every day at her beer store and taproom, Belmont Station, and on a weekly radio show in her hometown of Portland, OR.

Jeff Evans
Jeff Evans is author of the Good Bottled Beer Guide, The Book of Beer Knowledge and Beer Lover’s Britain. More of his writing can be found at www.insidebeer.com.