Lagunitas Imperial Red

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

Date: 06/18/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Noog I

clear red, thin head, big sweet carmel malt aroma followed by lots of citrus hops, light sweet malt flavor with just the right amount of hops, nice bitter finish, tasty but a bit too light
-------- /> Date: 10/22/2006
Mode: bottle
Words: Green’s

clear dark red, nice bit of lace, carmel sweetness, otherwise same as before
-------- /> Date: 10/24/2006
Mode: bottle
Words: Green’s

drink it good and cold and it is not as thick but still has the big hop flavor on a rich carmel malt base, best colder than warmer
-------- /> Date: 11/05/2006
Source: tasting

when warm it thins out and the alcohol shows up and ruins the party

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.2/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Thanks to mgumby for sharing this with me. Poured a deep red color with a thin light colored head. The aroma is of piney hops, spices, cinnamon, and some malts. The flavor follows much the same with the sweet malts coming through and the hops in the background. It is medium bodied with a nice long bitter finish from the hops. This had a really nice sweet flavor that was balanced out well from the hops. Really good brew and easy to drink.

Bottle. Pours a clear dark amber with a small but lasting off-white head that leaves good lacing. Aroma of floral hops, sweet malt, and light caramel. taste is the same as aroma with a hint of citrus hops. Medium body with a strong but well balanced bitterness. Very good.

Pours a fairly clear dark maroon with a small, quickly disappearing light tan head. Smells of floral hops, mild spices and cinnamon. The taste is very malty, really dominates the hops from the get-go. Kind of syrupy in texture, with a profound little spicy bitterness in the finish. The hops are definitely noticeable towards the end, with the sweet malts coming into back it up. Pretty solid brew. Good flavor, easy to drink. Not bad at all.

pours a rich dark red/copper color. aroma makes me wish i could drink through my nose...a hoppy citric aroma with hints of pine and sweetness. ultra hoppy/grapefruit flavor without the bitterness. nice malty/ caramel back bone. lively carbonation with medium mouth feel which makes the glass sticky. i initially thought the bitter finish was hops...turns out it was alcohol

Deep red amber with creamy, off-white head / Sweet, floral, pine, and molasses nose / Medium body with big, sweet, malts and sharp, chewy, hoppy finish / Flavors of burnt sugar, molasses, toffee, pine, and grapefruit / A very malty double IPA.

12 oz bottle from Oak Tree Buy Rite. Poured a crystal clear deep reddish/amber with a large dense frothy slightly off white head. Initial aroma is pure piney hops like an Imperial IPA, as it warms some other aromas start to creep in and I’m not sure that is a good thing. Something that reminds me of fresh cut pineapple on a plastic cutting board is there, uhm.....yeahn I know weird description but hey screw u this is my rating. Mouthfeel is medium with lively carbonation. Flavor is hop on, yeah I know it’s not an Imperial IPA but man is this hoppy. It’s hard to explain but when the maltiness kicks in it’s a different malt flavor then your typical IIPA so thats what sets this apart and makes it an IRA, hmm.....Imperial Red Ale (IRA) interesting.

12 oz. bottle from Plaza Liquors - Pours a clear copperish-red color with a one and a half finger thick light tan head. Light lacing. Aroma is sweet floral and citrus hops. Flavor is much of the same with some toasted malt to back it. Medium body. No lingering aftertaste. A very good beer.