Color Rating: 
Dark as a stout. No light travels through.
Aroma Rating: 
Hop aroma is not as strong as anticipated. The hops are there but it has more of a dark somewhat coco aroma. This definately is a dark roasted brew.
Head Rating:
This is turning out to be the night of missing head (like we are married to our beer). Nothing special to bee seen here. The bubbles on the edge were medium sized and the slight layer on top has a fizzy appearance that lasts and is still.
Flavor Rating: 
Is this an IPA or a hoppy stout? The dark malts are simply amazing. IPA are my (Grubby) favorite beer so I tend to be a little more harsh on anything in this classification. I also like a good stout. In my mind this is what a dark IPA should taste like…good dark malt overtones with distinct but not aggressive hop flavor. Dark IPAs have always let me down in the past. Black Raven IPA gives me hope. Lots of roasted cereal character from beginning to end.
Finish Rating:
The finish is confusing. There is almost a feel that Olde Hickory Brewery brewmasters sat at a bar one night and made a black and tan with an IPA. It works though…it is nothing like I have had before. There is a distinct smoky malt flavor “Welcome to the dark side” indeed. You can sip this and enjoy it as it goes from ice cold to room temperature with flavors evolving as it gets warmer.
That girl in the background likes it!