Auburn Alehouse Black the Ripper

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

we're gonna have to have a new catergory soon with all the black ipas coming out lately. this is another tasty entry, and seems hoppy enough and strong enough to qualify as an imperial (although the brewer's site says "we don't even know" for abv/ibu/og. it pours black. not ipa black, but imperial stout black. the aroma gives it away, though. a hop bomb aroma, maybe some sour grist(?). not as balanced as most black ipas, but very aromatic, and bitter, and tasty if you are a hop head. feel is fairly full. the flavor, while still quite nice, is really out of balance. little to no roasted dark malt/chocolate presence. why make a black without the usual aspects of a black? that said, I liked it. It was a tasty hop monster after all, but not as complex or balanced. my buddy summed it up...tastier than the other newby we tried (i wasn't quite convinced of that) but not as well crafted.