Imperial Blood Of The Unicorn
Pipeworks Brewing Co.

16oz can, dated 04.02.2025, poured into a 16oz tumbler glass. Enjoyed on 06.23.2025, reviewed from Tasting Journal.

The beer pours a dark amber color, copper and garnet hues, fairly clear, foamy bone colored head, good retention and lacing. The aroma is nice, rich amber and caramel malts, boozy, assertive pine, grapefruit peel, grassy and floral. The flavors are good, malty with rich hearty grains, amber and caramel malt, brown bread, slightly sweet, bitter pine, grassy and herbal, citrusy hops and fusel alcohol. The mouthfeel is nice, coating smooth medium body, creamy but very dry finish.

Verdict: A decent red ale, pretty straightforward, boozy, but smooth and drinkable.

5/25/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Purchased May 6, 2025 at Beer on the Wall at store temperature for $4.55 including tax, refrigerated at home until opening this morning. 16 oz canned 4/2/25. 9.4% ABV, Imperial Red India Pale Ale. Artwork by Bryn Gleason. Pipeworks Brewing Company. Brewed & canned in Chicago, Illinois.

Appearance: Poured about 12 ounces into a pint tulip glass, yielding a beautiful dark ruby crystal clear base, sustained mild carbonation, a generous creamy tan white bubbly head, leaving spotty lacing and a creamy cover over the entire base. This looks great! 4.75

Aroma: Nice mix between an assertive caramel malt base paired with a wonderful stringent pine, strong rye and citrus. Strong, enticing, loving the blend here. 4.5

Taste: Less varied in terms of taste, with the caramel malt and rye very dominant, with pine then citrus following, but not on equal terms. Flavors intense, focused, and very enjoyable. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Gentle sustained carbonation, drinks strong from Go!, though not exceeding the higher ABV. Nice balance between the strong malt flavors and bittering hops with fainter hop flavor. I love rye flavors, and this features rye in a superb way, so if you like rye grab this one as it's featured with caramel from start to finish. 4.75

Overall: This is very malty as expected by the ABV and description. While this isn't my first type of beer to instinctively grab, and while my personal preference would have preferred the supporting hop flavors flowed like the aroma,, this beer is very enjoyable. The rye and caramel is intense, the hops help to curb any excesses, and I'm really savoring what is in the glass. Very well done Pipeworks! 4.75

16oz can. Poured out a clear, golden orange color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It left sudsy lacing. It smelled of roasted malt, caramel, bread notes and toffee. Sweet caramel taste with toffee, roasts notes and pine.

 

 

 

 

 

16oz can, date stamped 01/10/2024, 9.4% ABV
Imperial Red is one of my favorite styles, but sadly they’re hard to come across
L: Burnt Sienna colored ale with a tall & foamy beige head
S: somewhat muted with caramelized grain, fruit, citrus
T: caramel, brown sugar, bread crust, fruit, hoppy grapefruit & pine
F: fuller body, ample carbonation, bitter yet quite balanced with the massive amount of malt used, alcohol is well concealed
O: delicious as expected. Well worth the pick up!

 

 

 

Bought a can. Was excited. Tasted it. Thought “not bad. Malty.” Looked at the date. November of last year. DAMMIT! Not much in the way of a hop profile. But still pretty good.

L: Pours a dark reddish brown with a big frothy khaki colored head slowly faded to an island, great lacing.
S: Snot locker gets some pine, caramel and rye, aromas were mild.
T: Taste was similar, some bready malts.
F: Medium bodied, lingering carbonation, smooth.
O: Solid beer, whether it's a Red IPA, or Red Ale!

 

Appearance - The beer poured a dark red color that came close to being brown. A white head crowned the pour.

Smell - The malts let the way like fresh bread. The hops were notable.

Taste - The malts initiated the heavy bready profile. It had sweetness to emulate sweet bread. There was just enough dankness to make you aware of the hops. Amid the bready malts, citrus hops lingered in the finish.

Mouthfeel - This big bodied, modestly carbonated beer coasts the mouth well.

Overall - There are not enough imperial reds in the world.

Tasted in a Rastal Teku glass from a one pint can on December 6, 2021.