Surly/Three Floyds/Real Ale Blakkr Imperial Black IPA

Surly Blakkr Imperial Black Ale. IBU 85. ABV 9.99% (Why can't they say 10? Because that wouldn't be 666 upside down.)

So, I'm going to scan the sheet from the tap release at Grumpy's Monday night night and post it here, to give you some further information and a flavor for the approach of this thing. I didn't get any kegs this week (next week, I hope), so I wanted to make sure I got some and went out and paid $17.99 for a 4-pack. I've been trying to keep a budget, but some things take priority.

I will break the news that this concept was conceived when three brewers met and discovered their mutual love of the music called metal, and embarked on this project to make "the most metal beer ever." And here's where I know that I will fail to truly appreciate this beer before I even try: I don't have any heavy metal music to listen to while drinking it. No soft metal, either. No metal of any kind. Maybe Hendrix? The Bad Plus' cover of "Iron Man"? Forgive me, one and all, but I just don't care for metal. I had to say it, and I'm not sorry, so, can you let me pass on this? I dig what I dig, man.

So, I'm laying down some late period Coltrane ("Om", maybe,) for volume, chaos, and kinetic energy, although it seems slightly sacrilegious, for Trane wasn't speaking to Satan when he blew his horn. How about the Stones' "Sympathy For the Devil"? Again, I'm clutching, so I'll forget the metal-ness of the mise-en-scene, and start pouring.

On the label, designed and drawn by Michael J. Berglund, a 3-headed demon arises from flames, with numerous symbols float around them and about the top of the can, and sorrowful souls writhing in agony around them. (I assume. Maybe they're bowing in prayer, or calling out for an encore?)

Perfect blackness, with slight traces of red creeping out at the sides and foot. Roasted tan head stays large on top, until retreating, while leaving lace. Ominous.


Aroma: Hops hit first, pungent and powerful, piney and citric, even while being enveloped by the darkness below. Malt keeps pace and threatens to swallow all else. Hop aromas are screaming out of this nose, hoping to escape the dread darkness.

Taste: Once in the mouth, things get more intense. Hops hold their own and then some, becoming stronger on the palate that you'd suspect, and the flavor of the malt strives to catch up. Dark chocolate flavors, aniseed, char, smoke, tobacco…deep, dense, rich stuff. But the hop bitterness is never quite conquered and the two parts reign supreme in the flavors, hand in hand.

Not quite balanced, but not quite not. The alcohol is felt fairly early on, and brings on a mood of doom. (Not really, I'm just exaggerating for effect. I thought you'd figured that out by now?) Not one for the mild or fearful. Don't have more than one if you've got anything else to do later in the night. (Says the guy who's going to close the evening with a 10% barley-wine bomber.)

So, now we read the label" "This double black as night IPA is too massive for just one brewery's efforts. BLAKKR took the trinity of REal Ale Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co., & Three Floyds Brewing Co. to actualize this crushing ale. Cheers."

This is another mighty, massive Surly (co-)creation. I would smash the can on my forehead as a sort of salute, but, you know, I'm just not that metal.