Full Sail Bump in the Night
A dark, dark IPAI had heard of this Black IPA from Full Sail Brewing prior to picking it up a couple of weeks ago, but when I saw it on the shelf, my immediate response to the name was, “Ooh, what a great name for an Imperial Stout.” But, alas, this is brew is no stout despite how dark it may be.
Bump in the Night is the brewery’s latest edition to their Brewmaster Reserve series. The brew is also a 2011 World Beer Championship gold medal winner, though for which category I’m not sure. Regardless, this dark malt based IPA weighs in at 6.5% ABV and is one tasty IPA with a roasty edge.
Appearance
The brew pours a chestnut brown with a good sized, off-white head.
Aroma
The dark malts are definitely in the mix, but their lightly roasted nature is overwhelmed by piny, oily hops with a grassy, citrus character. Smells like an IPA with a very light roast.
Taste
Bump in the Night isn’t quite as balanced as a few other Black IPAs that I’ve had — it leans heavily on the hops and not so much on the roasted malt, which may have been used mostly for color. It’s still a solid brew with a hefty amount of sharp, biting hops that carry hints of grapefruit, pine and an earthiness. The roasted malts are in there, as well, but a bit too far in the background to temper the hop bitterness.
Overall
Despite it’s lack of balance, I really liked this brew. It’s a solid, hoppy IPA with a hint of a roast. I’d personally like a little more malt body and character in a beer of this style, but I’ll certainly take the citrusy and bitter hops that this beer delivers any day of the week.
Rating: 3.75/5