Lagunitas Imperial Red

Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Petaluma, California USA

12ozers. I could not keep away from this stuff. Rich and malty, but in no way overdone. A ton of hops provide a great backbone to this meaty monster. Reminded me a bit of Hop Devil or Arrogant Bastard. Excellent.

Tap. Moderate malt notes of toasted, light herbs and flowers for the hops and light dough for the yeast, with cherry and toffee in the background. Head is small, off- white with excellent lacing and is mostly diminishing. Color is a clear red brown. Flavor starts moderately sweet and lightly acidic and bitter then finishes lightly acidic and heavily bitter. Palate is medium, creamy with a carbonation between soft and lively and has a dry finish. Great balance in taste and aroma, and another excellent offering from Lagunitas.

On draft. Some quality stuff, nicely hopped, rather dry and prickly but that’s probably just right for this beer. Sort of a toned down version of Arrogant Bastard.

Fruity floral aroma. Citrusy sweet caramel on the palate. Nicely hopped. A very tasty beer. Very refreshing.

First off, this beer smells fantastic. Its got a very pleasant citrus with orange hints. I’m guessing amarillo aroma or dry hops, but I’ve been wrong before. Very malty and bitter, well balanced in its huge flavors. Its very similar to arrogant bastard, but less estery. This is another winner from Lagunitas as far as I’m concerned.

Bottle: Pours a slightly clear red/amber color with little head. Strawberries, apples, floral hops and a mild maltiness present in the aroma. Very fruity taste that gravitates towards in-your-face floral and piney hops as it warms. Some light malt aspects noted before the hops took them hostage. Very good brew.

Pours dark reddish amber with a fully receding light tan head. Aroma is sweet citrus, resinous west coast hops, grapefruit, and light acidity. Taste is grapefruit, toffee, and resinous pine. Mouthfeel is full bodied, lightly sticky and resinous with lush carbonation. How many beers like this can Lagunitas really brew?

12 oz. bottle. Strong, pleasant aroma that is simultaneously hoppy and malty. Pacific hops scents: pine, apricot, salt. Cookie and fruitcake malt smell. The aroma remains strong even upon drinking. Intriguing, appealing color: Dark amber, mahogany leather, or orange-tinted medium brown. Mostly clear liquid but with the slightest of haze. Some bubbling. Thick, fluffy, light tan head. Produces nice, thick, long-lasting lacing. Hops dominate the flavor at first: piney, dry, sharp, citrus-sour. Fruity maltiness makes this essentially a darker, maltier IPA. Sweet, sugary malts begin to dominate the flavor upon multiple sips. In fact, this beer would be too candy-sweet if not for the strong hopping. Alcohol evident in the taste but by no means overpowering. Nice, long, dry, bitter aftertaste. Full body. Thick, almost syrupy. Lively in the palate. Refreshing. Easy to drink, especially for such a full-bodied brew. This beer reminds me of Surly Furious in its combination of aggressive hops, assertive malts, and full body. Lagunitas Imperial Red is a surprisingly good beer. It is really, really tasty. It’s strong across the board and a pleasure to imbibe. This is my kind of beer! Note that it is better on the chilly side.