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Kindest Find Imperial Red Ale (Big Beer Series)
Smuttynose Brewing Company
- From:
- Smuttynose Brewing Company
- New Hampshire, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Red Ale
Ranked #15 - ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #10,363 - Avg:
- 4.01 | pDev: 6.98%
- Reviews:
- 42
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 14, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 27, 2014
- Wants:
- 13
- Gots:
- 39
Malt – Pilsner Malt, Aromatic Malt, Caramel 60, CaraRed
Hops – Magnum, Zeus, Centennial, Falconer’s Flight
65 IBU(estimated)
Hops – Magnum, Zeus, Centennial, Falconer’s Flight
65 IBU(estimated)
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ADKbeerguy:
Rated by ADKbeerguy from New York
4.12/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dec 16, 2017
4.12/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dec 16, 2017
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.95/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.95/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Treated as an American strong ale, this was poured into a snifter.
The appearance was a semi-thick dark orange to red color with a sheet of white foamy head that slid off at a moderate pace. Not much lace, somewhat stringy.
The aroma had a stable smooth blend of sweet caramel/toffee malts, light earthiness, some grassiness, light tobacco, and ended with a little brown sugar.
The flavor was moderately sweet through the prior mentioned aromas stabilizing the aftertaste in the same way.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a slight sipping quality about it. Carbonation felt good. ABV felt on par. Really nice smooth grassy to earthy and malty finish.
Overall, nice as an American Strong ale but too high an ABV for the American red/amber ale style. Still, I'd have again.
Oct 17, 2017The appearance was a semi-thick dark orange to red color with a sheet of white foamy head that slid off at a moderate pace. Not much lace, somewhat stringy.
The aroma had a stable smooth blend of sweet caramel/toffee malts, light earthiness, some grassiness, light tobacco, and ended with a little brown sugar.
The flavor was moderately sweet through the prior mentioned aromas stabilizing the aftertaste in the same way.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a slight sipping quality about it. Carbonation felt good. ABV felt on par. Really nice smooth grassy to earthy and malty finish.
Overall, nice as an American Strong ale but too high an ABV for the American red/amber ale style. Still, I'd have again.
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland
4.03/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from the bottle into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Deep copper red, with a good clear and translucent body appearance. Faint rising carbonation, matching to a three finger, but very soapy retention head. Quite bubbly top, as it settles with small pill sized lacing, and a big swiss cheese collar.
Soft grains and caramel notes, almost a faint honey sweetness. Slightly mellow hop and juiced but a bit indistinct. Perhaps a bit leafy green but also slightly citrus.
Palate brings good caramel and amber warmth. Big hints of light brown sugar matching with a soft bodied hop and tea like flavor in the mid palate. Finishes with soft and chewy malts with a bit of hop astringency that cuts through nicely. Slight orange and pekoe tea like flavors in the aftertaste with soft malt chewy depth. Digging this really nice mouthfeel.
Not a hop heads beer, but adds a good contrast to the large malt backbone with lighter sweetness. Excellent big amber.
Sep 17, 2016Deep copper red, with a good clear and translucent body appearance. Faint rising carbonation, matching to a three finger, but very soapy retention head. Quite bubbly top, as it settles with small pill sized lacing, and a big swiss cheese collar.
Soft grains and caramel notes, almost a faint honey sweetness. Slightly mellow hop and juiced but a bit indistinct. Perhaps a bit leafy green but also slightly citrus.
Palate brings good caramel and amber warmth. Big hints of light brown sugar matching with a soft bodied hop and tea like flavor in the mid palate. Finishes with soft and chewy malts with a bit of hop astringency that cuts through nicely. Slight orange and pekoe tea like flavors in the aftertaste with soft malt chewy depth. Digging this really nice mouthfeel.
Not a hop heads beer, but adds a good contrast to the large malt backbone with lighter sweetness. Excellent big amber.
Reviewed by rajendra82 from Georgia
4.2/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.2/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
The beer poured murky red in the pint glass, and formed a good looking, two finger thick head. The aroma of the beer was on the hoppy end of the spectrum, with spicy bite to the nose, followed by a sweet smell that was like a fruit punch made with brown sugar. The taste followed the nose for the most part, but started off sweet instead of finishing that way, and then morphed into a drying hop finish. The body of the beer seemed a little on thin side at first, but started to feel more substantial further into the session. The finish ended with a smooth, boozy, and caramelized flavor, that reminded me of a dark rum. The beer was well put together, and I wouldn't mind picking another bomber one day.
Jul 31, 2016Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina
4/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Picked up a bomber from Tempe Bevmo in early April for $6.49. Best by 9/3/16. I think it is 8.2% abv but it's smudged.
Beer poured reddish brown with a beautiful white head upon the initial pour.
Nose is fresh citrus, very nice.
Taste is well balanced between the caramel malts and the citrus hops. A slight vegy finish knocks it down a quarter point.
Mouthfeel is full and satisfying.
Overall this is another solid beer from New Hampshire's finest brewer. i have enjoyed every brew i have tried from these guys. Their consistency is excellent!
Jul 24, 2016Beer poured reddish brown with a beautiful white head upon the initial pour.
Nose is fresh citrus, very nice.
Taste is well balanced between the caramel malts and the citrus hops. A slight vegy finish knocks it down a quarter point.
Mouthfeel is full and satisfying.
Overall this is another solid beer from New Hampshire's finest brewer. i have enjoyed every brew i have tried from these guys. Their consistency is excellent!
Reviewed by Apellonious from North Carolina
4.09/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
1 pt 6 fl oz poured into a tulip. Appears to be best by 8/31/16 date, but it's half rubbed off.
Dark red with pink and brown highlights. A one finger head that moves to a tan lace very quickly. The aroma is interesting, almost barleywine-esque, with nougat, dark fruit, citrus, and bread touches. Taste follows the nose, with some back end earthiness and grass. Carbonation is medium low, the feeling is dense and coating, with a lingering finish.
Overall, this is big beer, and has some interesting qualities. Worth giving it ago if you like the imperial red space.
Jul 02, 2016Dark red with pink and brown highlights. A one finger head that moves to a tan lace very quickly. The aroma is interesting, almost barleywine-esque, with nougat, dark fruit, citrus, and bread touches. Taste follows the nose, with some back end earthiness and grass. Carbonation is medium low, the feeling is dense and coating, with a lingering finish.
Overall, this is big beer, and has some interesting qualities. Worth giving it ago if you like the imperial red space.
Reviewed by StringsAreWings from New Hampshire
3.96/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.96/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: What a beautiful beer. a semi-translucent amber that pours with a tall, dense head that takes quite a while to recede. After 5 minutes there is still a finger of foam there.
S: Malt, black grapes, maybe a touch of cinnamon.Almost smells like a muted wine.
T: Wow what a complex taste. I can taste currants and the bitter hops are now front and center. Orange and grapefruit stand out on the dry finish which is also dominated by bold hop bitterness. This is a very unique beer.
F: Aggressive carbonation but I think it fits well here. Dry finish.
Overall this is a hard one to categorize. It's really good, you can just taste the freshness, but it's bold in it's forward bitterness and really unique in it's flavor profile. As a result I couldn't see this as a regular choice but it would be a great choice for a treat and something out of the ordinary every now and then.
May 18, 2016S: Malt, black grapes, maybe a touch of cinnamon.Almost smells like a muted wine.
T: Wow what a complex taste. I can taste currants and the bitter hops are now front and center. Orange and grapefruit stand out on the dry finish which is also dominated by bold hop bitterness. This is a very unique beer.
F: Aggressive carbonation but I think it fits well here. Dry finish.
Overall this is a hard one to categorize. It's really good, you can just taste the freshness, but it's bold in it's forward bitterness and really unique in it's flavor profile. As a result I couldn't see this as a regular choice but it would be a great choice for a treat and something out of the ordinary every now and then.
Kindest Find Imperial Red Ale (Big Beer Series) from Smuttynose Brewing Company
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
155 ratings
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