My recent trip to Craft Beer Market for a friend’s birthday was capped off with a serving of this Category 12 Brewing release and it was a strong finish to an already solid visit to the restaurant.

The Disruption Black IPA is good. I mean really, really good. Great even. I’m not surprised it won a gold medal for Best American Black Ale at the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards. I do wonder why it wasn’t a contender in the IPA category, though. Some mysteries are better left to true detectives, I guess.

Category 12 hopes to challenge drinker’s view of dark beer with the 6.7% ABV, 77 IBU IPA. Their description states: “This black IPA is a calculated anomaly. It looks big and scary like a stout, but it drinks like an IPA. Close your eyes, you’ll never guess how far into the dark you’re sinking. With its fresh hop aroma and roasted malt flavour, Disruption is a whole new beast.”

First impressions are everything and given this is the first beer I’ve ever had from Category 12, it’s a very good first impression. I look forward to more from the Victoria-based brewery, which has a great scientific formula that they live by: (Sound Science + Good Taste)4 × Art8 = (Great Beer)12… makes sense to the Sip Advisor!

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