At first take, this beer is malty. It poured nice, smelled nice (and malty), had a nice tan head fizzle fairly quickly. Then, after a couple of sips, bitterness cropped up and it never went away. All I could think about was the overwhelming bitterness of this beer. All I wanted was a rich smoky beer. This isn’t it. I couldn’t come up with any other words to describe this beer after I got bit by the bitter bug. Stillwater makes good beers, but this isn’t the one for me or the ministry. This beer fails to stack up. Overall happiness = 3 smokestacks out of 7 total smokestacks of happiness.
| Brewer | Stillwater Artisanal |
| Beer Name | Readymade: Vacuum (Smoked India Black Ale) |
| Brewer’s Description | What is with the paradoxical term ‘Black IPA’ anyway? Whatever it is, we do love black beers.. also smoked beers, and of course everyone loves hops these daze.. A complex blend various smoked, caramel and subdued roasted malts lay the base for a combination of piney, dank and (dark) fruity hops.. While there is a lot to contemplate with this beast, just be sure to enjoy it without getting too sucked into its enigmatic composition. |
| Food Pairings | Prime Rib |
| Brewery Location | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Alcohol content by volume | 8.0% |
| IBU (International Bitterness Units) | like 100 |
| Beer opacity rate 1 – 7 (light – dark) | 4 |
| Smell smoke? 1 – 7 (No – George Burns) | 1 |
| Sausage detection? Y or N | N |
| Smokepower taste: 1 – 7 Smokestacks | 2 |
| Overall Happiness: 1 – 7 (sad – happy) | 3 |
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