The Pike Brewing Co. Octopus Ink Black IPA

A portion of the proceeds from sales of this black IPA—which debuted in January—benefit the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, an organization that focuses on preserving and protecting the Puget Sound.

ABV: 8.25  

ABW: 6.47  

COLOR: 60 

Bitterness: 60

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1080

Brewed in: Seattle

Where to Find This Beer: AK, ID, MT, OR, WA

Inky dark, with glints of mahogany and a deep khaki head of tight, tenacious bubbles, this Octopus is a real looker. It smells nice, too, with loads of chocolate, hints of malted milk balls and citrus. There’s also bit of light coffee in there. A first sip reveals flavors of caramel, pine and grapefruit, revealing this beer’s IPA lineage, but the chocolate malt backbone nods to its other relatives. A nimble body and lingering slight fruitiness make for a really enjoyable sip, and with a very dry finish, it’s surprising that it’s a hefty 8.2%.
- Lisa Morrison

First, [insert standard rant about “Black IPA” moniker here]. Now that that’s over with, well, the beer is surely inky and raises a sturdy brown foam. The big hop aroma is very West Coast, and although I don’t usually care for “dank” hops, they work nicely here with the dark chocolate malt aromatics. The bitterness is snappy, and the whole palate glides out on a rail of cacao and caramel into a steely finish. Altogether, this is a very nice rendition of this style, whatever you decide to call it. Get yourself a good pulled pork sandwich, light on the sauce. The beer will be saucy enough.
- Garrett Oliver

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.

Garrett Oliver
Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, the author of The Brewmaster’s Table, and the veteran host of more than 900 beer dinners in 15 countries.