Black’s of Kinsale have had some of the most to the point names for their beers. Model-T and Hi-Viz are names which tell you a lot about the product, while revealing the sense of humor present in the brewery.

With this in mind, I take a 6.5% IPA named Rocketship very seriously indeed.

First Impressions:

Rocketship is a hazy copper beer with a strong, off-white foamy head.

As you would expect from a hard hitting IPA, it has a citrus hit on the nose, approaching tropical, although possibly not as much aroma as you might expect.

Second Impressions:

This beer definitely makes an instant impact on the palette and is certainly bitter up front, and then bitter all the way through. Although there is certainly some of the fruity notes that the aroma suggested, and some malty sweetness, but this is all quickly passed by the bitterness.

Final Impressions:

Rocketship is almost offensively refreshing, and I really appreciate it as a beer. It hides it’s high alcohol volume well beneath it’s bitterness, but it still puts a slight hold on you when it comes to over consuming. The flavour tells you that this is not a drink to be taken lightly, if the name hadn’t. There are countless IPAs on the market now, and I feel that Rocketship holds its own. It could be a little more aromatic, or its aroma could follow through more into the flavour, but I expect that if it did, I would be saying it could do with being a little more bitter!

Also by Black’s of Kinsale:

Black IPA – 5% ABV