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Southern Tier Big Red

Southern Tier Big Red - American Strong Ale

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 Percentile 
89
overall
Brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale

Lakewood, New York USA

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
4113.54/5.03.53/5.0Special9%54.2Snifter, Trappist glass
View Statistics  P 

Commercial Description:
Inspiration can sometimes be found in the strangest of places. This eccentric brew started with a single flower from a hop named Hallertau. The delicate and spicy aroma present in the flower has been responsible for generations of great beers. Hallertau hops are to a brewer what an old tractor is to a farmer: reliable. Big Red expresses the nobility of Hallertau by placing it at the forefront of this Imperial Ale. Pour it into a snifter. A swirl allows the spicy aromas to come forward as a taste to the lips reveals the complex balance between sweet malts and the bitterness of hops. Big Red’s ability to please is as dependable as your grandpa’s old tractor. Please consume wisely.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 BBB63 (4198), La Porte, Indiana, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/56/103/513/20
Dec 12, 2007  
Bottle and served in standard pint glass: Nice coppery hue with a huge rocky white head and clingy lace. The aroma is shocking syrupy sweet and malty with just a hint of grassy and spicy hop. Some yeasty cobweb vapour and buttery notes as well. The taste is equally sweet and has a hit of ripened fruit for background character. There is lucky for me a nice addition of spice and grassy bitterness to counteract all that forward sweetness. Really a beer with little depth beyond the "imperial" biggie. The mouth feel is rich and chewy with a warming thread. Yum, part of me likes the simple notes yet part of me wanted more depth...I dunno know, try it yourself.


 JPDIPSO (4862), Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/516/20
Dec 10, 2007    Updated: Jan 8, 2008
Amber to light copper in color. Moderate stable off-white head and nice lace. Sweet malt and a touch of wort and wet grain aromas. Green, somewhat floral hops scents as well as a touch of grapefruit. I’m not catching the strength in the nose. The longer I smell this the more I’m liking it. The malt gets fuller as some of the volatiles are driven off. Now this is an American Strong! Big caramel and malt flavors with big green hops in the middle. Finish has a touch of acidity and and grapefruit. No real alcohol presence. Dangerously drinkable. Light linger, with just a hint of malt and nuts. Certainly not the biggest and boldest tasting in the field, but as my stomach starts to warm up, this is a balanced brew, that one does not have to think to hard about. Drink and enjoy.


 tytoanderso (1382), St. Louis Park, Minnesota, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/103/516/20
Dec 10, 2007  
220z bottle from kryptic. Spicy and grassy hops initially assault the nose. Floral notes, green tea and toffee take over after warming. Pours copper with a creamy white head leaving excellent lacing. Spicy hops at first on the tongue. Cut grass, a hint of cinnamon and allspice, just a kiss of citrus. Toffee. Slightly nutty... sweeter cashews. Medium bodied. Kind of spicy. A very unique and well done take on the ASA style.


 urbnhautebourg (972), Annapolis, Maryland, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/56/103/512/20
Dec 10, 2007  
It is big and it is red and it really does have a ton of Hallertau infused in all that maltiness. I don’t really know if I liked it, even though I rather like Hallertauer hops. The mix here just did not appeal to me as much as, say, Samuel Adams Hallertauer Imperial Pilsner. I am sure it has more to do with my limitations than those of this beer.


 mwelsh13 (483), Maryland, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/518/20
Dec 8, 2007  
One of my favorites. More dark orange pour with red highlights. Little must/yeast in the aroma. Big hop taste in the front of the beer, but nice malty mouthfeel too. Not over carbonated. Nice job, just wish there was more in MD.


 efrumtheidiot (190), Maryland, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/513/20
Nov 30, 2007  
pours light amber with an off-white head. aroma is hoppy with dust and flowers. taste is tea, caramel, hops, pine. not too bitter. mid-bodied. not my fave, but a great brew nonetheless.


 jasonp (1504), Sterling/Dulles, Virginia, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/514/20
Nov 25, 2007  
Bottle, not really red but clear light copper with a nice white head. Nice, floral noble hop nose along with touches of grain and light toffee. The flavor starts with a blast of grassy herbal hop character with a nice undercurrent of bread/caramel and strong yet pleasant level of hop bitterness. Medium/full bodied yet quaffable with a smooth texture and medium carbonation. A different take on a hop bomb, I enjoyed it.


 ryan (1774), Beltsville, Maryland, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/56/103/512/20
Nov 23, 2007  
Sample provided by jasonp. Clear amber body with a small beige head. The nose is grapefruit, apricot, orange, caramel and a light cattiness. Moderately sweet taste with caramel, light tea, grapefruit, pine and cotton candy. Medium/full body is soft and chewy with light carbonation.



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