Beer: Pink Sabbath
Brewery: Great Notion Brewing (Portland, OR)
Style: IPA – Black/Cascadian Dark Ale
6.66% ABV / 0 IBU

This one is a three-way collaboration between Great Notion Brewing, the SteepleJack Brewing Co. and the Pink Boots Society. The latter is a non-profit organization supporting women in the brewing industry and where Pink Sabbath gets the first part of its name. The beer itself is not that colorful, or rather it’s one color only—jet black/onyx and mostly opaque. That’s the ideal of what a black IPA should look like.

Visually, there’s a bit of cognitive dissonance with Pink Sabbath. It looks very much like a traditional stout, but it’s highly carbonated. A directed pour against the side of the glass will generate the same head, with an initial ratio of equal parts beer and foam. Even as the beer settles, the head is slow to dissipate, producing a noticeable amount of lacing against the sides of the glass akin to the look of a root beer float. IPAs are more carbonated than stouts, and rye-based IPAs tend to be more highly carbonated than the rest.

Of course, the can art rules and the cause behind it is worth championing, but Pink Sabbath also rates well as an IPA. It’s toothsome and interesting to drink, with an adept balance between the malt and hops. It’s a little more malt-forward than most beers of this style, but it’s also hopped more like a West Coast IPA with a blend of Chinook, Cascade and Citra that produces an intense hop aroma that is oddly more subdued on the palette. The Number of the Beast ABV gimmick might be eye roll-inducing if it hadn’t resulted in such a kick-ass beer. Ten fucking skulls for execution.

For more info on Great Notion Brewing please head here.