Dad's Little Helper Black IPA
A - A gentle pour yields two and a half fingers of medium brown head, resting on top of a completely opaque, black body. The foam settles slowly and leaves dense, sticky lace. S - Sweaty pine hops with some caramel and dark, bready malt. A little bit of darker molasses is hiding in the background. T - Brown sugar and caramel up front with some bitter, sweaty hops. More caramel in the middle with a bit of dark bread. The beer finishes with notes of pine, burnt toast, charred caramel and strong bitterness. M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a dry finish. D - Very representative of Rogue with their standard dry malt profile and a balance that favors harshly bitter hops. It works well up until the finish, but the hop bitterness and dry, burnt toast malt character both amplify one another in the aftertaste and become unpleasant and acrid. The price on this bottle was more reasonable that what I have come to expect from Rogue in recent years, but it still reminds me why I no longer drink a lot of their beer; they have made some classics, but they have also made a lot of beer that tastes like burnt toast.