Brewery: | Piney River Brewing Co. |
Location | Bucyrus, MO |
Style | Black IPA |
ABV | 7.0% |
IBUs | 70 |
Best Quote During Tasting
Turns out, I'm amazing at grilling.
Justin:
Aroma - The hops pop on this one with notes of spicy resin and citrus (orange peel, grapefruit) coming out strong. The malts are bread crust and toffee with a noticeable rye presence. |
Score: 10/12 |
Appearance - Masked Bandit pours a clear, deep brown with amber highlights around the edge of the glass. The thin, mocha head starts fluffy, but resides to a tightly bubbled film atop the beer, leaving lacing with each sip. |
Score: 3/3 |
Flavor - A complex mixture of flavors crash on to the tongue when first sipped. The spiciness of the rye and hops is matched by the chocolate, toasted and slightly roasted malts. A soft, brown sugar that's not too sweet arrives just before swallowing. The citrus character shows up big in the aftertaste. |
Score: 17/20 |
Mouthfeel - The body is just above medium with the medium carbonation matching it nearly perfectly to create a slightly velvety texture. |
Score: 4/5 |
Overall Impression - This might be my favorite Piney River offering to date. We've reviewed our fair share of their beers and have been pleasantly surprised with a majority of them. I think it's time I stop being surprised. Don't be fooled by the dark IPA during the summer either. You'd be amazed at how great this would go with a medium steak right off the grill. |
Score: 9/10 |
Blake:
Aroma - Lots of aromas from the roasted malts. Coffee and chocolate, followed up by a bit of pine from the hops. Hops give a slight citrus character as well that blends nicely with the dark malts, and with the spice of the rye. |
Score: 10/12 |
Appearance - Deep dark brown with mahogany highlights when held to the light, and a tall mocha head. |
Score: 3/3 |
Flavor - So well balanced. You have tons of rich flavors like chocolate and coffee coming from the dark malts, citrus and pine from the hops, and a bit of spice with the rye. |
Score: 17/20 |
Mouthfeel - Mouthfeel is thicker than you'd think, and the carbonation with the healthy body create a creamy smooth finish. |
Score: 4/5 |
Overall Impression - My favorite Piney River beer I've tried yet. There just isn't anything to dislike about this beer. I could easily drink this with a main course or with my dessert. It's a very versatile beer, and one you should try if you haven't yet. |
Score: 9/10 |
Masked Bandit IPA Final Score
- Aroma
- Appearance
- Flavor
- Mouthfeel
- Overall
4.4

Justin Phelps
Co-Founder at Saint Brewis
Justin Phelps is a Certified Cicerone® who was born and raised in St. Louis. His passion for beer goes beyond just drinking it as he is also an award-winning home brewer. While he may be a marketing professional by day, he's a blogger, brewery hopper, and beer enthusiast by night.

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