Lady Luck Imperial Red Ale
Karben4 Brewing

Lady Luck Imperial Red AleLady Luck Imperial Red Ale
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From:
Karben4 Brewing
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Irish Red Ale
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.85 | pDev: 11.17%
Reviews:
22
Ratings:
113
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 28, 2020
Added:
Jun 25, 2013
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  30
More than just a beer to satisfy and soothe – it’s an emotional experience. Deepest ruby red and filled with a symphony of malt flavors including caramel, toffee, raisins, and currants that finish with a simple hint of roast and chocolate tones lingering like a half-remembered dream. This gentle giant, balanced with English hops, dominates all senses without destroying the palate. Sexy. As. Hell.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Gotti311:
Photo of Gotti311
Rated by Gotti311 from Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Sep 25, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of TheOccasionalBeer
Reviewed by TheOccasionalBeer from Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Going from memory on this.... Deep red-brown with little foam, and scents of toasted malt and something more. Nice dark earthy cocoa with maybe some sweetness to override some of the (mild and not unexpected) bitterness. Mouth feel was one of depth and complexity. Clearly, I should have gotten another of these since the first went down so well.
Nov 28, 2020
 
Rated: 4.75 by MonkeyPilates from Minnesota

Aug 11, 2020
Photo of HopHippie
Reviewed by HopHippie from Wisconsin

3.12/5  rDev -19%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
L: Black cherry red with a tan head that doesn't have retention.
S: Fruity cherry with caramel, cocoa, black currants.
T: An aggressive flavor for sure. heavy bitter-ish fruit with caramel and dry dark chocolate.
F: Pretty dry but smooth.
O: A great beer however the flavors all try to dominate over eachother instead of blend, its a very in your face beer in terms of flavor. However it is still a great beer just not something I would have all the time and I don't think I could have a few of these at a time.
Jul 31, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by Zenboy99 from Wisconsin

Apr 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.55 by jbu0126 from Wisconsin

Sep 03, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by scaliasux from Wisconsin

Aug 24, 2018
Photo of ordybill
Reviewed by ordybill from Georgia

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from the tap into a pint glass. The appearance is a clear dark amber color with a tiny white head. The aroma is cherries and caramel malt. The taste follows the nose.
Aug 18, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by grahuba from Connecticut

Jul 04, 2018
Photo of pweis909
Reviewed by pweis909 from Wisconsin

3.61/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I got a presumptive bad bottle of what I think might have been a very good beer. I'm enjoying it, but it could be better.

What I like. Cocoa notes without trying to get in your face, some sweetness without cloying, beautiful garnet highlights (but otherwise, opaque), silky mouth feel. If really in the 7% ABV range, well hidden. Perhaps that sweetness is deceiving.

What was missing: head retention. The beer settled down into lifeless liquid, lickety-split. It released carbonation, but oh, so fast. I don't think it is my glassware, as this is not a problem I have often encountered. I think if I had head retention I would be scoring 4 or higher in every rating category.

Hops in this seem strictly for balance. That's OK. Perhaps if there were some carbonation, it would have been more aromatic, but I suspect the aroma would be dominated by the chocolate note.


This is the 3rd Karben4 beer I have had this week. It is the first one that I sat down to review. The others, a pale ale and an IPA, were very good. Each of these beers had a sweetness (crystal malt, I presume?), but always in balance. Hope to try this one again under more favorable circumstances. Will keep my eye out for more offerings



My numerical ratings are a compromise, b
Jun 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4.41 by dhannes from Wisconsin

Mar 31, 2018
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I bought this off a single shelf in a grocery store outside of Milwaukee whilst there for a hockey tournaments. It poured a clear nearly opaque dark amber with no head and no lace. The scent had caramel malt. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with caramel malt base. The mouthfeel is medium in body with good carbonation Overall it's a solid beer.
Feb 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4.03 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Feb 11, 2018
Photo of Victory_Sabre1973
Reviewed by Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota

3.54/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
This beer pours a dark amber color. Minimal head, and lacing on the glass. Lots of carbonation bubbles in the glass in spite of the lack of head.
The nose is quite boozy smelling. That is really the main aroma to this beer.
Taste is a bit sweet up front. Malty. Boozy on the backside.
Fairly full bodied beer. Some carbonation bubbles going down. Boozy burn going down.
I don't know about this beer. It might be a bit better at a lower ABV.
Oct 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.77 by MTKATL from Georgia

Oct 17, 2017
Photo of beerguy04
Reviewed by beerguy04 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours an amber color with little head or lacing. Smell and taste is of mild sweet carmel. Has a smooth mouthfeel. Overall it's a unique Irish red ale.
Jul 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4.35 by kyledover from Oregon

May 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3.73 by bigpoppa67 from Wisconsin

May 11, 2017
 
Rated: 1.86 by akkrocka from Wisconsin

Apr 08, 2017
Photo of handmuffin
Reviewed by handmuffin from Wisconsin

3.55/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Served from bottle into glass at home. Pours amber brown in color, ruby tinted, low clarity, with small tan colored head. Deep fruity aroma, like dried cherries, with caramel malt character. No hop aroma detected. Flavor is primarily clean caramel maltiness with some light fruitiness. Low bitterness and mild sweetness. No alcohol flavor detected. Medium full body with medium low carbonation. Overall this beer is interesting. The lack of hops in both aroma and flavor is surprising and results in a sweet malty beer. Intensity of flavor is also lacking for an imperial and the alcohol strength is not apparent. Even with the deviations from style expectations, this beer is enjoyable and easily drinkable.
Mar 26, 2017
Lady Luck Imperial Red Ale from Karben4 Brewing
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 113 ratings