New brewery alert! Here’s to my first beer from Virginia’s 3 Brothers Brewing, 3 Brothers Virginia Dark. A quick to Bing as I began typing my review revealed that the company has a page for this beer, but that it has been taken down. This is probably due to the name change the company recently underwent, and they are now known as Brothers Craft Brewing. So, it looks like my first 3 Brothers beer may be my last (not really, of course, the names may have been changed to protect the innocent, but the folks making it remain the same).
What is now Brothers Craft Brewing launched their brand in December of 2012 per their website, and in a press release they announce their name change, though not the reason why. My speculation would be that they were “asked” to do so by Two Brothers Brewing of Chicago. There seems to be a lot of this sort of thing going on in the beer world these days.
Be that as it may, Brothers Craft Brewing remains in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and tonight I’m enjoying their Virginia Dark, which they call a “pitch black IPA”: and I call an India Dark Ale. From the label:
This best-of-both-worlds brew is our spin on the darker side of the Virginia wilderness. A complex blend of piney, citrus hops complements a pitch-black pour to deliver a marriage of texture and flavor sure to satisfy beer lovers of all breeds.
3 Brothers Virginia Dark has an alcohol content of 7.6% by volume and is not sold in my area. I got a bottle from the always generous Chuck Triplett.
3 Brothers Virginia Dark pours to an inky jet black color with a medium sized head of creamy tan foam and a really dark chocolaty nose laced with a hint of grassy hops. Taking a sip, I’m immediately taken away by the lush and thick bittersweet dark chocolate notes, like the very best dark chocolate you’ve ever had. Except its better, because its beer.
The finish is hoppy enough in a resiny, grassy herbal sort of way, though for the style I don’t think the aroma comes through as much as it should. I can’t stop enjoying these wonderful chocolaty notes, though, and the thick mouthfeel make this one feel more stoutish than IPAish to me. Stylistically, it loses points for that, but hedonistically, it gets them right back.
I think 3 Brothers Virginia Dark falls into the pitfall that some India Dark Ales succumb to, too much body making them a hoppy stout rather than an IDA. Still, as I said, this beer is hedonistically delightful, and I hereby implore the brewers to bring it back as Brothers Virginia Dark.
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