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The Devil's Half Acre

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A strong, barrel-aged black IPA of deep mahogany colour, matured in bourbon casks from an Irish whiskey distillery. The nose brings vanilla with hints of chocolate, toffee and smoke. On the palate dark fruit and toasted oak come through with cherry notes and a touch of liquorice, carried by a generous hop character. Deceptively smooth for its strength, the full body ends in a sweet, malty finish.

ABV
11%
Bitterness
Very bitter68 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark30
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
vanillahoppyoak
vanilla
hoppy
oak
malty
dark fruit
toasty
Aroma
The nose opens with prominent bourbon barrel notes—vanilla and oak frame a subtle backdrop of chocolate and toffee.
also:smoky,chocolate
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,spicy

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for The Devil's Half Acre

◎ Appearance

Deep mahogany hue with substantial dark character, displaying excellent clarity despite the beer's strength and barrel aging. The head forms with good retention and fine lacing, building a creamy collar that clings to the glass throughout the pour.

mahogany, deepclear, brightcreamy lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with prominent bourbon barrel notes—vanilla and oak frame a subtle backdrop of chocolate and toffee. Wisps of smoke weave through, while the hop character adds herbal and resinous undertones that prevent the aromatics from becoming overly sweet or spiritous.

vanilla, oakchocolate, toffeesmoke, spiceherbal hops

◐ Taste

The palate enters with dark fruit—cherry and plum—immediately countered by toasted oak and a touch of black licorice that add complexity. The generous hop bitterness (68 IBU) carries the mid-palate with restraint, balancing the malt's richness without aggressive drying, and the full body sustains all flavors evenly.

dark fruit, cherrytoasted oakliquorice accentbalanced bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish remains deceptively smooth for 11% ABV, closing with a sweet, malty aftertaste that lingers gently without heat or harshness. The bourbon influence fades gracefully, leaving a warm, slightly drying echo of oak and dark grain.

sweet maltwarming finish
85
hopIQ score
Aroma
87
Taste
86
Appearance
83
Finish
84
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Tulip glass

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with The Devil's Half Acre

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About Black IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Black IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar Black IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same vanilla, smooth, hoppy character as The Devil's Half Acre will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Black IPA beers in hopIQ →Browse Ireland beers →