Big Red Imperial Ale
Silver City Brewery & Taproom

22oz bottle split between two pint glasses. I wish they used bottled on or best by dates. Served at fridge temp. I should measure the temperature in my beer fridge so I know what that means.

Pours just slightly cloudy, smallish head, not much carbonation. Smell is a little bit roasty, mostly sweet, surprisingly mild.

Taste is more regular red ale than what I would consider imperial red ale. I was hoping for a strong hop profile. Have to adjust my expectations. The lack of a strong hop profile makes it seem kind of soft and watery, sweet, roasty, malty without enough bitterness to balance it. Very, very late in the aftertaste, there's some bitter character.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate stickiness. Overall, I'm not super impressed, but maybe I didn't have the right expectations.

 

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium to dark red-orange amber with a fine light tan head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, plum juice, light piney hops. Flavor is sweet caramel malt, toffee, strawberry and plum juice, light neutral hops. Finishes sweet, juicy and moderately bitter. Great medium, creamy body. This is a red ale on the sweet end of the spectrum. Very fruit and malt forward. I'm a fan of sweet malty beers and this one hit the spot for me. This is the kind of red ale that fills the American niche that German doppelbocks do in Europe. Not as hoppy as the brewer seems to indicate on the bottle, but appropriate for the style. This is a classic Imperial red ale, but using the American strong as the closest match.