Big Red
Southern Tier Brewing Company

 

This one got away from me in the cellar, then I figured I'd just sit on it for a while. After 5 years...

Score is adjusted to current average.

Aroma is floral, with notes of deep caramel, dates, muddled dark fruit, and cardboard.

Flavor retains that amber malt fruitiness, with a touch of medicinal phenolic and tongue numbing warmth. Backbone is fairly sweet, but the fruitiness counters nicely, carrying into a moderately bitter, boozy finish.

Didn't try it fresh, but it aged into a nice beer.

 

 

 

 

 

A: Pours a cloudy golden amber with a tight, clinging white head.

S: Aromas of caramel, heavy cream, biscuit, grass, lemon, straw, wildflowers, herbs, and mild spices are present on the nose.

T: Notes of lemon, orange, herbs, grass, straw, honey, flowers, and spices give way to notes of caramel, toffee, cream, biscuit, nougat, and roasted nuts. The finish is smooth and mild with a pleasant combination of caramel, cream, biscuit, honey, grass, herb, and lemon flavors.

M: Full in body and neither dry nor sticky. Carbonation is simultaneously delicate and firm. Alcohol presence is very subdued.

O: An awesome amber/red ale. Well-balanced for such a big, robust beer.

 

 

 

 

 

Pours hazy amber with a small off white head, which has decent retention and lacing. The aroma has spicy hops, some earth, grass, and biscuit malt.

Tastes sweeter than expected, based on the aroma. there is caramel and biscuit malt, spicy hops, grass, and citrus zest. This was most likely hoppy when fresh. I didn't know until I checked this site that this ber is retired. Since there is no date on the bottle, I had no way of knowing I picked up an old beer. Since there is no bottle date, I am going to judge any problems I might have with this beer as the brewery's fault. It should be mandatory to date all cans and bottles.

Medium to full bodied, with low carbonation. There is a lingering spicy hop flavor, from the Hallertau hops. Not my favorite Southern Tier beer. I'm not sure if it would have been a lot better when it was fresh?

 

 

22oz bottle poured into a snifter. Dusty and off a shelf today, havent seen one in years.

A: Pours a cloudy orangish brown with an off white head. Leaves some nice lacing on the sides of the glass.

S: An aged profile going on with this one, can tell it has mellowed out over the years. Malts are dominate with a bready aroma. Perhaps a touch of oxidation. Hops are in there giving a bit of earthy quality.

T: Nice flavors going on here, hops have held on well and add a fruity characteristic. Malts are solid backing it up nicely. Everything seems to have melded together here.

M: Medium to full body with mild carbonation. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Alcohol is nicely hidden.

Overall I'm real happy to have found this one. Had it many years ago and am surprised how the flavors have aged and blended together.