We brought you an early look at this beer, and my excitement to sample it began shortly thereafter. I drink more IPAs than anything else, and while I think I’ve tasted every variety and every season, I’m not sure I’ve sampled a dark winter seasonal IPA….until tonight.
Enter Dark Wing IPA from Drake’s Brewing in San Leandro, CA…a winter seasonal release available now through Feb. Yes it’s an IPA and yes it’s a dark IPA. If you closed your eyes as you poured the beer (don’t try this at home please) your nose would pull in grapefruit, citrus, pineapple, tropical fruits with a bit of dank resinous pine. Open your eyes, and the deep dark color suddenly adds in a roasty aroma I swear I didn’t smell before.
The color is a pleasant dark brown and if you just looked at the beer, you’d be guessing stout or brown ale…not an IPA. That is until you taste it. The flavors lead with citrus, dry bitter grapefruit and a bit of sweet malt. This is followed by a bit of roasty flavors and again a resinous pine finish. Drake’s attributes the complexity of the hop notes to the Denali hops (for the aroma) as well as Cascade and Warrior for the flavor. I attributed the flavors and aromas to the good job the brewers did marrying and balancing the malts and hops.
Drake’s Dark Wing will sneak up on you at 7.5%-AbV, but it won’t slow you down. I think I reached the bottom of the glass quickly because I was both enjoying the beer and alternately analyzing the beer with each sip. Eyes open, eyes closed, sip sip sip…and it was gone….all in all a very good beer and an interesting IPA.
Dark Wing is available in 12oz bottled six-packs as well as draft and I’m afraid unless you’re lucky like me, you’ll have to get out to California to enjoy one…but when you do try this beer, be sure to let us know what YOU think.
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