Black Raven is a Black IPA from North Carolina’s Olde Hickory Brewery.  It pours pitch black, and the major notes are roasted malt and heavy hops.  The nose is roasty, with some faint chocolate, but there’s no sweetness in this brew.  The middle is bitter roasted pine and a bit of grapefruit rind.  The bitterness concentrates in the finish, with some additional grapefruit notes on the side.   You need to be a serious fan of bitter beer to get into this one.   It could use a little more balance in my opinion, but it’s really unique and I’m enjoying it.