Mars - Belgian Imperial Red IPA
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.

Mars - Belgian Imperial Red IPAMars - Belgian Imperial Red IPA
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From:
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
Belgian IPA
ABV:
8.7%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.06 | pDev: 10.1%
Reviews:
22
Ratings:
25
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 12, 2014
Added:
Apr 11, 2008
Wants:
  29
Gots:
  1
Named after the Roman god of war, MARS radiates red color and brilliant beauty yet enrages the taste buds with wrathful force. This Imperial IPA seizes its intense bitterness from an immense amount of hops. Belgian yeast retaliates, adding complexity and character.

85 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by hopdog:
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

4.12/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz bottle shared courtesy of TomDecapolis (thanks!).

Poured a deeper and lgihtly hazy amber color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of pine, caramel, yeast, and citrus. Tastes of caramel, citrus, tobacco, and light spices. Light to medium alcohol finish.

Notes from 5/2/08
Nov 09, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by GRG1313 from California

Nov 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by DucksFan16 from Tennessee

May 28, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by t0rin0 from California

Oct 29, 2012
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.55/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Thanks for sharing this, Bobby.

Pours a reddish color with an off-white head. Stale hops on the aroma with some grass and citrus notes. A bit of sweet toffee and bready malt, maybe some toast. Citrus hops, citrus peel, and maybe some grass and pine. Sweet toffee, bready malt, and a hint of caramel. Just sort of an old hoppy beer. Meh. Medium body and carbonation.
Jan 13, 2012
Photo of ccrida
Reviewed by ccrida from Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Yet another MSBC review that was lost during the BA DB crash, luckily I still have the original notes.

Poured into my MSBC glass, Mars is a hazy brownish amber with a big, fluffy off-white head that leaves heavy lace.

Smell is a big blast of piney hops, some sweet malt, a little fruity.

Taste is great, nice balance of big hop resins, malty backbone and some fruity esters. A bit spicy as well as some lingering bitterness, it's fairly complex but it all gels nicely.

Mouthfeel is very creamy, medium bodied.

Drinkability is great, this was an excellant beer, I really loved it. I'm a huge fan of Belgian esters, and prefer red IPAs to regular IPAs, so this one was a real winner for me.
Dec 30, 2009
Photo of naproxen
Reviewed by naproxen from District of Columbia

4.12/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
yowza, this beer is pretty damned good, and that is a fact. A straight 'by the book' review would not do this beer justice, so bear with me.

I have always had a certain draw to beers that cross styles. Maybe I'm just a nonconformist so shoot me (no, please). Anywho a beer by MS (midnight sun, not muscular dystrophy) that crosses normal style is one I will hunt down, and sooo glad I did.

In a most generous trade with AKBelgianBeast I acquired this amber gem. It really was the first MS beer I coveted.

The spice from the Belgian yeast really hooks me in. This IIPA is delicious, the malt backbone from the 'red' really equalizes the beer. I really really want more of it right meow Hopefully I will cross paths again with Mars.
Dec 22, 2008
Photo of drseamus
Reviewed by drseamus from New York

3.79/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to littlebreeze for bringing this.

A: Nice red body with a slight cloudiness. It was topped with a very nice head.

S: As aerozeppl would say, "it has a tight nose". Not much at all in there.

T: Hoppy bitterness right up front. Good malt background with good balancing sweetness for the hops. Hop driven though.

M: Medium body with sticky thickness.

D: Too bitter for extended drinking, but good for what I had.
Nov 17, 2008
Photo of aerozeppl
Reviewed by aerozeppl from New York

4.18/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to littlebreeze for bringing this.

A: Nice hazy reddish color. A massive amount of white head. Good lacing.

S: Nice and spicy. I would have to say this beer has a very tight nose.

T: Massive hop and malt taste. Super well balanced. Nice lingering hop bitterness in the finish. Only the faintest hints of the belgian yeast.

M: Nice and creamy. Feels really good in the mouth.

D: Excellent beer all around. Super well balanced. This really reminded me of a more mellow version of Ithaca Ten. Great beer.
Nov 16, 2008
Photo of gford217
Reviewed by gford217 from Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Another of the planet series provided by NoonanDBarbarian poured into a snifter.

Pours a deep, clear copper with a huge creamy head that hangs around for ages. There are streams of bubbles streaming to the top and the lacing is fantastic.

The aroma has a big floral hop presence that stands out up front. The Belgian yeast is noticeable only in the background along with hints of caramel sweetness.

The taste is a complex mix of the Belgian sweetness and the pine hops that dominate the aroma. The first taste is of the big Simcoe hops but the sweetness of the malts and soft Belgian yeast come through in the middle. The hops come back in the finish with a massive resiny bitterness.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with tons of carbonation and seriously sticky with pine resin.

Another interesting beer from Midnight Sun and I can never get enough of the pine hops that dominate this one. Big thanks again to Brian for the opportunity to try this.
Nov 09, 2008
Photo of Floydster
Reviewed by Floydster from California

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
22 ounce bottle acquired in a trade with AKBelgianBeast, thanks for the opportunity Frank, second beer tasted from the planet series, split with Randie last night, poured into a bucket glass

A-Dark deep amber color with some golden highlights, one inch off white creamy head that lasted over a half hour, very impressive retention, also some nice lacing, resembled the planet nicely
S-Piney hoppiness coming from the abundance of Simcoe, some faint spices, soft malt backbone, Belgian yeast, some lemony citrus, mild yeasty aromas, and resin
T-This brew was great because it had the ability to go from sweet to dry to spicy to fruity, in other words it had a lot of complexity, starts off with some dry pine notes, thick caramel malt makes up the middle, some resin and more pine dominate the finish, later on there is some earthiness in the aftertaste too, bitterness in here worked well with the Belgian yeast and somehow stayed balanced and made this all work, this stuff was enjoyable even once it warmed which I could not say about a lot of the hoppy beers out there
M-Moderate level of carbonation, dry, slick, slightly sweet, and clean mouthfeel, medium bodied, taste lingers for a few minutes after each sip
D-Could have drank this bottle no problem but my friend begged me to split it, goes down easy and is smooth, not heavy, alcohol is hidden, complex and keeps you coming back for more

This brew is like three different beers in one including a double red, IPA, and a belgian pale, then you throw the 85 IBUs and massive amount of Simcoe in there and you get a hop bomb, glad I got to try this after missing it on tap at O'Briens during the CBC, would like to drink again, recommended
Nov 08, 2008
Photo of SCW
Reviewed by SCW from New York

2.85/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Oh man. This is one of my favorite breweries, but this beer was completely off the mark.

Wayyy too aggressive of a beer. Belgian subtle spice and phenols completely wiped out by the bitter hop bitchslap to the face.

ouch!

Also, there was a harsh alcohol burn in both the aroma and the aftertaste.

Sorry dudes. Love the Barley wine and others, but this one didn't cut the mustard.
Oct 17, 2008
Photo of boralyl
Reviewed by boralyl from Oregon

4.16/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Many thanks to AKBelgianBeast for this brew.

A - Pours a very deep dark red, with ruby highlights throughout. There is lots and lots of thick, fluffy tan-ish head. It has excellent retention leaving a thick ring on top after it settles for awhile. A great representation of Mars.

S - A large amount of piny hops dominate the nose. There is also a mix of spices and malts.

M - A medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. It has a slightly slick feeling to it.

T - A small amount of malt presence begins the taste. Then the piny hops blast your taste buds, however the party is interrupted by some Belgian yeast and other spices which tames the hops a bit. It finishes bitter and dry.

Definitely tastes like an imperial IPA. However it has a spiciness to it as well which gives it a pretty unique flavor. Of the 3 planet beers I've tried this one is my 2nd favorite right after Earth.
Sep 28, 2008
Photo of orcasteve
Reviewed by orcasteve from North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
this one poured a beautiful red color and when i smelled this one i was overcome with hops. this one wasent bad, it was ballenced nice and the hops was the strong flavor, i have had a few outher reds that i like better. this is a beer that i would drink agan if it were offered to me, i wont go out of my way to get this one though
Sep 24, 2008
Photo of leftmindedrighty
Reviewed by leftmindedrighty from New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
22oz bottle sent to me by the ever generous BA Tayner.

Portion poured into a Delirium Tremens tulip glass, the rest was shared with friends.

Smell, wow. hoppy, hoppy, hoppy, with some Belgian yeast thrown in. Smells like a really good Barleywine.

Taste, wow, so complex. The hops are right up front, citrus and pine notes dominate, followed by a great malt backbone. A faint dough taste leads to a huge smack over the head hop taste that strangles the malt into submission. Clove, mild raisin flavors come through, with just an overwhelming hop flavor. Hints of plum also pull through, but they're just washed away with the great, and awesome hop flavor of this brew. Citrus, piney, and juicy.

Overall, this is now one of my favorite beers. Wow, super hoppy, yet perfectly balanced. I need a case of this beer. It's not my favorite Belgian IPA, but it is my favorite Belgian American Style IPA.
Sep 04, 2008
Photo of warmstorage
Reviewed by warmstorage from California

3.36/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
UPDATED REVIEW: 8/9/2008

I decided to do a new review of Mars, since the bottle I just opened seems like an entirely different beer than my April 12 review. They're from the same case, literally, and this one has been sitting in my ~42 degree beer fridge continuously since I bought the case in April.

Appearance: still deep red, to almost reddish brown. Now pours with a MASSIVE head, super vigorous, that sticks around, and leaves big lacing. Seems quite overcarbonated.

Aroma: earthy and spicy, with a distinct malty sweetness, and only a little of the resiny hops from April.

Taste: sweet and spicy, caramel, almost syrupy maltiness, and mere hints of the profound resiny hoppiness that was here before. A slightly flat and metallic earthiness, and more than a hint of brettanomyces, especially in the finish. Tasty, but the hops were really nice when it was fresh, and are a fraction of their former presence.

Mouth: Thick and full, almost syrupy. Interestingly, it's very low carbonated given what I expected from the huge head.

Overall: Good, drinkable beer, but not one I'll age any more of. Time to plow through the second half of the case. It's easy to be a monday morning quarterback, but I do wish they could get their carbonation practices worked out.

===
ORIGINAL REVIEW: 4/12/08

Original scores: Appear 4.5, smell 4.0, taste 4.5, mouth 4.0, drinkability 4.5 (summary grade: A)

22 ounce bomber, $8 from the brewery earlier today on the day of release. Bottle states 8.7% ABV, 85 IBU, dry hopped w/ Simcoe.

Appearance: deep red, almost reddish brown, with a moderate light beige head that leaves huge lacing.

Aroma: piney resiny hops, and little else. Maybe a tiny bit of Belgian yeast tang, but probably just because I'm looking for it.

Taste: distinct Belgian fruity estery yeast tang, and everything else is piney citrusy resiny hops. Delicious, and a great balance. Seems like the balance they tried to get in the Deadly Sins series (think Wrath) but didn't quite make (think early Wrath) though it came out more later (think more aged Wrath.) Hints of juniper, evergreen, spices.

Mouth: Slightly slick, low to moderate warmth.

Overall: Fascinating, and delicious. Yum. I'm glad I bought a bunch. At $8, in this day of hop and grain prices, it's a relative bargain.
Aug 09, 2008
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
I was lucky enough to pick up one of these from a very generous BA and I have to admit, I may have found my new favorite beer, though it kind of sucks that I have to travel to Alaska to get it! I grabbed this twenty two ounce beast out of the fridge and let it warm up a bit before serving it into a Terrapin Snifter to serve as my night cap. The pour was spot on. A wonderful reddish tinted, dark amber came flowing from the neck of the bottle. Very hazy with a rich carbonation profile that just could not be ignored. A very nice two finger head of foam then came up over the top and slowly dwindled down to just a thin film that stayed the course. The real show was the side glass lace, which swirled, and coated, and stuck to everything it touched. I could not have envisioned this one turning out any better then it did.

The aroma was a hop bomb from the moment it hit the glass. Tremendous and unmistakable simcoe in here. Just that pungent, sticky, grapefruit aroma that we all know and love. Some nice little bit of play from the yeast in there as well, with hints of bread like malts, touches of grass and a hint of light peach aroma. This translated perfectly over to the flavor, which itself was a three tiered affair. First was the ruthless Simcoe attack, which did what it could to leave nothing behind, shattering the taste buds with the grapefruit floral barrage that I have come to love. Letting that calm down brought so relative peace to the middle of the flavor, light fruit, lots of grain and bread like flavors, coming and going frequently, just fighting for a chance to breath. Once they managed to get their head up, they were quickly shoved aside for another hit of deep citrus flavor. Huge dry finish left nothing behind in the mouth but the feeling of a bitter desert. Luscious Mouthfeel, with one of the best carbonation profiles I have ever seen. Just perfectly balanced here, the alcohol was remarkably well hidden, as I really could have drank this one all day long and never tired of it. This was easily one of the more enjoyable experiences I have ever had.

Overall I really don't care what anyone thinks of this as I have to say this was one of the best beers I have ever tasted. Literally just a fantastic experience all around and something that I would do anything to get my hands on again.
Jul 03, 2008
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a clear, ruby-hued body with a smallish, off-white head.

Smell: Plenty of grapefruit and grass to the aroma with some light toasted maltiness and a Belgian yeast character underneath.

Taste: Toasty pale malts, light caramel sweetness. Slight yeastiness. Grass and oily grapefruit peels lead into a coarse hop bitterness, though there's a rebound to the sweetness for an altogether bittersweet finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Slight heft the mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Why send up yet another half-billion hunk of junk a planet away to find nothing more than a red, rocky, barren, lifeless terrain when you can enjoy this beer for a mere fraction of the cost?
Jun 13, 2008
Photo of tayner
Reviewed by tayner from Arizona

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
22 oz brown bottle dated 4-11-08 Thanks for hookin me up Frank!

Poured into my La Fin Du Monde tulip. Huge foamy off white head tops a dark brown beverage that has some red hues when held to light. At the head recedes it leaves a sticky, lacy mess (in a good way) on the glass.

Smell is hops! I am assuming the simcoe variety as that is what the bottle says it was dry hopped with. (I am not a hop variety expert yet). The hops have a floral nose but at the same time very earthy and grassy. These I would not say smelled like citrus or spicy.

The smell on this one is very, well, confusing for my tongue. There is a very floral, citrus hop bang right up front, which is different from the grassy hop nose. Then, midpalate there is some nice sweet malt character that doesnt hang around long. also in there is a strange, belgian-type bready character, very mild and barely present, that is no way overpowering in this. It is a very subtle flavor that I think even those who dislike belgians could enjoy. Then, after the swallow there is a bitterness present, every bit of the 85 IBUs stated on the bottle. It dries the palate quickly demanding you go back in for more.

The mouthfeel is creamy, sticky, full, but still surprisingly light, likely due to the nicely balanced carbonation and the drying hops at the finish.

Drinkability is easy, but must be careful in that it is 8.7% and easy to drink "too much too fast"

Bravo to those boys at Midnight Sun, another fine brew. I sure wish they would send some of the frozen love out here to the desert!
May 27, 2008
Photo of Murchmac
Reviewed by Murchmac from California

3.91/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nods to the Beast for providing me with this potent potable.

Beautiful Huge White Head appears and follows you down the beer. Smell is hops hops hops. some grass, dark malts, a little belgian fruityness.

This is great dark red looking beer. It looks angry, like the fiery belly of the volcano where it was hand crafted by Hephaestus.

This beer tastes deep, but has a light body to it. Vewy Vewy intewesting, Less is really more with this beer. The lighter body makes it taste complex. One of the spicier, hoppier, Red IPA's i've ever had.

Good stinging aftertaste. If you get a chance to get your hands on this beer, do it or Ares himself might strike you down.
May 21, 2008
Mars - Belgian Imperial Red IPA from Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 25 ratings