Here comes Abita Brewing again with yet another new release beer. I think in the past few months I’ve seen about 8 or 10 new and different beers from Abita, both on tap and in the bottle. That’s a good thing, as it’s nice to see the evolution of Abita bearing fruit with some very tasty beers indeed. To be sure, Abita has had a full line of seasonals for decades now, and they have been doing an “Abita Select” series of specialty draft brew, too. Of late, though, they’ve really begun to bottle more one-offs and new seasonals, too.

Abita is no newcomer to the brewing industry, having opened their doors in the early days of the craft brewing movement back in 1986. They are more of a regional brewer and not at all a microbrewer, since their current production of 151,000 barrels a year is about 10 times the microbrewery limit. To those beer enthusiasts today who pooh-pooh regionals like Abita in favor of the latest “whale”, I can only say that you don’t know what you’re missing.

Case in point: Abita Imperator Black IPA. I picked up a bottle a few weeks ago at Sherlock’s in Marietta, Georgia and as they only had it in the cold case, tossed it in the fridge and drank it the next evening. Here’s what the brewery says about Imperator from the painted bottle label:

In ancient times, The Imperator was the supreme commander who led his troops to victory, just as today’s Mardi Gras lieutenants kick off the carnival parades. Abita Imperator is a robust, black IPA brewed with pale, caramel, chocolate and black malts. It commands your attention with an intense hop flavor and aroma provided by Apollo, Cascade, Centennial, Citra, Mosaic and Amarillo hops. With a mighty malt flavor and intense black color, the Abita Imperator reigns supreme.

Abita Imperator Black IPA has an alcohol content of 8% by volume, which actually make it a double India Dark Ale in my book. I do prefer the term India Dark Ale to black IPA after all, since how can a beer be black and pale at the same time? Be that as it may, the beer has 90 IBUs and I paid just $5.99 for my 22-ounce bomber bottle. The painted label bottle is so neat, too, I’m having a hard time recycling it.

Abita Imperator Black IPA pour to a dark brownish to light black color with a thick creamy tan head and a rich deep piney resiny nose. Taking a sip, the beer has some smooth chocolate pudding notes up front followed by lots of pine and resin in the aroma and flavor. I’m hard to please on this style, and I don’t want too much body (or you get a stout) but this one gets it right in that category. It’s delicious in the finish with lots of pine and citrus and a long dry bitter finish, too. I really love the light roastiness and the piney citrusy hop aroma here folks. It even has decent hop burps.

Another winner from Abita that you’ll definitely want to try my friends.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box . *Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer. (B)=Bottled (D)=Draft

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