Revisit: Half Pints Black Galaxy Black IPA (2023)

I've been writing on here so long that sometimes beers are tweaked bit by bit year after year that they change over time, then there's times when the recipe stays the same and consistent which is quite a feat. It was 11 years ago in March when I first reviewed Half Pints' Black Galaxy Black IPA. At the time, Black/Cascadian IPAs were becoming all the rage and Black Galaxy was different from the rest - it was a full on IPA but dark, it had that grapefruity, bitter taste but also a roasted malt vibe - a solid combination.

Now it's time to check out the 2023 edition of Black Galaxy, which is still 6% ABV and 60 IBU.

Appearance: Pitch black as the night with a a black coffee body to it and a thick amount of yellowish-beige head on top. As the beer is sampled and savoured, it leaves behind a yellowish lacing (in layers) on the glass.

Aroma: Roasted, rich and sweet. Lots of roasted maltiness right from the beginning, giving off roasted coffee, a bit of peat, a slight smokiness and a slight woodiness to it. There's a light leafy hop presence to it, as well as a hint of caramel for sweetness but I'm not getting anywhere as tropical and grapefruity notes as I did 11 years ago. Somewhat peppery as it warms up.

Taste: The first thing I get from this is the combination of roasted malt and floral hops - the roasted malt gives off a heavy roasted coffee profile to it as well as a bit of a leafy, floral hop presence.. tad bit of pine, slightly woody. Sweet caramel notes. The mouthfeel gives off a slight metallic presence and there's a massive roasted/burnt aftertaste that lingers for a good moment or two. Like the aroma, slightly spiced (pepper) at the very end.

Overall Thoughts: While it doesn't have the grapefruit/slightly tropical vibe that I remember from 11 years ago, this is definitely got a heavy hitting hop bitterness as well as a roasted malt that pairs well with late winter/very early spring weather, a tad complex but very straight forward at the same time. While I've sampled this recently, it appears I haven't had this beer since 2017.. how time flies.