Every year, in Munster Indiana, there is a migration of sorts. While it doesn’t have the drama of David Attenborough narrating the migrations of the Serengeti, it may well be the largest migration of beer geeks in the western hemisphere. I am, of course, talking about Dark Lord Day. The one day a year you can purchase Three Floyd’s Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout. This huge RIS is widely considered one of the best beers in the world, and 6000 geeks, all holding pre-bought tickets, turn up for a festival including beer, food, music, and the star attraction, Dark Lord RIS. Now, Dark Lord Day doesn’t happen until the last Sunday in April (though I think it’s now sold-out), but there is a similar, if not smaller, migration that has been happening here in Toronto. You see, once again, we are blessed with the production of Black Oak’s mighty 10 Bitter Years. Arguably one of the best beers in the country. In anticipation of Black Oak’s 10th anniversary last year, the brewing crew dreamt up a double IPA (let’s leave the taxonomical arguments for the moment) to represent the 10 years of hard work, and success. Every brewer who creates a recipe hopes it will become a giant, of course, but in the case of 10 Bitter Years, it did. In a big way for a giant. It was immediately adored by the beer geek masses in the city. So much so that it sold out in a ridiculously short period of time. It has won brewing awards, and led to further bitterness on the part of Black Oak’s owner, Ken Woods, as he frequently is greeted at events or harassed on the phone for details on when he is making it again. This is literally, a legendary beer in Toronto’s beer culture. So, for their anniversary this year, it was obvious that we would see a return of the bitterness, and here it is, Black Oak Brewing’s 10 Bitter Years XI.
10 Bitter Years XI - Black Oak Brewing Co.
From a 341ml bottle with the good news printed right on the front, 10 Bitter Years XI pours a deep coppery orange. Slightly hazy with a little under 1″ of head, the foam settles to a nice film that sticks around deep into the glass. The aroma is just crazy, the balance between the sweet, rich caramel malts, which are nearly candy-like and the sharp astringency of the citrus peel and pine from the hops is incredible. Under the immediate sharp hops, there is lychee fruit and and pineapple on the nose, and little pops of yeast to keep things interesting (as if they weren’t already). Taste is still very well balanced, but has moved into a very hop-forward beer. Make no mistakes, this is a big big big double IPA. There is immediate sweetness on the tip of your tongue, then hops roll in and just explode all over the inside of your head. Big juicy citrus hop notes, with puckeringly bitter pine notes and all sorts of spicy and tropical things happening underneath. The bitterness is resinous, and certainly gives a bit of a sticky feel, but while the hops are deflagrating all over your mouth, the caramelly sweetness runs around like a brown-sugar waif, beating out fires with cotton-candy branches dipped in rum (which seems impossible, I know), keeping the intense hops from getting out of hand. The (figurative) gravity of this beer has driven me into Malt Imposter-mode and I’m having visions of cotton-candy firefighters dancing in my head. Following in the expectations of a double IPA, the beer is very weighty on the palate, with a light carbonation keeping it from being cloying; it’s definitely not what you would want to drink through a funnel. That being said, the balance and complexities of the flavour profile hide very well the 8% abv. As I’m drinking this, half-formed memories are emerging from a haze of hops and late-night falafel that remind me that I actually did have this beer on numerous occasions last year when it was last out. And I blame it’s deliciously seductive 8% on that. It truly is one of the most wonderful beers being made in Toronto right now. Certainly, this is not a beer to take to a BBQ where most people are drinking beers flavoured with lime and cold. This is rock-star beer. This is a 1976 Gibson Explorer played through a 1964 Vox AC30. It is a beer worthy of a day. Available only at the Brewery in bottles or in very limited releases to bars around Toronto, this beer will not be here for long. So go, pick some up. Or find a bar that is getting it on draught or cask (hint: Castro’s has a 40l firkin venting right now). You will not regret it.
Happy Anniversary to Ken and Black Oak! Here’s to many many more years of bitterness.
About the Brewery
Black Oak is a stickler for quality, character and consistency. We use premium ingredients, traditional brewing processes and lots of hard work. Quality, Character and Consistency give us really good beers. We love good beer and we’ve been inspired by other world-class beers. We want to provide you with fresh, hand crafted, local beer that matches the best of the world.
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