Ms. Scarlet
To Øl

Copenhagen 18/3 2019. 50 cl can from Mikkeller Web-shop. Can looks like some advertisement for red paint.

Pours hazy burgundy with a big pink head. Fairly stable. Settles as frothy, thin layer of foam clinging to the side of the glass. Substantial lacing.

Aroma is quite fruity and with a strong citric touch. Tomato juice meeting Grape fruit in an awkward marriage. Lighter spicy notes.

Light carbonation. Medium thick, oily texture.

Flavor is rather sweet followed by medium strong, sourish notes. Aftertaste is sweetish complemented with a dry bitterness. Light spicy touch. Lingers for a while.

Looks quite beautiful but I am not sure that Bloody Mary and IPA goes that well together. More a Vegetable beer than a IPA. But they should get a point for trying something the I've not tasted before.

Ms. Scarlet answers the question: Why do I obsess a bit and what do I like about trying new beers?
a) As massively laced, rocky headed, and originally colored (beet red hazed) as any beer I've poured, so 5 for the pink rocky head alone. (5)
s) Just a bit of the bloody mary inspiration and ingredients: Celery, tomatoe, otherwise clean, crisp pale ale.
t) On target to capture bloody mary essence without falsity. Pale ale bolstered mainly by pepper and the fruity tomatoe, just essentials, no more. great with salty anything.
f) Balanced, let it warm for more flavors.
o) A new peak in food-inspired beers that belongs side-by-side with the best from Carton.

what an absurd beer! i knew it would be interesting, but i didnt expect it to be so good! should have known better with these guys. this is part of their impressive advent calendar this year, and its an awfully unique brew, done as a red ipa with tomato, celery, black pepper, and chili, so weird. the color is impossibly red for tomato alone, like the brightness and saturation is too intense for that, they must have worked in some beet juice for coloring or something, but it doesnt say that, and i cant taste it, just cant imagine this level of red coming from just tomato, its almost too red for that. the aroma is light on the hops for something called an ipa, but its not wanting for complexity at all, holy cow, i get like a celery salt thing, some citrus, the acidity of the tomato and a very natural and very concentrated tomato character, like tomato paste, really true to an actual tomato, appreciably ripe and honest, not much from the pepper or chili here, and minimal on the malt side too, the tomato really stands out. the flavor is crazy, super tomato forward and as real as it smells, some light brine character to this giving it the bloody mary vibe, again light on the hops for being an ipa, but a little bitterness is present on the swallow. almost no heat at all from the chili, just a little throat warmth, and the herbal and earthy and vegetal celery there the whole way, but subservient to the tomato. insanely interesting beer, weirdly quenching and drinkable and even delicate. i think its a stretch to call it an ipa, but they flavors worked into this are surprisingly awesome. this was a standout beer in a session that included some special stuff. not for everyone, but i really dug it!

Very interesting and enjoyable beer - red color was worrying for a sweet berry flavored beer but the beer was well balanced, not overly sweet, due to the red being tomato not berry related, and has a nice bitter finish in the IPA style. Would recommend this.

Pours a bright burgundy-red with a frothy, foamy layer of dense pink foam that peaks out at 2 fingers of height even after a modest pour. Aroma is exactly as the can suggestions - tomato, chili, black pepper, and celery. The tomato stands out from the moment the can is popped open. Herbal, floral, and citrus hops lay a dank, thick foundation under the flavor additives. Biscuit, bread, and nutty malts further firm up the foundation. Flavor profile is as if one was double-fisting a mild Bloody Mary and a herbal IPA, taking a sip of each and mixing it in their mouth, although To Ol's way looks less tacky. Tomato, chili, celery, and a slightly spicy black pepper intermingle, and surprisingly coexist well, with herbal, floral, and citrus hops. A fresh grind of black pepper at the finish stops the sticky hop notes from lingering on the tongue long. Malt notes are mild, peeping out between the fresh garden and forest growth. Malts hit notes of biscuit and doughy bread. Mouth feel is frothy and rather dense, barely landing at a thick consistency. It carries a bit of the tomato juice texture, akin to taking a sip of V8. It's oodles and oodles better than pre-mixed 'red beers' (tomato juice and/or bloody mary mix blended with a base lager), but still is rather pricey for a sophisticated trailer park trash drink. Overall, very unique, but unique doesn't equal great. In To Ol's favor, it's well produced regardless of the gimmicky appeal. Hell, it got me to buy one. Recommended for those seeking something different, or who enjoy tomatoes.

Served in a 12oz snifter from a 16oz can.

This is a very eccentric beer so it probably won't earn too many high grades but I enjoyed this beer for what it is. It pours a ridiculous bright reddish purple which instantly made me think of beets instead of tomatoes. The nose is actually pretty damn close to a bloody mary. They did a good job at capturing that earthiness from the tomato and celery. The flavors aren't dominant in one direction or the other but it offers subtle base tomato and spice. Overall, not a bad beer that's trying to be it's own thing.