Sequoia Red - Kern River Brewing Company

vacax

California

4.38/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours brilliantly clear and rich sequoia red color, proving it is aptly named. If you don't know the mighty sequoia, its bark is a majestic dark red/brown. This gives me about one inch of a thick lightly tan head that has a few big bubles to break it up. Some good retention and beautiful lacing to boot. Looks like a great red ale. Smells like a classic amber with sweet caramel malts, cookie, walnut, toasty biscuit notes, and a hint of fruity hops in the background. A malt-forward brew.

Lots of those rich malts come through in the flavor, toasty caramel malts bring a nice sweetness, then the midpalate and finish usher in a tannic fruitiness and lightly earthy hop presence that completely balances this out. This is exceptionally well balanced, very impressive. While I personally prefer my reds hoppy, this is a near-perfect example of a balanced malty red ale. Medium body with a very creamy carbonation. A near perfect interpretation of a classic style.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2009 00:48:04 | More by vacax

Topher78

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%

05-09-2013 16:18:19 | More by Topher78

largadeer

California

3/5  rDev -16.4%

04-21-2013 23:22:17 | More by largadeer

Swervine44

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%

02-24-2013 21:53:35 | More by Swervine44

leodarko

California

2.75/5  rDev -23.4%

02-02-2013 00:43:02 | More by leodarko

n2185

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -9.5%

01-17-2013 02:38:05 | More by n2185

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%

01-12-2013 06:36:56 | More by spycow

sloelco

California

3.75/5  rDev +4.5%

12-29-2012 23:24:04 | More by sloelco

tbone1384

Wyoming

4/5  rDev +11.4%

11-03-2012 13:58:38 | More by tbone1384

sdpaul

California

3.75/5  rDev +4.5%

08-22-2012 18:24:51 | More by sdpaul

DarthKostrizer

California

4/5  rDev +11.4%

08-19-2012 02:41:41 | More by DarthKostrizer

trentet

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%

07-13-2012 20:54:10 | More by trentet

ChumleyX

California

4/5  rDev +11.4%

05-29-2012 00:56:46 | More by ChumleyX

MrHirschybar

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%

01-03-2012 08:35:03 | More by MrHirschybar

rtaps

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%

12-25-2011 20:40:44 | More by rtaps

BHOBS

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%

12-20-2011 04:02:41 | More by BHOBS

RichBeer

California

3/5  rDev -16.4%

11-16-2011 08:55:13 | More by RichBeer

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap at the brewery in Kernville into a pint glass. The beer presents with a deep copper/amber color, with a thin, foamy head. Tastes of dark roasted malts and caramel. There is a bit of a harsh aftertaste from the roast, but the beer still maintains a smooth and balanced taste and in-mouth feel. There is a good overall flavor to this brew. Pretty decent for a Red.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2010 05:53:23 | More by GarthDanielson

chickencoop

California

3.83/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a deeep amber, nice frothy head. Smell was a approachable malty nose. Taste was a light amber malt, nothing standing out but a pleasant light amber lager. Overall a very palatable beer, but nothing that really stands out. This is quite drinkable but nothing that is going to make me search it out and find this to pound a few with my friends.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2009 07:25:58 | More by chickencoop

womencantsail

California

4.08/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The pour is a deep, dark, brown color with plenty of red notes. The head is minimal and some spots of lacing are left.

S: The smell is very rich and malty. A lot of brown sugar, caramel, toffee, and a mild roasted quality.

T: The taste follows the nose. Big sugar, toffee, and caramel, flavors. The roasted malt is not as noticeable here. The flavors are quite reminiscent of a barleywine.

M: Low carbonation, medium body, and quite smooth.

D: I generally like a hoppier red/amber ale, but this was actually quite good. I think the flavors were bold enough to make this beer something more than a sugary mess.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2009 05:16:52 | More by womencantsail

gford217

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark, slightly hazy amber with a sizable off-white head that recedes very slowly to a thin, creamy cap and a little lacing.

The aroma is sweet with caramel malts dominating with a slightly roasted character to it. There is also a slightly grassy hop aroma.

The taste is more earthy with some grassy hops and a light sweet caramel malt backbone. The finish is bitter with a combination of hops and toasted grains.

The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and borders on watery with the flavors seemingly muted.

This is a fair amber that's pretty drinkable but doesn't have much depth to it. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 03:36:36 | More by gford217

Halcyondays

California

3.78/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bomber,

A: Pours a dark amber/red with a 1.5 finger white head with good lace.

S: Nice sweet caramel malt, 1-dimensional, but enjoyable and fragrant.

T: Heavy like the nose on the sweet caramel malt, real light-hopping. A lot like a British mild.

M: Smooth, medium-bodied, soft carbonation.

D: Another well made beer out of Kern River. I've had 4 of their beers in the last month, and I am really quite impressed.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2009 20:35:14 | More by Halcyondays

MiScusi

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle brought back from the brewery a little over a month ago. Dark ruby in color, with a weak off white head made of big and little bubbles. It comes across as pretty toasty and nutty. It wasn't bad, but I don't think it really did anything that particularly well.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2008 07:28:01 | More by MiScusi

JDV

Texas

3.05/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle as one of many generous extras from Odeed. Thanks man!
Pours a reddish cloudy color. Smell is mild caramel malt and light tame hops. Taste is mild as well, with faint hop flavor coming through, but I found this to be lackluster flavorwise. Could be in part to palate fatigue, but still wasn't overly flavorful. No flaws stuck out, however, and it was an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2008 20:51:47 | More by JDV

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy red body with a profusely fizzy, off-white head.

Smell: Aroma of caramel malts, toasted grains, and a mild citrus hop presence.

Taste: Caramel maltiness with a nice measure of sweetness. Notes of toasted grains and lemon. A spicy, earth bitterness emerges on the finishes, but remains rather light. Simple and straightforward, but this is an amber ale we're talking about.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Moderate carbonation.

Drinkability: Though I'd prefer a more milder level of carbonation, I still thought this one was pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2007 05:44:11 | More by ChainGangGuy