From the Brewery: 

“This is one half of a Black and Tan drink. Not just any Black and Tan but the one where a toasted smug and hoppy fella get together and make a sublime beer balance. Mix the Yang & Yin together (or enjoy this flippant good Imperial IPA solo).” 10% ABV Imperial IPA

The Pour:

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Spiegelau IPA glass. It is a murky orange color, with the most amount of sediment I’ve ever seen in a bottle of beer. Tons of hop or yeast particulate is bandied about by the ample visible carbonation. A large, fluffy off-white head hangs around.

The Nose:

Yang has a sweet, slightly scorched caramel malt base aroma. The hops come through as tropical fruit, orange, and a hint of dank/pine resin. The bottle about 6 months old, so the hop aroma has obviously faded. I think a super fresh bottle would be less balanced (in a good way) and more hop-forward.

The Mouth:

The body is very dry and drinkable, very thin in the mouthfeel. The IBU bitterness is assertive, but not out of whack for a 10% DIPA, and overall it is quite drinkable. The alcohol is noticeable, but light. The malt and hop profile match the aromas; thick caramel malts, tropical fruit and pine hops.

Final Thoughts:

Evil Twin Yang is big, malty, easy drinking DIPA. It’s malt profile is very similar to Union Jack, but with a much thinner/drier body. The heavy caramel aroma is a little against my preference for a big IPA. Again, the hops are not as prevalent as they would be in a fresh bottle, but they were present enough to keep it balanced. The copious sediment being swirled around by the carbonation looks downright ugly, but it didn’t seem to create any off flavors/aromas. 7/10

Yin & Yang Black and Tan: 

Oh, I get it now. These beers really need to be blended together. That’s much better, with a solid mix of flavors that pop much more than when had individually. By themselves, they are so-so. Together, they are quite good. Yin & Yang Blend: 8/10