Bell's Black Hearted Ale 6Pk

Bell's Black Hearted Ale 6Pk is a 7% ABV Black IPA from Bell's Brewery in Michigan, available in a six-pack of 12 oz servings. Ranked number four on Untappd Blog's "The 12 Best Black IPAs of 2022" list and carrying a 3.9 out of 5 rating across more than 8,000 user reviews on Untappd, Black Hearted Ale has established itself as one of the more respected examples of the Black IPA style in American craft brewing.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7%  |  IBUs: 50  |  Origin: Michigan, USA  |  Style: Black IPA  |  Brewery: Bell's Brewery

Production & Heritage

Bell's Brewery was founded in 1985 by Larry Bell in Kalamazoo, Michigan, making it one of the earliest craft breweries east of the Rocky Mountains. Black Hearted Ale is brewed with water, malt, hops, and Bell's proprietary house ale yeast, registering an original gravity of 1.064 and 50 IBUs — moderate bitterness for the style that keeps the roasted malt character from being overwhelmed. The beer carries a notable six-month shelf life, which is uncommonly generous for a hop-forward ale and suggests deliberate attention to packaging and formulation stability.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark toasted bread and roasted malt lead the nose, followed by resinous pine and a flash of grapefruit citrus. Underneath, there are subtle floral and herbal hop tones that add complexity without heaviness.

Taste: The entry is rich and malt-driven — think roasted grain, light chocolate, and a hint of campfire char. Mid-palate, the hops assert themselves with pine, grapefruit, and a layer of earthy herbal bitterness. The interplay between roast and hop resin gives Black Hearted its signature tension, landing somewhere between a robust porter and a West Coast IPA.

Finish: Moderately long with lingering roasted malt and a dry, resinous bitterness that coats the palate cleanly. A faint vanilla-like sweetness emerges at the tail end, balancing the char notes.

How to Drink Black Hearted Ale

Serve at 45–50°F in a tulip glass or snifter to concentrate the roasted and hop aromatics. Pouring into proper glassware rather than drinking straight from the bottle or can opens up the layered nose considerably. Black Hearted Ale also works well in beer-based mixed drinks: try it in a Black Velvet (half stout-style beer, half sparkling cider) where its roast character adds backbone; in a Michelada, where the roasted malt and citrus hop notes play well against lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire; or in a Beer Flip, a classic cocktail shaken with a whole egg and simple syrup, which softens the bitterness and emphasizes the chocolate undertones.

Best For

• Sharing with craft beer fans during fall and winter gatherings
• Introducing adventurous drinkers to the Black IPA style
• Pairing alongside a backyard barbecue spread with smoked meats
• Stocking a curated beer fridge with style diversity beyond standard pale ales

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Black Hearted Ale taste like? Black Hearted Ale delivers roasted malt and dark bread flavors up front, shifting into grapefruit, pine, and earthy hop bitterness through the middle and finish. A light chocolate sweetness and hint of vanilla round out the profile, keeping it from tipping too far toward either porter or IPA territory.

How does Black Hearted Ale compare to Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA? Both are flagship examples of the Black IPA style, but Black Hearted Ale at 50 IBUs tends to lean more balanced and malt-forward, while Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous pushes higher in both ABV and bitterness for a more aggressive hop experience. Bell's expression is generally considered more approachable for drinkers newer to the style.

Is Black Hearted Ale good for craft beer beginners? It can work as an introduction to dark, hop-forward beers because the 50 IBU bitterness level is moderate and the roasted malt provides a familiar anchor. That said, the 7% ABV and complex flavor profile land it firmly in experienced-craft-drinker territory rather than true entry-level.

Where is Black Hearted Ale made? Black Hearted Ale is brewed by Bell's Brewery in Michigan, one of the state's pioneering craft breweries, founded in 1985 in Kalamazoo.

What foods pair well with Black Hearted Ale? Smoked brisket or pulled pork pairs naturally, as the roasted malt echoes char and smoke. Sharp aged cheddar complements the bitterness with fat and salt. Grilled portobello mushrooms match the earthy hop notes. Dark chocolate desserts harmonize with the subtle cocoa and vanilla undertones. Spicy black bean chili finds balance against the malt sweetness and moderate bitterness.

What sizes does Black Hearted Ale come in? Black Hearted Ale is commonly available in a six-pack of 12 oz servings, the standard retail format for this expression.

Is Black Hearted Ale worth the price? Black Hearted Ale positions as a mid-range craft offering — priced in line with other specialty six-packs from established regional breweries. Given its consistent critical recognition and the relative scarcity of well-executed Black IPAs on shelves, it represents solid value within the style category.

Why Black Hearted Ale?

The Black IPA is a notoriously difficult style to execute well — balancing roasted malt darkness against assertive hop character without one bulldozing the other requires real brewing precision. Bell's Black Hearted Ale has earned its reputation by hitting that equilibrium, landing among the top-ranked Black IPAs on Untappd with over 8,000 reviews backing its 3.9 rating. It comes from a brewery with nearly four decades of Michigan brewing history and a house yeast strain that imparts a signature character across their lineup. For anyone who finds most dark ales too heavy or most IPAs too one-dimensional, Black Hearted occupies a compelling middle ground that rewards attention.