AleSmith YuleSmith (Winter) Imperial Red Ale

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

Pours light amber color with thin white head. Arome is mild of citrus and hops. Full-bodied flavor with hints of pine nuts, almonds and other earthy flavors. While I don’t find the rest of its qualities, the flavor is very well-balanced and nice. Good brew.

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, 2011 bottle. Pours slightly hazy red orange color with a nice 2-3 finger dense khaki head with fantastic retention that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Some decent lacing on the glass; with a good amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big grapefruit, pine, orange, herbal, floral, caramel, biscuit, toasted malt, and some spicy alcohol. Nice, well balanced, and interesting aromas. Taste of big caramel, grapefruit, biscuit, herbal, orange, toasted malt, and holiday spice notes. Decent amount of bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, herbal, caramel, toasted malt, and spiciness for a bit. Fantastic overall balance of flavors with a nice malt backbone next to the hoppiness. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy and nicely smooth mouthfeel. Easy to drink, but it still a bit of a sipper. Alcohol is well hidden with only a warming on the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent imperial red style. Smooth drinking and great flavor balance.

RBAG 2012. Pours deep amber/brown with some red notes in it. Smell is huge roasted malt, and sweet toffee, picking out spicy hop more than anything. Taste is really just big malt bomb. Loads of caramel, with a thick-ish mouthfeel giving this a slightly cloying effect. I realistically don’t notice much in the form of hops in it, but its late in the tasting. Some alcohol warmth, little pepperyness, but at this point, a little too sweet for my likings.

Smells a little like faded hops. Nice mix of the hops and the maltiness in the nose. Hops don’t really hit the tongue. Decent but wouldn’t buy

pours a amber/copper with a light fizz. Aroma is of dried fruit and spices. Has a strong spiced flavor finished with a touch of tart.

RBAG. from brown 660ml. Deep orange in colour, hazy. Very light white head. Rich malt nose, sweet, caramel. Nose has some sweet caramel, light booze. Taste has caramel malts, grapefruit hops, boozy. Decent.

Pours a dark amber with a small white head leaving strong lacing. Aroma is strong of citrus and grapefruit hops with a bit of caramel. Initial taste is sweet with citrus hops, going int a bit of caramel. A little bit nutty with a bit of alcohol on the finish. Medium body. Light carbonation.

Bottle at Camp Beer IX. Pours a cloudy copper with paperthin white head that diminishes quickly to nothing. The aroma is a floral hop. Medium mouthfeel with a sweet hop and grapefruit flavor. Very good American strong ale from Alesmith.