Drakes Exxpedition

Brewed by Drakes Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
San Leandro, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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22 oz. bottle, pours a hazy amber with a medium beige / tan head. Extremely aromatic, with truckloads of resinous, citrusy hops, and a big fat caramel malt at least as prominent - there are some tropical fruit notes further back as well. Flavour is super pungent, with a big whopping caramel malt backing, supporting the truckload of resinous hops on top. Again, there’s a hint of tropical fruit content, but not prominent. So insanely well-balanced, while still be extreme in its flavour profile. Finishes with a harsh but pleasant astringency. One of the best imperial reds I’ve had.

Got this one in a trade thanks to Bytemesis. Pours amber with a small off white head. Smells strongly of pine and caramel. Taste is is sweet up front with a nice bitter backbone. It has average carbonation and a medium body. Pretty much exactly what I would expect from this style, good example of a west coast strong ale.

Tap at The Davis Beer Shoppe. Pours very dark red with a cream off-white head that laced quite a bit. Aroma seems quite pine. Med + body. flavor is very pine over a fairly dark roast malt. Finishes malty, but more bitter and hoppy.

Bottle - thanks MikeB! Pours clear reddish amber with a large tan head that dissipates with nice lacing. Aroma is beautiful grapefruit, caramel, a bit of pine. Flavor is much the same, very nice, very balanced. Lightly sweet and medium bitter growing into the lightly warming finish.

On tap at Drakes poured a clear reddish amber with a small lasting amber head. Aromas of carmel, orange zest, pink grapefruit, pine and tropical fruit. Palate was light to medium bodied and crisp with a dry finish. Flavors of carmel, pink grapefruit, tangerine, light tropical fruit and light pine with a crisp dry bitter lingering grapefruit finish.

On tap at Pi Bar. Amber pour with a creamy off white head Big dry hoppy nose. Toasted malts and resiny hops. and a nice clean bitter finish. Labeled as a double amber for some reason but quite nicely hopped and drinkable

On tap at Drakes Barrel House. Pours reddish brown with a nice off-white head and a smoky aroma., There is a classic red ale flavor with a lot of smoke and a raspy feel.

Bottle. Deep red-brown color, clear, with a beige head and very good lacing. Flowery, pine aroma. Taste is bitter throughout, piney, with peaks of caramel malt poking through. A bit of alcohol burn in the finish.

Clear amber pour with a white head. Nice citrus and floral hop nose to this. A bit of pine, and lots of caramel an toffee malt sweetness. There is a bit of pine hoppiness and bitterness on the palate, some floral notes, and a nice orange peel. Some sweet toffee an malt flavors, too.