Black Nitro
Brewery: Amager/Grass Roots
Type: Black IPA
Alcohol: 7.5%
Country: Denmark
Today on the blog we are happy to welcome to the glass Black Nitro! No I am not reviewing a professional wrestler or an American gladiator here. Instead it's the very bombastic name that blog favorites Amager Bryghus and their partner in crime Grassroots Brewing (Shaun Hill) have decided on using for their black IPA collaboration. A big hoppy monster packed with American hops and dark malt. I have been looking forward to reviewing this one for a while. Let's get to it.
It pours black like the night! Amager doesn't screw around when producing a black IPA, none of this wimpy dark brown. This midnight stained beverage comes with a tall beige head that looks like my dresser drawer circa 2002 (a lot of khaki). The smell is dominated by centennial and simcoe. Fresh pine and citrus with a background of flowers and a hint of booze and malt. This black IPA really succeeds in getting the hops across in the nose, which is tricky in a dark beer. The taste is also full of hops starts out with a nice bright citrus flavor followed closely by a pine undertone then it's all blown away by a strong but even bitterness. The malt doesn't peak out much until the aftertaste. I can describe the after taste as lingering bitterness, like the buzz in your ears after a concert, but with chocolate. This black IPA is all about the hops and the malt takes a backseat. The dehusked dark malt described on the label was a good choice here, as it really allows hops to shine in a beer that is so dark you just don't expect it. The body is light and dry, super drinkable. This beer has all the classic qualities of a great IPA, combined with a subtle hint of darkness. Beautiful buzzing bitterness and citrus pine are just the overwhelming thoughts I have when drinking this. In the end this is probably one of my favorite black IPAs of all time.
