The Bar Towel

Agree totally with what's been said before...this is a great great beer. Sure doesn't go down like an 8% beer!!! Best beer I've had in quite some time.

I think this thread should be under Beer Reviews.

I've had this 3 times now and here are my observations about the beer and the price point.

C'est What: Regular pint, $5.90 + taxes
A very well made beer. Very hoppy and bitter. The 8% ABV shows, but just barely. Well Done Black Oak!

Volo: Cask $6.95 + taxes for 300 ml.
Still good, but flavours are not quite as pronounced as the regular pour.

Rhino: Regular pint, $6 all incl.
Had the same aroma, but the taste was different. The aftertaste was strange; can't quite describe it

I would have this one every time out, but unfortunately I have to go into the big city to get it.

I'm going to be downtown this afternoon - is it on at Volo or the Vic?

Just had a pint of this last night - this beer is world class. As far as Double IPAs go, this stands toe to toe with anything from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds IMO. Even more so - its fresh and on draft

It would be a real shame if we didn't get an 11 bitter years next year, and a 12 after that....

A wrote:Just had a pint of this last night - this beer is world class. As far as Double IPAs go, this stands toe to toe with anything from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds IMO. Even more so - its fresh and on draft

It would be a real shame if we didn't get an 11 bitter years next year, and a 12 after that....

You've evidently not had any beers from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds. Ten Bitter Years is a great beer but I would hesitate to label it a double IPA. Much too malty.

viggo wrote:

A wrote:Just had a pint of this last night - this beer is world class. As far as Double IPAs go, this stands toe to toe with anything from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds IMO. Even more so - its fresh and on draft

It would be a real shame if we didn't get an 11 bitter years next year, and a 12 after that....

You've evidently not had any beers from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds. Ten Bitter Years is a great beer but I would hesitate to label it a double IPA. Much too malty.

I echo this, there is no way this a DIPA in any universe. It's a good beer, perhaps even one of the best to come out of Ontario but if this is what people think is a DIPA it only goes to show that our brewers are way behind everyone else in the hops department.

ritzkiss wrote:

viggo wrote:

A wrote:Just had a pint of this last night - this beer is world class. As far as Double IPAs go, this stands toe to toe with anything from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds IMO. Even more so - its fresh and on draft

It would be a real shame if we didn't get an 11 bitter years next year, and a 12 after that....

You've evidently not had any beers from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds. Ten Bitter Years is a great beer but I would hesitate to label it a double IPA. Much too malty.

I echo this, there is no way this a DIPA in any universe. It's a good beer, perhaps even one of the best to come out of Ontario but if this is what people think is a DIPA it only goes to show that our brewers are way behind everyone else in the hops department.

And that hops department is my favourite department!

hopdevil wrote:I think this thread should be under Beer Reviews.

Volo: Cask $6.95 + taxes for 300 ml.
Still good, but flavours are not quite as pronounced as the regular pour.

Interesting, I generally like Duggan #9 WAY better on regular draught than on 'cask.' Bitter Years is great on regular co2 Draught.

I like the off-beat style of the Black Oak 10th Anniversary, and it holds up really well next to some amped-up American IPA beers, Stone and others. Juicy and peachy-citrus flavors.

Big things ahead, Black Oak!!

viggo wrote:

A wrote:Just had a pint of this last night - this beer is world class. As far as Double IPAs go, this stands toe to toe with anything from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds IMO. Even more so - its fresh and on draft

It would be a real shame if we didn't get an 11 bitter years next year, and a 12 after that....

You've evidently not had any beers from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds. Ten Bitter Years is a great beer but I would hesitate to label it a double IPA. Much too malty.

I'd call it a DIPA before I'd call it a barleywine or any other style... Agree it is maltier than typical DIPAs (IMO a good thing) but I'm not sure that would knock it out of the style, any more than a single IPA could be too malty for the style.

ritzkiss wrote:

viggo wrote:

A wrote:Just had a pint of this last night - this beer is world class. As far as Double IPAs go, this stands toe to toe with anything from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds IMO. Even more so - its fresh and on draft

It would be a real shame if we didn't get an 11 bitter years next year, and a 12 after that....

You've evidently not had any beers from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds. Ten Bitter Years is a great beer but I would hesitate to label it a double IPA. Much too malty.

I echo this, there is no way this a DIPA in any universe. It's a good beer, perhaps even one of the best to come out of Ontario but if this is what people think is a DIPA it only goes to show that our brewers are way behind everyone else in the hops department.

Wait, are you saying its not hoppy enough to be a DIPA? That I would have to object to - The only beer I've had that I can recall being much hoppier was something like the Dogfish 90 minute IPA. Maybe its not quite as oppressively bitter because of the amount of malt but I cant imagine a beer being hoppier without having hop cones floating on the surface!

Ratebeer calls it a Double IPA FYI

A wrote:

ritzkiss wrote:

viggo wrote: You've evidently not had any beers from Stone/Alesmith/Three Floyds. Ten Bitter Years is a great beer but I would hesitate to label it a double IPA. Much too malty.

I echo this, there is no way this a DIPA in any universe. It's a good beer, perhaps even one of the best to come out of Ontario but if this is what people think is a DIPA it only goes to show that our brewers are way behind everyone else in the hops department.

Wait, are you saying its not hoppy enough to be a DIPA? That I would have to object to - The only beer I've had that I can recall being much hoppier was something like the Dogfish 90 minute IPA. Maybe its not quite as oppressively bitter because of the amount of malt but I cant imagine a beer being hoppier without having hop cones floating on the surface!

No doubt this is a great beer, and a tough one to classify (which is why Ken said its a 10th anniversary beer). However, I wouldn't say its anything over standard IPA hop-presence. In fact I tried it side by side with a Moylan's Hopsickle - and it handed Black Oak's ass to it on a plate. Like I said, still a great beer, but only a hopbomb by Ontario standards.

Also, for what its worth, beer styles on the websites are user entered and just the views of one individual, so its not really an appeal to authority.

I'm sure there are beers that can out-hop it, but I think its at least as hoppy if not hoppier than Bell's Hop Bomb, for example.

Anyways most of the ratings on ratebeer refer to it as a DIPA also, so I'd have to go with the majority - if you cant call it something else you have to call it a DIPA. Case closed

FWIW, im pretty sure ratebeer is going to re-classify this one as an American Strong Ale

Incredible brew! Love that citrusy/grapefruity taste. Great job Ken!

BTW... Ten Bitter Years is currently the Beer of the moment at beerbistro.