On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, indeterminate Imperial Red lacks firm flavor profile. Relegated red-orange fruiting and phenol hop spicing become nebulous. Sugared grapefruit-peach-tangerine-mango conflux weakens at lackluster honeyed wheat base while distant nuttiness barely registers.
Tag Archives: imperial red ale
OSKAR BLUES G’KNIGHT IMPERIAL RED
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, improved updated version of Gordon (now listed as an Imperial Red/ Imperial IPA hybrid) got christened G’Knight in 2012. Orange-bruised cherry-berry ripeness infiltrates sugary malt sweetness to helles bock-like biscuit-y Graham Cracker spine. Sharp hop bite deepens fruity assertion.
LONG TRAIL CENTENNIAL RED
Busy ‘big beer’ is part of increasing limited edition Brewmaster Series. Well balanced complexities fortify sienna-coppered medium-to-full body. Orange-oiled dark cherry, red grape, pineapple and apricot fruiting glides safely above biscuit-y cocoa-caramel malting and toasted pecan-almond nuttiness. Swampy peat minerality and resinous piney oaken earthiness fill the backend. Scotch, brandy and sherry innuendoes deepen unassuming 7.9% alcohol flow.
BALLAST POINT TONGUE BUCKLER IMPERIAL RED ALE
On tap at Cloverleaf, raspy hop-header brings peaty tea-like dewiness of an Irish Red Ale to typecast tropical fruiting of an India Pale Ale. Bitter grapefruit rind sharpness, coarsened hop spicing and resinous pine tone inundate sugary crystal malting as pineapple, pink grapefruit, red apple, orange, guava, peach, pear and strawberry illusions gather strength. Not far removed from Stone Arrogant Bastard. 
SPEAKEASY BETRAYAL IMPERIAL RED ALE
Because of its virtuous Imperial status, adventurous limited edition ruby-crimsoned full body is easily one of the best red ales marketed. Piney IPA fruiting leads the way above caramel-roasted pecan-pied almond toasting. Red grapefruit, cherry, apple, orange and melon juiciness provides tangy up-front sweetness reinforced by ripe prune-raisin-fig conflux and brown-sugared spices.
RIDGEWAY INSANELY BAD ELF IMPERIAL RED ALE
Dry rummy molasses entry and overripe fruiting undone by oncoming corn liquor outburst of stiff winter warmer. Bruised apricot, caramelized cherry, dried fig, navel orange, tangerine and pineapple fruiting sweeten caraway-seeded rye breading and herbal fennel snip, but nasty 11.2% alcohol coarseness will keep less adventurous yellow-bellied drinkers at bay. Serve to hardened Everclear purists.
TROEGS NUGGET NECTAR IMPERIAL AMBER ALE
Piercing piney prominence seeps through loud grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and honeyed-floral accrual. Sharp hop bite really brings out salient spruce sapping settling to juicy peach-melon-nectarine-pineapple tropicalia. A savory delight!