Ground Breaker Brewing Psychrophilic Cold + Black IPA 

Psychrophilic Cold + Black IPA

Gluten Free Black IPA by Ground Breaker Brewing

Today’s review is for the Ground Breaker Brewing Psychrophilic Cold + Black IPA. Brewed in a dedicated gluten free facility in Oregon, the Psychrophilic is packaged in 16 ounce cans and is a limited release beer that’s a part of Ground Breaker’s Ephemeral Series.

This gluten free Black IPA has a 6.7% ABV and is brewed on sorghum, rice malt, millet malt, and flaked quinoa. The Psychrophilic is a modified Cascadian dark ale that uses a lager yeast fermented at ale temperatures. It then receives a major dry hopping towards the end of fermentation. A beer rick with extremes. 

The label is colorful and has a beautiful psychedelic kaleidoscope background. It stands out from the brand’s typical label art. You can see the full beer pour below…

The Taste Test

Psychrophilic Cold + Black IPA 

The Psychrophilic pours with a jet black color and a frosty head that takes its time bubbling down. When it does, foam climbs the side of the glass all the way up to the rim, like a snow drift. 
This Black IPA is extremely opaque and when you hold it up to a bright light, only the outline of the light bulb itself can be seen through the pint glass. It aroma is filled with notes of coffee and dark roasted malt. 

It sips incredibly smooth. The Psychrophilic has an wonderfully creamy texture. The bitterness is moderate and the beer is packed with flavors of chocolate and espresso. The malt and hop profile is perfectly balanced with the texture and body. I’m going to be honest…this is already my new favorite beer. It’s like an IPA and a stout had a baby and named it Psychrophilic.

I’m somewhat regretting starting my dinner with this beer because its dessert-worthy and I’d kind of like to end my night with it. Not because it’s particularly thick or heavy, but because the flavor is amazing. Wonderfully toasty and chocolatey with a fantastic hop character whose bitterness onsets slowly after the swallow but never builds enough to overpower the malt flavors. 

This gluten free Black IPA is moderately sweet and carbonated enough to meet the substantial body without dominating the texture of the tasting experience. The hops keep the malts balanced and the coffee notes make me want to call this a breakfast beer. Yep. I would drink this beer for breakfast. Not even kidding.

When the Psychrophilic first meets your palate, you’re greeted by the toasty malt and a zippy carbonation. The hop and malt character dance noncompetitively through the tasting, and then the malt fades to general sweetness before the hop bitterness moves to the foreground at the end of the palate. After swallow you’re left with moderately bitter roast flavors. Similar to how a nutty coffee might finish. 

Overall I would give this beer top marks. It’s delicious. I honestly can’t think of a single complaint. Except that I don’t have more of it. Have you tasted the Psychrophilic Cold + Black IPA? Do you agree with me or have a differing opinion? Let’s fight about it in the comment section below. ;)

P.S. Like what I do for the gluten free beer community? Consider buying me a beer for my efforts! ;)