doppelmeup (49), Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA
Apr 30, 2008
I was very pleasantly surprised by this beer. I bought a four pack for a trade, and had a couple left so I decided sample one of these higly rated brews for myself.
Listed on BA as a double IPA, I was expecting a bright orange grapefruit/pine/hop bomb. I don’t think this style is correct for this beer. The label describes it as an Imperial Red Ale, and this is right on the money.
The beer pours a dark amber red into a pint glass with a rich, thick head that slowly fades and leaves great lacing all the way doen the glass.
Aromas are full of cut grass and chocolate malt. A strong rye presence and some citrus balance this out. Very multidimensional.
The taste is absolutely awesome! There are so many flavors it’s hard to list them all. Chocolate, rye, spicy hops, fruity. Very hoppy yes, but definitely not a hop bomb. This is one of the best beers I’ve had!
Mouthfeel is both hoppy and dry and slick and malty at the same time. The high ABV is completely hidden.
Overall, this is one of the best beers I’ve had. It just screams DRINK ME! Don’t pass this by if you see it on the shelves!
 zappafan99 (256), Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA
Jul 20, 2008 Taste: 7/8 Bottle (2007) Looks: Black Cherry, thin head. Smells: nice caramel/cherry malt and straw nose. Light crisp spice from the hops. Taste: Crisp and spicy with a nice finish. Quite drinkable for the abv. Medium bodied. Good sour/yeast character with a nice straw/grain. Hops comes across spicy, not citrus and floral. Quite good.
kmeves (981), Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, USA
Jul 10, 2008 Pours a clear amber with a small beige head and minimal lacing. Aroma is medium sweet, orange, pine and caramel. Flavor is orange, floral, chocolate, caramel and big thick malt. Medium to full body, sticky texture. Finishes somewhat short and bittersweet. Very nice beer, thanks to Alexdad06.
radiomgb (1711), Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Jul 7, 2008 Deep mahogany in colour with a thin beige head and some light lacing. The aroma was lightly hopped, some caramel and chocolate sweetness, malty. The flavour was lightly bitter with some moderate hops and some citrus, some pine and brown sugar, caramel malt sweetness. Bitter mouthfeel, medium body, medium carbonation. Finishes bitter hoppy then some sweetness from the caramel.
Its hoppy, its malty, it another IIPA. This one didn’t grab my attention all that much.
355ml bottle obtained in a trade with Beerlando, thanks Bryan.
Opened on February 15, 2008.
Bottle from 2007.
hurrisnow (6), Nebraska, USA
does not count  Jul 3, 2008 This is a big beer, very hoppy,(DUH!) enjoyable. I found this by accident. I didn’t expect to find a big beer like this in Georgia due to their beer laws. I took this to my aunt’s house and my cousins who haven’t discovered beers like this really enjoyed it and it was a welcomed treat in Nebraska too!
peter (331), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Jun 28, 2008 2005
Immediately its about the malt. Deep caramel flavour, and some burnt sugars. Some mild hop bitterness exists on the back on the throat. Rye lingers in the mouth, and is the signature for this beer. Age has done great things for this beer.
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