Rye on the Prize

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, best before 12/20/2016. Pours slightly hazy reddish copper color with a 2 finger dense and fluffy light khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Dense soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, wood, pepper, pine, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, spicy rye, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/pine/earthy hops and dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, wood, pepper, pine, caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, spicy rye, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Moderate pine/citrus rind/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, lemon/orange rind, wood, pepper, pine, caramel, spicy rye, toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/pine/earthy hops and dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and zero astringent hop flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitterness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, moderately sticky/resinous, and creamy/bready balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with a slight warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is an outstanding imperial red IPA! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/pine/earthy hops and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.