Sequoia Red
Kern River Brewing Company

Clear copper red with a khaki head of moderate height.

This gives big red IPA vibes with bitter, piney grapefruit while leaving some room for nutty malty almond in the finish.

The foamy medium body finishes semi-dry, at times seeming stronger than it is.

 

 

16 oz can into a nonic pint

Was just rereading my kern reviews and surprised I hadn’t checked off this brew. I’m sure I’ve tossed a few back at the tail end of some sessions, but never sipped-and-pondered.


Dark red brew, bordering on purple, super sudsy complexion with lacing plastered everywhere. The aromas are malty sweet, with toasty grains edging the bouquet.

Flavors are honeyed squaw bread with a touch of hop snap. Suggestions of orange zest nutmeg midsip. Medium finish, with malty sweetness lingering.

This category doesn’t get a lot of love, and this brew was created before there was an actual definitive category - I think it was dubbed an altbier. Pretty damn tasty, kinda like a sweeter, less hoppy version of Kern’s Just Outstanding.

 

I mean, even Tony Gwynn had a 3 strikeout game before (of course one of them was vs the Dodgers). That said, I don’t really want to do Sequoia Red that dirty. Thing is though, right from the start things don’t seem promising. I mean, it pours a knockoff, .99 cent store quality cough syrup red. Then the smell is very faint malts and graininess that it almost makes Raul want to faint in dismay. So far it’s just not inviting. Taste is pretty simple to comprehend though. It’s just something that I don’t want to have again. I want to say that it tastes like the best beer from a shitty brewery. Like, good for them, I guess. But right here, it’s not good for Kern (because they generally slay the dragon with ease). I don’t know, maybe sometimes it’s good to be humbled.

Don’t underestimate the importance of straight teeth, my children. Brace face at 14 beats buck tooth Charlie your entire adult life.

Getty up!

Picked this up at Crane Flat in Yosemite National Park last year to help get into the spirit of the place! Never had anything from these guys before and even though this was as much a Brown Ale as an American Red/Amber Ale, this was plenty full and easy to drink after a long weekend at work!

Nice mahogany brown hue to this as it was topped off with a thick, tan foam that evenly settled and took a while to dissipate. Lots of webbed lacing remained as it was uneven and diagonal. Caramel, cherry, and malt were in the nose as some bread and herbal hops emerged on the palate to complement those. Full and sticky, this was plenty cloying and lightly carbonated as some mint and forest was on my breath once I finished this off.

Light in alcoholic presence, it would have been easy to quaff a few of these in a sitting! Canned on 3/23 of last year, this held up well as it would also pair up with nearly any type of food. While not quite like beers of this type that I love, this was fun and worth looking out for again the next time I swing through there!

Can poured into a Kern River Brewing Co pint glass

A: Pours rich copper brown with a frothy khaki head that settles to a firm layer and leaves plenty of thick lacing.

S: Toasty, a bit roasty, light earthy char, herbal pine, faint citrus, with a little toffee and burnt sugar sweetness.

T: Toasty, a bit roasty with a little earthy char, citrus, grapefruit and lemon, some herbal pine, rounded out with toffee and burnt sugar sweetness.

M: A hint on the lighter side of medium body, moderate carbonation, faintly creamy.

O: Drinks bigger than it feels, in a good way. Super flavorful West Coast red, definitely does its name proud.

Awesome looking amber/copper pour with head that dissipates quickly, however leaves good lacing.
Light pine and citrus notes, but very nice.
Slightly sweet and not very bitter. Has caramel and malt notes. Very easy drinking and goes well with food.
Feels thick in the mouth and get a bit of carbonation.

Overall another very nice beer from Kern River Brewing.

 

Packaged on 5/31/22 - consumed on 7/27/22 - poured from a tall-boy can into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Clear cardinal liquid with ruby highlights and a small stand of desert sand foam up top. Fine, sandy lacing; good retention.

Pine, rock candy, and grapefruit in the nose - sweet and inviting. Low coffee, cherry, and caramel as well.

Malt-forward palate entry, sweet, mellow, with moderate yet subdued bitterness. Earthy, leafy hop profile with low citrus and river stone elements as well. Medium-dry finish - crisp with a lasting maltiness. Faint esters perhaps with some vague suggestion of bubblegum.

Chewy, medium-bodied, soft yet rich and well carbonated. ABV well hidden.

A fairly traditional NW-style amber ale leaning on caramel malt and some mellow C-hops. Decent balance, pairs well with simple broiled coho, dungeness crab louie, a decent burger, blue cheese, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will revisit, as I believe I got a pour right after a line cleaning at the brewery. Had a sanitizer like flavor and flatness to it that was off putting.