In secret (or not so secret), the chaps at Salopian are massive hop fiends.
Black Ops is an Imperial Stout, and a very good one at that, but with its hit of Sorachi Ace hidden inside you might be forgiven in thinking that this is some massive Imperial Black IPA type beast.
Black Ops pours black as pitch with a big sexy cappuccino head and it smells of smoky oak lined drawing rooms full of jelly sweets.
There’s a lovely black coffee and rolling tobacco malt, with lots of digestive biscuits, a few Oxo cube crumbs and some stewed fruit dunked in chocolate.
All very Stouty and all very good.
But then over all this, instead of the usual crunchy red leafy hops, there’s a super sharp but brilliantly balanced bitter citrus that stabs you through the heart.
Great big washes of lemon juice, kiwi and lime skins, and cola bottles coated in sherbet.
All this makes for a finish that’s both thick and unctuous and razor sharp around the edges.
Salopian’s Black Ops is super.

Source: Salopian Brewery