ABV: 5.5%

On my personal hoppy vs. malty beer scale, the malty side is always sitting lower. I’ve learned to appreciate hops and all the bitter nuance that comes with them, but generally I’ll go for a stout or porter when given the option. So, when I see a beer labeled “Black IPA” like Alter Ego from 4 Hands Brewing, I’m more inclined to give it a shot. Plus the can art reminds me of Tommy Lee Jones in the incredibly terrible Batman Forever. Thankfully, this brew is anything but that.

Putting my nose into the glass I got a great hoppy aroma, and upon drinking it I picked up more bitterness. But not the blow-your-top kind, the pleasantly flavorful kind. In my opinion, that’s the Citra working as I almost always find this hop variety balanced. The finish was malty with chocolate floating around in there somewhere. Like the two-faced cartoon on the can, Alter Ego strikes a balance between the roasty, malty yumminess of a dark beer and the lip puckering goodness of a fresh hop IPA.

Follow Niel on Twitter @WaveTrainLLC

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