Beer of the Weekend #907: Cursed Angel Black IPA

I’ve been dealing with a nasty head cold since Christmas, but it’s finally fading. I think I’ve regained my senses of taste and smell enough to review the beer of the weekend: Cursed Angel Black IPA, brewed by the ReUnion Brewery of Coralville, Iowa.



The color is opaque black. A very careless pour produced a finger and a half of dense, bubble-spotted, tan, buttery head that settles slowly, almost glacially.

It smells like a black IPA! There are layers of citrus, arbor, and dark malt. There are notes of orange, grapefruit, caramel, dark chocolate, and a hint of coffee. Arbor is the most prominent aroma; each whiff features a foundation of pine.

The flavor features a lot more roasted bitterness than I expected from the aroma. The bitterness is a hybrid of coffee-like roasted malt and arboreal hops, and it rests on the taste buds after each sip. The roasted character fades and the arboreal and citrus elements become much more prominent. The flavor is zesty; the citrus comes on strong. Caramel and dark malt are present but take a backseat to the citrus and arbor.

Fun facts about Cursed Angel Black IPA:

• Style: Black IPA.

• Price: $16 for a 64-ounce growler fill at the ReUnion Brewery in Coralville.

• Alcohol content: 6.5 percent ABV.

• IBU: 70.

• Calories: 260 per 16-ounce glass (estimate).

• Cursed Angel Black IPA takes its name from the legendary Black Angel statue in Iowa City’s Oakland Cemetery. For a long time, I thought it was called Oakdale Cemetery. Why is it called Oakland Cemetery? I have no clue.


The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.

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