Red Is The New Black IPA
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

 

 

Served on-tap in a tulip glass. From notes.

A: Dark, dark amber with a finger crown of gorgeous head. *Great* lacing.

S: Wonderful hops. Some rich, slightly biscuity, malt.

T: Hmm. Weird. Bone-dry at first, with citrus hops overshadowing everything. As it mellows in the latter half of the taste, there is just no flavor. The aftertaste is dry and lemon peel.

M: Okay. Crisp and dry.

O: This is an alright beer, but I feel like I don't get it...? I wouldn't recommend it. Better in gulps.

 

 

On tap at City Tavern in Culver City, CA.

Pours a murky reddish-orange with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Thick rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, and citrus zest. Taste is much the same with herbal hop flavors on the finish. There is a medium amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some tasty hop flavors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Draft at 5050.

Appearance: Unfiltered crimson body capped by a sticky, lasting head.

Smell: Big orange flesh and pine hop notes. Spicy, resinous, slightly malty though on the dry side.

Palate: Grapefruit, orange find, resin and spice. Bright flavor profile, medium in body. Malt is present but minimal, lending a bready, mildly caramelized backbone to the dominant hop flavor. Sharp, lingering bitterness hits the tongue in the finish, though it isn't particularly astringent.

Overall: Very enjoyable for what it is. Big hops with a stronger malt backbone than your average west coast IPA, but it's by no means a sweet or malty beer.

on tap at monks

Pours a deep reddish color with some lighter golden hues. Tanned head rests on top, leaving some patchy lacing on the glass.

Punchy citric hops in the nose with some grapefruit and citrus peel. Bready malts with light sweetness and caramel. Soft alcohol warmth.

Hoppy and bitter up front with some citrus tones. Notes of sweeter fruit followed by grapefruit and orange. Burly malt backbone with caramel and bread crust. Residual sweetness and hops on the back end with a spike of warmth.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and lingering on the tongue. This reminds me of some other imperial red ales I've had before - drinkable and hoppy with a splash of booze = nicely done.

First had: on tap at Monk's, Philly, PA

Poured a deep reddish brown color, hazy, with a small but well-retaining cap of white head. Aroma of piney hops, citrus and soft fruits, roasty malts. Taste of resinous hops, citrus zest, sweet caramel malts, in pretty decent balance, dry pine needle bitterness in the finish. Yep, it's more or less a hoppy imperial red ale, and while nice and flavorful, it lacks the intense and almost clashing flavors that seem to turn most people off to Cascadian dark ales / American black ales. Body is medium and drinkability is equally moderate. Not a bad beer by any measure.

I had this at Capone's during Philly beer week. Served in a sample glass.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy reddish amber with a layer of fluffy off white head. As it fades, this beer leaves some great lacing.

Smell: Citrus hops with a good amount of malt to back them up. I'm getting a mild fruity note as well, but the hops definitely have top billing.

Taste: Hops are the star here as well. The malt notes are very nice as well. I'm getting citrus peel and pine bitterness. The finish is quite bitter. This reminds me of a very hoppy red ale.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with fluffy, tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This is a really good beer. I really enjoy hoppy red ales, so this one was right up my alley. The malt balanced things out just enough. I would love to have some more.