Off The Rails | Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
California, United States
karlstrauss.com
Style: American Strong Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by magictrokini on 09-01-2009
Ratings: 85 | Reviews: 25
3.55/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
7/10/2011
On tap at URGE
A: Dark reddish amber with a small white head.
S: Caramel and pine with a little earth and citrus. The beer gives the impression of rich and complex malt.
T: Rich caramel malt with faint notes of raisin and plum. Moderate hop bitterness with orange, pine, and earth. Finishes with lingering caramel.
M: Medium body with lower moderate carbonation.
Overall: A solid Imperial Red.
410 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
7/10/2011
On tap at URGE
A: Dark reddish amber with a small white head.
S: Caramel and pine with a little earth and citrus. The beer gives the impression of rich and complex malt.
T: Rich caramel malt with faint notes of raisin and plum. Moderate hop bitterness with orange, pine, and earth. Finishes with lingering caramel.
M: Medium body with lower moderate carbonation.
Overall: A solid Imperial Red.
410 characters
3.55/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
22oz, No bottle date
Central Waters globe
A: Pretty slightly hazy reddish amber color. Not a lot of head. Basically just a thin ring of off white head around edges. There is carbonation but its minimal.
S: On the nose, it's mostly really caramel and toffee like malt. It's almost barleywine like initially. Some toasted breadiness. Maybe some soapy pine behind that.
T: Tip of the tongue, some bitterness. A piney hop flavor there. Then it gets into the red ale like character. Really malt driven. Getting that toasted breadiness that I smelled. Then the caramel and toffee and biscuit.
M: Full medium body.
611 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
22oz, No bottle date
Central Waters globe
A: Pretty slightly hazy reddish amber color. Not a lot of head. Basically just a thin ring of off white head around edges. There is carbonation but its minimal.
S: On the nose, it's mostly really caramel and toffee like malt. It's almost barleywine like initially. Some toasted breadiness. Maybe some soapy pine behind that.
T: Tip of the tongue, some bitterness. A piney hop flavor there. Then it gets into the red ale like character. Really malt driven. Getting that toasted breadiness that I smelled. Then the caramel and toffee and biscuit.
M: Full medium body.
611 characters
3.6/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
At the Main Tap in El Cajon.
A - Amber/ Dark Honey, very thin near white head.
S - Very, very light malt smell.
T - Very sweet, deep malt, clean finish as result of nice hop balancing.
M - Great balance, medium body, coating and perfectly carbed.
D - Sweet, but balanced well. Nice beer.
292 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
At the Main Tap in El Cajon.
A - Amber/ Dark Honey, very thin near white head.
S - Very, very light malt smell.
T - Very sweet, deep malt, clean finish as result of nice hop balancing.
M - Great balance, medium body, coating and perfectly carbed.
D - Sweet, but balanced well. Nice beer.
292 characters
3.74/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Poured orange-red into a tulip glass with minimal head. Good lacing at the top. Fragrant citrus hops in the nose, lots of grapefruit, with an equal amount of caramel malt. Smells strong and alcholic. Slick mouthfell with lower carbonation and a long, sticky finish. Bitter hops up front, lots of resin, give way to sweeter citrus flavors. Grapefruit and blood orange flavors dominate, but there is a nice undercurrent of melon. This is all blended with the omnipresent caramel malt. Some dried fruits appear briefly, but infrequently. The beer is a bit rough around the edges in terms of drinkability, but overall is very pleasant.
631 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Poured orange-red into a tulip glass with minimal head. Good lacing at the top. Fragrant citrus hops in the nose, lots of grapefruit, with an equal amount of caramel malt. Smells strong and alcholic. Slick mouthfell with lower carbonation and a long, sticky finish. Bitter hops up front, lots of resin, give way to sweeter citrus flavors. Grapefruit and blood orange flavors dominate, but there is a nice undercurrent of melon. This is all blended with the omnipresent caramel malt. Some dried fruits appear briefly, but infrequently. The beer is a bit rough around the edges in terms of drinkability, but overall is very pleasant.
631 characters
3.82/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This review is an 8.5%.
Pours a nice amber colored ale with a decent cream colored foam that quickly disappears. No lacing.
The aroma is sweet, sweet malt, caramel, dark plum, apple and some reminders of candy.
The taste is big sweet malt. Some dark fruits are also present, plum, pear and apple. There is a touch of a hop kiss on the drink as well.
Overall this was better than I expected. It was a wife "pick" and not bad at all. I thought the Red Trolley Ale meant amber and got a little concerned, but this definitely drinks like an imperial red. It is a bit sweet, but alas, that's the style. Worth picking up and sipping.
639 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This review is an 8.5%.
Pours a nice amber colored ale with a decent cream colored foam that quickly disappears. No lacing.
The aroma is sweet, sweet malt, caramel, dark plum, apple and some reminders of candy.
The taste is big sweet malt. Some dark fruits are also present, plum, pear and apple. There is a touch of a hop kiss on the drink as well.
Overall this was better than I expected. It was a wife "pick" and not bad at all. I thought the Red Trolley Ale meant amber and got a little concerned, but this definitely drinks like an imperial red. It is a bit sweet, but alas, that's the style. Worth picking up and sipping.
639 characters
3.83/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
tulip
A - translucent blood red, one finger off white almost ten head (that sticks around for a while) and some minimal lacing
S - Tons of malt, candy sugar, holiday spices, slight oak, some booze, dried out branches, dark fruits, very yeasty, apple blossoms, and very slight hop
T - lots of very nice malts, almost taste like apple, slightly toasted, sweet beady yeast, slight bitter/sour note, holiday spices, terrior, hops oils, a bit floral and once it cool, nice and fruity
M - medium plus body, low acidity, well balanced, decent complexity and medium finish
D - If you like malty ales this one is as good if not better than many. Refreshing, nice flavors and not to much or to little. Not a huge fan Of KS, but this is a nice easy drinking beer
Final thought - $8 a pop? Stop it. Other than the price tag I like this beer. Also 8.4% is nice too
857 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
tulip
A - translucent blood red, one finger off white almost ten head (that sticks around for a while) and some minimal lacing
S - Tons of malt, candy sugar, holiday spices, slight oak, some booze, dried out branches, dark fruits, very yeasty, apple blossoms, and very slight hop
T - lots of very nice malts, almost taste like apple, slightly toasted, sweet beady yeast, slight bitter/sour note, holiday spices, terrior, hops oils, a bit floral and once it cool, nice and fruity
M - medium plus body, low acidity, well balanced, decent complexity and medium finish
D - If you like malty ales this one is as good if not better than many. Refreshing, nice flavors and not to much or to little. Not a huge fan Of KS, but this is a nice easy drinking beer
Final thought - $8 a pop? Stop it. Other than the price tag I like this beer. Also 8.4% is nice too
857 characters
3.88/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Poured into tulip. Amber red with a finger of creamy off-white head.
S - Sweet malts, spice, yeast. Very light sweet aromas.
T - More sweet malts, toasted bread, red apples with caramel. Slight alcohol.
M - Light to medium, very slightly bubbly on the tongue. Smooth and creamy.
O - If I'm not mistaken, this is the first Imperial Amber I've ever had. Overall it is quite enjoyable. If you're looking for a big character beer with malt dominance as opposed to the typical hop-bomb, this is a great choice.
513 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Poured into tulip. Amber red with a finger of creamy off-white head.
S - Sweet malts, spice, yeast. Very light sweet aromas.
T - More sweet malts, toasted bread, red apples with caramel. Slight alcohol.
M - Light to medium, very slightly bubbly on the tongue. Smooth and creamy.
O - If I'm not mistaken, this is the first Imperial Amber I've ever had. Overall it is quite enjoyable. If you're looking for a big character beer with malt dominance as opposed to the typical hop-bomb, this is a great choice.
513 characters
3.97/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz brown bomber w/ a freshness date.
LOOK: Reddish amber
SMELL: Toasted grain, some sweetness, over ripened apples, floral hops, estery alcohol, mint, caramel.
TASTE: Sweet toasted malt, very bready, mild herbal hop, ripe apple fruitiness, yeasty twang, spice, dried grassy finish.
Malt bomb comes to mind, letting this warm up a bit really makes it a treat to drink. Worth the visit and my palate asks for more.
418 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz brown bomber w/ a freshness date.
LOOK: Reddish amber
SMELL: Toasted grain, some sweetness, over ripened apples, floral hops, estery alcohol, mint, caramel.
TASTE: Sweet toasted malt, very bready, mild herbal hop, ripe apple fruitiness, yeasty twang, spice, dried grassy finish.
Malt bomb comes to mind, letting this warm up a bit really makes it a treat to drink. Worth the visit and my palate asks for more.
418 characters
3.97/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a medium coppery amber. Thin off-white head that dissipates slowly leaving lacing. Aroma dominated by caramel malt with a hint of fruit. Taste is sweet, bready and caramel malt (and lots of it), light and dark fruit, faint hops. Very interesting aftertaste of cherries and other fruit esters. The malts are forward, but fairly mellow. The fruit ester in the finish redeems this otherwise kind of quite and mellow malt ale. Medium bodied with some creaminess. Interesting and different.
525 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a medium coppery amber. Thin off-white head that dissipates slowly leaving lacing. Aroma dominated by caramel malt with a hint of fruit. Taste is sweet, bready and caramel malt (and lots of it), light and dark fruit, faint hops. Very interesting aftertaste of cherries and other fruit esters. The malts are forward, but fairly mellow. The fruit ester in the finish redeems this otherwise kind of quite and mellow malt ale. Medium bodied with some creaminess. Interesting and different.
525 characters
3.99/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Off The Rails from Karl Strauss Brewing Company
3.88
out of 5
based on 85 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5