I'm surprised as I pour the beer in a glass: a Black IPA that isn't black but limpid, deep copper. Interesting. A velvety, creamy head climbs almost three fingers high and dissolves gradually to a neat fluffy lacing on the top. The nose receives interesting aromas: toffee, caramel and even a sweet nutty hint. Caramel malt maybe? Definitely out of the box when it comes to a Black IPA. The tastebuds like the unexpected flavors: caramel, malt cracker, much less toffee than in the air, nut, maybe hazelnut, and a bit of sweet multigrain bread. But caramel is surely the leading chord here. Otherwise quite far from the style – or any IPA for that matter – but the piney hoppy slam in the background draws a distinct link to it. The body is medium. Goes without saying that it's welcome at 6 %. The tail lifts crisper hoppy nuances higher in the ranking and makes the caramelly and nutty elements slightly bitter. The mouthfeel is medium, marginally sticky, lip-glueing at least, and crisp. Very different from what I anticipated – style qualifications aside –, but truly enjoyable anyway.