Wah Gwaan Brewing | Blacker the Cherry

Working together and collaborating is a core tenet of the craft beer industry, and Wah Gwaan Brewing Blacker the Cherry is a great example of what can happen when like minds devise a new beer recipe. Brewed in honor of Black History Month, Blacker the Cherry is a Black IPA brewed with cherries and vanilla created by Wah Gwaan, The Pint Exchange and Crafty Brothas. 

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Policy Kings Brewery | Love Black IPA, Hate Hazy IPA

Policy Kings Brewery made history when it opened in late 2018, becoming Utah’s first Black-owned brewery. In 2021, the Cedar City-based nanobrewery released a pair of canned beers to “pay homage to Black culture,” said owners Deandre (Dre) and Sara Ridgel. The resulting Love/Hate Series features Love Black IPA and Hate Hazy IPA. Initially, two of each were sold together in 16-ounce four packs only at the brewery.

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2020 Michigan Best in Beer Year-End Honors

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. What a year we’ve had in Michigan, eh? Nothing went the way anyone expected and for many, it went worse than they ever imagined. If you’re still standing, congratulations. However, one thing that definitely stayed as expected: Despite shutdowns and sickness and protests and kidnapping threats and endless elections, Michigan brewers once again made some of the best beer in the country in 2020. Which, of course, makes my job that much more difficult. I’m certainly not new to beer, but I am brand new to picking the Michigan Best in Beer Year-End Honors which, at 300+ breweries, is a daunting task, to say the least.

That being said, I still get the good news–and there certainly was plenty of it. So, I’ve compiled what I can of the best in Michigan. Here’s to an absolutely horrible, but completely wonderful, 2020.

Cheers!
~Jess, Michigan Editor at PorchDrinking.com

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7 Seas Brewing | Boobytraps Cascadian Dark Ale

7 Seas Brewing Cascadian Dark Ale has been one of the premier representations of the Black IPA style within the Pacific Northwest for quite sometime, however it was only recently that this fall gem was packaged for the first time.

Named “Boobytraps” with inspiration coming from the 80’s PNW cult classic film about kids searching for treasure, this Black IPA style beer starts off with nuances of orange marmalade fleeting across the palate. Then a wave of pine and sticky resin comes rushing through with a restrained bitterness and a touch of roasted coffee. From beginning to end this one is velvety smooth.  Read More

Odell Brewing Co. | Mountain Standard Double Black IPA

ABV: 9.5%

This week marks the start of Autumn and while pumpkin beers seem to currently be the rage, I find myself always picking up a 4-pack of Odell Brewing Company’s Mountain Standard Double Black IPA come this time of year. This beer is around for a brief time each Autumn (as it is Odell’s current seasonal release) right around when we are all about to set our clocks back to “Mountain Standard Time”, it is quite the catchy name if you ask me! In conjunction to it being a dark beer and it getting dark at 5 p.m. soon, the name is even more clever the more you think about it. As much as I dread summer ending each year, I do look forward to the release of this special gem!
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4 Hands Brewing | Alter Ego

ABV: 5.5%

On my personal hoppy vs. malty beer scale, the malty side is always sitting lower. I’ve learned to appreciate hops and all the bitter nuance that comes with them, but generally I’ll go for a stout or porter when given the option. So, when I see a beer labeled “Black IPA” like Alter Ego from 4 Hands Brewing, I’m more inclined to give it a shot. Plus the can art reminds me of Tommy Lee Jones in the incredibly terrible Batman Forever. Thankfully, this brew is anything but that. Read More

Uinta Brewing Dubhe Imperial Black IPA

ABV: 9.2%

IBU: 109

SRM: 110 (apparently blacker than the blackest black times infinity)

It’s like riding a chocolate wave of star-dust through floral hop galaxies. Taking on the Uinta Brewing Dubhe Imperial Black IPA is a journey through the stars that is dry yet refreshing, malty yet hoppy, light yet bold. Shit is crazy, brah. The beer pours a rich, malty black with a rocky tan head. Is this a fucking stout? Is this a porter? What the shit is going on in my glass? I was expecting a big, hop-heavy aroma with the five hop varietals in this brew but it comes off as a malty, sweet beast. There is a floral ester coming in before the first sip and most of that must be the hemp seeds? That first quaff is creamy and thick, with chocolate malts and a slight bitter punch coming mid-palate to fight off any cloying, bitch-ass malts trying to hang out on the tongue. Malt goodnesses AND hops galore. Wicked. Read More