Southern Tier Big Red

Dense, hazy, golden/orange body with faint carbonation beneath a large yellowhite head which settles slow and frothy. After an initial whiff of pepper (which actually made me sneeze), I got a big nose of pine and citrus, from sweet tangerine to tart lemon. While hops dominate, there are enough malts here to uncover some light, pale DME and a sweet caramel backing. Sharp and thick in the mouth. Flavor seesaws between bitter and sweet... I’ll say there is balance here but only if you can picture some BFFs on either end of that seesaw (and I don’t mean "best friends forever"). Big caramel candy sweetness, mild tea notes, sharp pine, tart, rindy grapefruit, and undeniable ABV. Pretty huge. I notice Southern Tier likes to put "Imperial" on a lot of their labels. This time it’s well-placed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 22 oz. bomber from Kenwood Liquors, Oak Lawn, IL

This bottled brew from a bottle shop poured a small sized head of foamy finely sized bubbles that were quickly diminishing and left behind a transparent softly carbonated dark orange colored body. The mild aroma was hoppy and Irish Red malty. The crisp mouth feel was tingly at the start and at the finish with a biting hoppy aftertaste. The biting flavor contained notes of honey and red malt. Delicious and one I would certainly buy again.

Looks nice in the glass, good copper/red, small grey/off-white head. Aroma is great, not incredibly complex but most pleasant. Soft caramel notes, a lovely citrus quality backed up with some interesting spiciness, good rounded malt aroma, all balances rather well. Flavour is grand, once again well balanced, big malts with sweet toffee notes to the fore backed up very nicely by some bittering hops, ending biscuity and and citrusy with lovely herbal/spice overtones. Palate is good, pretty soft with a nice bite to it, keeps it refreshing and not overly rich. All i all a very good beer, it’s only downfall is perhaps a little lacking in the complexity department. It tastes great and good quality ingredients have obviously been used it’s just a little straight forward. Seems harsh but fair.

22oz bottle 9/11/09 RIP Flts. 11 & 77 (Binny’s Naperville)-Pours a hazy orangish amber iwth a small white head. Aroma of citrus, caramel, hops, bubblegum, and some spices. Taste of hops, malt, and alcohol. This full bodied brew is not bad but it doesn’t hide the ABV very well. Almost like a barley wine.

Pours a clear deep amber with off white head. Aroma of caramel malts, fruit, spicey hops. Similar taste, mild hop finish. Pretty good, not great.

Bomber sampled at Butters’ 1500 / MmmcKay’s 200 tasting. Pours a bright clear dark amber with orange highlights and sand rippled off white head. Nose is sweet citrus and bready maltiness. Flavor is sweet caramels with more citrus hops. Linger semi-bitter finish. Not all that impressed here, but not bad. Cool label per usual for these guys.

Copper in color with just a hint of red. Smells of light sour fruit and sweet malt. Notes of caramelized vegetables. Tastes just about right for the style. But nothing really stands out either. Nice light bitter finish. Quenching.

Pours a lacing, beige head with a copper body. Aromas of resin and caramel. Flavor is caramel and resin. Slightly bitter finish. Smooth and mellow. Silky, almost creamy body.