Sadler's Peaky Blinder

I tried Sadler's Peaky Blinder many years ago but it's now brewed with different hops and has a slightly lower ABV so here are my thoughts on Peaky Blinder 2.0.  After closing the Stourbridge brewery in 2020, Sadler's transferred their production to Hawkshead Brewery in Cumbria but the Stourbridge site is still stated on the label.

This black IPA is brewed with five malts and five hops, although only four of the hops are listed on the label: Pilgrim, Green Bullet, Cascade and Chinook.  It has a very dark mahogany brown body with a small, tan head that disperses slowly to leave a thin layer.  

The aroma is very appealing with notes of roasted malt, juicy citrus fruit, a hint of spice and the slight tang of treacle.  The first sip reminds you it's an IPA with a big hit of citrus but more orange than lemon as it's not bitter at all.  The roasted malts jump in next together with some sweet treacle and liquorice and ending on a slightly dry note.  The liquorice flavour seemed to intensify as I drank it and I think it lingers on the tongue a little too long for my liking.  

It's softly carbonated to give a smoother mouthfeel than you'd expect and it has a good medium body.

It's a very unusual beer and one well worth trying.

Brewed by Sadler's Brewery, Stourbridge, West Midlands / Hawkshead Brewery, Cumbria
4.4% ABV

My rating:

My Untappd score: 4/5

Meantime Greenwich Black IPA

How unusual - a Black IPA!  No surprise that it is black as coal and resembles Guinness, but with a thinner more bubbly head.  It smells very malty and fruity. 

The taste has a slight smokiness to it with a slightly sweet toffee aftertaste.  It is quite bubbly like an IPA but my brain expected smooth like a Guinness.  It is really unusual as you can see a pint of stout but taste a pint of burnt toffee fizzy IPA.

Quite strong at 5.7% ABV, it slips down a little too easily and is well worth trying for those people looking for something a little different to a regular IPA.

Brewed by Meantime Brewing Company, London for M&S

5.7% ABV

My rating:

Find out more at Meantime Brewing Company

Sadler's Peaky Blinder

It's time for a drop of the unusual: a black IPA.  Black and pale - isn't that an oxymoron? This is a dark, almost black ale with a small beige head.  If I closed my eyes and sniffed it, I would expect to be about to taste a dark golden ale due to the hoppy aroma but with a massive burst of liquorice flavours on tasting there's no mistaking it as a black beer.

It does have quite a complex taste due to no less than 5 different hops used as part of the brewing process, namely Amarillo, Cascade, Citra, Chinook and Nelson Sauvin.  It leaves a lovely creamy liquorice taste on the tongue after the black bubbles burst in your mouth.  I don't think I have tasted anything quite like it - it's dark and strong, yet refreshing and easy drinking.

Brewed by Sadler's, Stourbridge, West Midlands

4.6% ABV

Find out more at Sadler's Ales