Gifted Gunslinger
Big Sexy Brewing Company

 

I say damn! This beer is a home run from a brewery right down the street from my work. They told me it took gold in Los Angeles this year. I get it. Great malt balance and a ton of hop flavors come together to put this one on the top of my list of Imperial Reds.

No canned on date, but likely from 02/15/19 can release

Appearance - Pours a rustic auburn brown in color with a light tan, finger width head that displays sub-par retention before dying do to a mostly barren surface with a razor thin ring around the edge of the glass. No lacing save a few minuscule spots here and there.

Smell - Hoppy aroma with citrus and pine, while hints of chocolate and caramel sit beneath.

Taste - Follows the nose. Chocolate, toast and a hint of caramel hit first, then the hoppiness kicks in with orange, grapefruit and a bit of pine. Flavors intermingle right up to the finish, then a bit of pith bitterness leads the charge into the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Full-bodied with fair carbonation. Slick, easy drinker before a mostly dry finish.

Overall - I like Imperial Reds. Lots of interesting dynamics between the malt and hop profiles can be found. This one is right up my alley.