Arcadia B-Craft Black Double IPA 4Pk

Arcadia B-Craft Black Double IPA 4Pk is a bold 8.5% ABV black double IPA from Arcadia Brewing Company in Battle Creek, Michigan, sold in a four-pack format. Brewed using an unusual open-fermentation method with traditional English ale yeast, this hybrid style merges the roasted malt intensity of a stout with the aggressive hop character of a double IPA — a combination that earned it a loyal following and a 3.7 out of 5 rating on Untappd across more than 9,100 reviews.

Quick Facts: ABV: 8.5%  |  IBU: 85  |  Origin: Battle Creek, Michigan, USA  |  Style: Black Double IPA  |  Brewery: Arcadia Brewing Company (1996–2019)

Production & Heritage

Arcadia Brewing Company was founded in 1996 in Battle Creek, Michigan, and operated until September 2019. The brewery distinguished itself through its 25-barrel Peter Austin brewhouse and a commitment to open fermentation in the cellar using traditional English ale yeast — a method far more common among English cask breweries than American craft operations. B-Craft Black Double IPA applied that English fermentation philosophy to a decidedly American style, resulting in a beer that carried rounder, more complex ester profiles than typical hop-forward American DIPAs. At 85 IBUs, the bitterness was substantial but tempered by heavy roasted grain additions.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Citrus hops lead immediately, layered over darker undertones of roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate. A faint pine resin quality emerges as the beer warms.

Taste: The entry is rich with roasted malt — dark chocolate and espresso flavors push forward before a wave of hop bitterness takes hold at mid-palate. Grapefruit and pine resin build through the middle, while licorice and toasted malt add depth. The body is notably thick and full, carrying more weight and sweetness than many black IPAs.

Finish: A persistent dry bitterness lingers alongside fading roasted grain and dark fruit. The finish is long for the style, with residual hop resin and a subtle charred quality that invites another sip.

How to Drink B-Craft Black Double IPA

Serve at around 50–55°F in a tulip or snifter glass to concentrate the aroma and allow the roasted malt complexity to fully express itself. At 8.5% ABV, this is a sipper rather than a session beer. For cocktail-curious drinkers: a Black Velvet variation using this in place of stout alongside sparkling wine creates a fascinating bitter-effervescent contrast; a Michelada built with B-Craft adds roasted depth and hop punch to the tomato-lime base; and a simple Beer Float with vanilla ice cream plays the roasted chocolate and coffee notes against cold sweetness.

Best For

• Craft beer enthusiasts seeking discontinued or hard-to-find Michigan ales
• Pairing with a smoked meat or barbecue dinner
• Side-by-side tastings comparing black IPA interpretations across breweries
• Collectors of legacy craft beer from notable closed breweries

Frequently Asked Questions

What does B-Craft Black Double IPA taste like? It delivers rich roasted malt flavors of dark chocolate and espresso, balanced by aggressive hop bitterness with citrus, pine, and licorice notes. The body is thick and full, with more sweetness than many beers in the black IPA category.

How does B-Craft Black Double IPA compare to Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA? Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous leans more aggressively toward hop bitterness and a drier finish, while B-Craft carries a fuller, sweeter body with more pronounced roasted malt richness. Arcadia's use of open-fermented English ale yeast also gives B-Craft a rounder ester profile compared to Stone's cleaner American yeast character.

Is B-Craft Black Double IPA good for sipping neat? Yes — at 8.5% ABV and 85 IBUs with substantial body, this is designed to be savored slowly from a tulip or snifter glass at cellar temperature rather than consumed quickly.

Where is B-Craft Black Double IPA made? B-Craft Black Double IPA was brewed by Arcadia Brewing Company in Battle Creek, Michigan, using a 25-barrel Peter Austin brewhouse. Arcadia operated from 1996 until its closure in September 2019, so this beer is no longer in active production.

What foods pair well with B-Craft Black Double IPA? Smoked brisket or pulled pork, where the roasted malt mirrors the char; dark chocolate brownies, which echo the beer's cocoa and espresso notes; sharp aged cheddar, whose tang cuts through the malt sweetness; spicy black bean chili, where the hop bitterness refreshes against heat; and grilled portobello mushrooms, whose earthiness complements the dark grain character.

What sizes does B-Craft Black Double IPA come in? This product is sold as a four-pack. As Arcadia Brewing ceased operations in 2019, availability is limited to remaining inventory.

Is B-Craft Black Double IPA worth the price? B-Craft positions as a craft double IPA at a moderate price tier, but its value now extends beyond the liquid itself — as a discontinued product from a respected closed Michigan brewery, remaining stock carries additional collectibility and scarcity appeal for craft beer enthusiasts.

Why B-Craft Black Double IPA?

What set B-Craft apart was the deliberate collision of English brewing tradition with an aggressive American hop-forward style. Open fermentation with English ale yeast was virtually unheard of for black double IPAs, and that choice gave B-Craft a rounder, more layered character than competitors relying on cleaner American yeast strains. With Arcadia Brewing's closure in 2019, this beer now exists only as remaining inventory — a snapshot of a Michigan brewery that spent over two decades proving that old-world fermentation methods could produce compelling new-world styles. For fans of the black IPA category, it remains a distinctive and increasingly rare example of the form.