Imperial Reds (Not Nugget Nectar!)

Isn't Sierra Nevada going to have one in their beer camp this year?

 

Love G Knight, a little quirky like most Oskar Blues stuff and for whatever reason regardless of the style their brews are distinctive unto themselves. You can pick them out blind folded.

 

Ale Asylum has one called Ambergeddon, 6.8% so not quite an imperial but damn close and very tasty!

 

Doesn't look like they distribute to New York but Finch's Fascist Pig is a great imperial red. Total sleeper beer.

 

Oskar Blues G'Night and Green Flash Hop Head Red

 

I loved Bells This One Goes to 11 and Two Brothers Revelry. I hope they both get released again this fall.

 

Lagunitas Lucky 13, though not labeled an imperial is toeing the line. I have seen this on sale for $3.50 for a bomber.

 

Great Lakes Nosferatu is a tasty one. September release.

 

This is one of my favorites. Can't get it here in Maryland, but when I go up to NY I the fall, I usually pick some up.

 

Lucky 13 was going to be my choice. Available here for $3.99 bombers.

 

Zoe

 

Hop Head Red from Green Flash is a good choice. I just had it for the first time a few days ago.

 

Lagunitas Mondo 13
Green Flash Hop Head Red
Nosferatu
BottleTree Red is quite nice also

 

Yes. Forgot about this one but Zoe is very tasty!

 

I'll second Zoe and add Brewery Vivant's Big Red Coq.

 

Two of the top imperial reds are made by Alesmith:
My Bloody Valentine and Evil Dead Red.

They just started bottling both this year (if I remember correctly). Evil Dead Red is an October release. Hunt-worthy.

Edit: Just remembered you aren't looking for hop-forward reds, but still, these are fantastic.

 

The Bruery has Loakal Red which I think is very good. They also have, in their Preservation Series, one called Imperial Loakal Red. I haven't tried this one. I know not very available, but maybe you could find someone willing to trade.

 

G'Knight cannot be repeated enough in this conversation.

Slumbrew Lobstah Killah is also very good but quite in G'Knight territory.

 

This is one of the most ambiguous 'styles' in existence. BJCP does not even offer one of their forced guidelines for what constitutes a red ale, including most examples of what people think of as a red under American ale (amber). The BA certainly does (also under amber though), but they pretty much recognize everything ever brewed as a separate style. American-Belgo Style Session Imperial Export Coffee-flavored Barrel-aged Brett Indiginous Beer with Honey/Pumpkin anyone? sheeesh...
'Imperial red' is just a terminus of a gradient of a 'style' that really doesn't exist.
They both do recognize Irish red however.

Good examples of this that have already been mentioned: Nosferatu changed it's label just a year or so ago to say 'red' I'm assuming because it's previous moniker 'strong ale' was probably not selling it very well. Lucky 13 also used to be classified as an American old ale/strong ale on this very site I believe.
Red ales only exist in marketing and imagination. And Ireland apparently.

 

I've had enough NN over the years, still doesn't wow me, but the bottle is nice.