Imperial Red Ale
(has 2 batches)
Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California, United States 🇺🇸
Amber / Red Ale - Imperial Rotating Out of Production|
Score
7.32
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This Special Ale is, in reality, a reconstructed exhumation of the very first ale that we ever brewed way, way back, in 1993. Brewed with a big head, a muscular malty thorax, a silky texture & all strung together with a hoppy sweet nerve sack... yum.
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7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle. Shared with my best friend, mrest88 (too bad he isn’t a Hophead!). I love imperial reds, and this one is no different. Pours with a clear red body and a light brown head that leaves good lacing. Aroma is hops (fresh) with lots of caramel and some ripe fruits. Taste starts nicely sweet with caramel and fruitiness and then finishes with a nice and controlled hop bitterness. A bit on the fizzy side of things.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Oct 2008
at 03:14
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 7.5
12 oz. bottle from Wine Warehouse. Ruby red pour with a small off-white head that fades quickly to a ring around the glass. Big hops in the aroma. Very big. Resin, citrus, pine. Some earthy malts in the background. Taste is brown sugar, caramel, cassis and nuts with some lemon-citrus hops. Full bodied, smooth, with alcohol very subtle. A winner from Lagunitas!
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Sep 2008
at 23:26
7.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
12 oz. stubby bottle, vintage 2007. Well, I may never get to share a "Frank Zappa vertical" until I have everything up to "Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch," but I have other Lagunitas to bide my time until I can get enough friends together. Like this one. It pours a somewhat murky reddish brown, raising a sweet sticky malt and sugar smell. Thin barley wine style foam layer. Holds glass closer to detect a fair amount of bittering hops before the standard West Coast load. Hops still smell a bit fresh, and not at all out of balance. Taste is malty but with a grapefruit backing that seems to come from malt and ferment. Sticks to the upper lip, pricks the roof of my mouth with bubbles. Even over-chilled (I want my own beer fridge again!) it brings on some raw alcohol warmth. Some grape wine, bits of cherry and tart apple, and now, I think, some English hops, too. In order words, a beer with a lot going on. If I had a bomber of this, I’d just call it a night.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Sep 2008
at 23:10
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Had this at Chris O’s pre GBBF tasting, 02-08-08 cheers for a wonderful day Chris Pours dark amber with off white head. Some oakiness on the nose, appears oak aged but apparently isn’t. Some spirit, sweet but tangy edge with some toffee, hops bursting through nice soft mouthfeel lovely beer, vanilla at end, really nice.
Tried
on 06 Aug 2008
at 02:53
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 5.5
Bottle. Lots of hops in this strong ale. In fact, the aroma presents the hops, but the flavor presents the heavy use of malts. Dark copper body with off-white head. Aroma is mainly hoppy with notes of resin and grapefruit, especially grapefruit. Also hints of caramel. The flavor is moderately sweet and moderately bitter. Finish is bitter and sticks around for awhile. Medium body with a smooth’velvety texture. Average carbonation. OK balance between sweet and bitter and somewhat average beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 May 2008
at 18:58
7.3/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle. [Tasting @ Ølbaren, Copenhagen]. Clear medium amber color with a large, frothy, excellent lacing, fully lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, moderate to light heavy hoppy, grass, pine, grape. Flavor is moderate sweet and moderate to light heavy bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. (110308)
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Apr 2008
at 10:39