Oh no. Here we go again, my friends. Bad enough, wasn’t it, that we had three names all vying for one relatively “new” beer style. Now, though, Farmville, North Carolina’s Duck Rabbit brewery has gone ahead and tossed another hat in the ring with their recently-released Duck Rabbit Hoppy Bunny Ale.

See, here’s the story, and although I’ve told it many times before it bears telling again. Back in the early nineties, a guy named Greg Noonan at the Vermont Pub and brewery tossed some dark malts into a batch of IPA and called the result India Dark Ale. A contract brewer in New York, New Amsterdam, also released an IDA, but outside of these two the style really did not take off.

At least, not until sometime in the mid aughts. Then, it was revived as Cascadian Dark Ale (a very misleading name in my book, since this beer style is certainly not a Pac northwest invention) and Black IPA. The latter is more acceptable to me, though how can you have a black India Pale Ale? The two seem mutually exclusive. I still like the IDA moniker best.

Now, though, here comes Duck Rabbit with their example of an India Dark, Hoppy Bunny. And what do they call it? ABA, which stands for American Black Ale. I give up. This style has just too many names.

Whatever you call it, it only makes sense that Duck rabbit would get in on the trend. They are, after all, the self-styled dark beer specialists. And truth be told, Duck Rabbit Hoppy Bunny ABA may just be the best India Dark Ale I’ve ever tasted.

Duck Rabbit Hoppy Bunny ABA pours to a jet black color with a truly towering head of rocky tan foam and a simply incredible nose of chocolate, licorice, ad fresh piny hops. Taking a sip, the beer has a medium body and a subtle silkiness in texture. Dark malty notes abound: bittersweet chocolate, potent licorice, astringent espresso: all kinds of dark malty delights can be detected. Perhaps a touch of fruity prune, as well. Did I mention the hops? They emerge early and struggle at first with the roasty bitterness, but quickly add a bright citrusy note, resiny pitch, and eventually a sharp hop bitterness in the finish that partners with the roasted bitterness to leave an incredibly dry sensation.

This is an amazing beer, extremely hoppy and dark malty all at the same time. Just an amazing beer all around, and a slightly potent one at 7.3% alcohol by volume, and about avergae price at $8.99 a six-pack. But don’t believe me. Why not hop on over and see for yourself? You’ll be glad you did, however you ask for it.



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