Close Encounter Black IPA
 

Review Date 1/1/2025 By John Staradumsky

  Style: India Dark Ale   Brewery: Pipeworks   Country: USA   State: Illinois   $ Per OZ: $.36 (D)   ABV: 6%

What the hell Untappd? What the hell Taco Mac? Most of all, what the hell Pipeworks Brewing? What the hell is going on with your beer Close Encounter, which is either an India Dark Ale or a hoppy double stout? I had a close encounter of my own with this beer recently at Taco Mac, where I enjoyed it on tap. They had it listed as a “black IPA” of 6% alcohol by volume, just as Untappd does. I hate the term black IPA, IPA stands for India Pale Ale, and a beer cannot be black and pale at the same time. It just can’t.

Anyway, Untappd has this description for the beer on their website:

Close encounter is a bold venture into depths unknown. The best of both worlds co-exist between a rich roasted malt character and an aggressive hop presence that will probe your taste buds like nothing you have experienced before. Don't fear the unknown, embrace it! You never know who or what you will encounter.

On the few labels I could find for this beer, Pipeworks calls the beer a hoppy double stout of strength 8.5% by volume. Now, to be fair, a hoppy stout and an India Dark Ale are not all that dissimilar, but they are different, and besides 6% ain’t 8.5%. This beer was very much on my radar because I do love India Dark Ale, and I do love Pipeworks beers. Whatever it really is, I did enjoy it very much. I paid $8.28 for my 23-ounce draft.

That draft of Pipeworks Close Encounter arrived jet-black in color with a thick fluffy tan head and a roasty nose that popped with citrus and pine. Taking a sip the beer is roasty and chocolaty, smooth and drinkable. I got more orange and tangerine than grapefruit citrus, but citrusy the beer was. Bitter roast and pine appeared again in the finish and left the beer dry and satisfying.

Mayhap this beer changes with various releases? I would definitely drink it again, preferably from a can with a label that says exactly what the hell it is.

 Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??