Color Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Dark as a stout. No light travels through.

Aroma Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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: 1 out of 5 stars
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: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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: 3 out of 5 stars
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.

This beer was designed by Alex Buerekholtz an award winning home brewer. This brew is double dry hopped and could easily be a hop lover session beer.  Death by Hops official page

Color Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Slightly lighter hue then the IP(DT)A…good clarity (clear amber). Exactly what we would expect.

Aroma Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Soft pungent hop aroma – more hop overtones then the IP(DT)A. With a name like “Death by Hops” you would hope to close your eyes, take a sniff and imagine yourself within a specialty floral shop. The hops to hit you in a non-aggressive way that triggers a reaction the Pavlov himself would be proud of. The malts are definately there but the name correlation with the expectation will unfortunately hurt the score here.

Head Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
If this beer has a head we were left out. This could be a factor of a short fill bottle. The lack of head is not a deal killer for us wanting more.

Flavor Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Strong earthy pungent hop flavor, with hints of malt in the back pallet. More malty as the beer warms, with occaisional orange essense. This IPA would be a wonderful compliment to grilled chicken and greens in an outdoor setting. This is a true Carolina brew…perfect for the long Springs and Falls.

Finish Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Bitterness towards the back of the tongue, obviously dry hopped. Lasts a good while but all in the back of the palate.

“Reminds me of Green Man IPA to some extent…but lighter and smoother.” – Grubby

“Rather enjoyable, could be session beer, perhaps better with food” – Iceberg