$8.98 per 22-ounce bottle
March is the most peculiar month in Colorado, when a blizzard can blow the fresh blooms off your tulips. So it seems apropos to have a look at that peculiar style of beer known as the black India pale ale. (It’s a pale black?) Fort Collins Brewery even takes it a step further into the stratosphere with an imperial version, kicking up the alcohol to 9.5 percent. This is a deep-black elixir, with a medium-bodied opaque pour and a tan head. Floral hops grab the nose, but the flavor mixes hoppiness with espresso, burnt sugar and roasted malt, and the hops rise to a satisfying bitter finish. It seems an odd combination, but it works well in this brew that brings together the flavors of the changing seasons. A good companion for full-flavored foods. Fort Collins Brewery, Fort Collins;
Marcus Chamberland; mchamberland@denverpost.com
