Preservation Series: Imperial Loakal Red - The Bruery

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL bottle acquired through the Reserve Society. Released 03/13. Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Pours a dark and murky russet brown with three fingers of thick beige head. The huge pillow of head lingers and leaves copious lace.

Smells of pine, citrus, toffee and an almost cherry sweetness.

Taste starts with a heavy dose of dank hops. Grapefruit peel, wood, lemon zest, pine sap, caramel, toffee, oak, slight vanilla, dark fruit pit/skin and boat loads of alcohol. As others have stated, this one is perhaps a bit too hot. I'm fine with a healthy booze bite but this gets a little distracting. Still, an over all interesting blend of rich, bitter hops and complex barreled malts.

Medium thick, resinous feel with strong carbonation. Long, dry, bitter finish with more citrus peel, oak and booze.

An all around enjoyable and complex imperial red. Plenty of resinous hops with a very unique oaky malt backing. I'm torn between enjoying these hops now while they're bursting with fresh flavor and waiting a year or two to let that alcohol settle down and see how the malts and barrel character develop. I'm glad I got multiple bottles to try both.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 03:07:43 | More by ThickNStout

kevanb

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle poured into a Bruery tulip.

The beer pours a murky burgundy color, closer to a dark brown, but with definite hues of red. A bone colored head, very lively and easily 3 fingers high, rises from the beer with good retention and leaves behind some spotted lace. The aroma is heavy on the alcohol, very intense and quite sweet with some rich malt and just a touch of bitter hop. The flavors are a bit more distinct but still dominated by harsh alcohol. There is a high amount of sweet, rich malt character with some chewy oak and light citrusy floral hop character that brings out some nice bitterness. The body is nice, coats the mouth very well, good level of carbonation, but it does read a bit thin for such a high octane beer.

Verdict: A solid Imperial Red from The Bruery, the oak character is a bit lost and the alcohol is really dominant and seems to mute some of the other flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 01:56:24 | More by kevanb

SHODriver

California

4.11/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: poured into a snifter to a deep red with a dense three finger off white head that retains well and has excellent lacing
S: smells of citrus, pine, oak, vanilla and a hint of caramel
T: tastes of caramel, oaky vanilla, some pine and citrus. swallow brings lots of oily hop flavors of pine with some residual oak and vanilla
M: full in the mouth with good carb that is slightly prickly. the oily hops on the finish keep it from being drying
O: full flavored and complex beer with good flavors. A very solid beer and well crafted. it goes down pretty smooth so it drinks well and the alcohol is well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 02:57:47 | More by SHODriver

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hoarders Society baby! Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice dark murky brownish orange amber hue. Big almost 3 finger dark khaki head slumps down to a nice quarter inch blanket with sold lacing. Ohh, the murky appearance of The Bruery.

S - Aromas of thick, wet citrus, grapefruit, tangerine, rich malts. Not nearly as much barrel as I'd expect it to have. Some slight vanilla notes. The lack of alcohol is shocking.

T - Taste is similar to the nose. More bitter grapefruit rind than orange. Lots of sweeter malts, caramel, light toffee. Quite rich, with a bitter finish. That is, until the booze slams into the pallet. Too boozy.

M - Mouthfeel was solid, thick mouthfeel, smooth, creamy....but again, super hot.

O - Overall, its a solid beer. Wish the alcohol was not nearly as prominent. Quite unfortunate.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 22:52:20 | More by rudzud

sirtomtom

California

3.64/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got this as part of my Preservation Society 1st Quarter Package.

A: Pours a murky brown with a touch of orange and red when held to the light. Strong tan held that sticks to the side of the glass.

S: Grapefruit, light florals, vanilla and pine. For being partly barrel aged, I expected the vanilla to be a bit stronger.

T: Light maltiness, with the citrus and pine coming and finishing with a pleasing medium bitterness. I was expecting a bit more malt.

M: A nice thick mouth feel and a very smooth opening.

O: This honestly reminds me a lot of Sierra Nevada's Northern Hemisphere. A very good hoppy beer from the Bruery and at $10.99 for a 750mL bottle, I'd buy it again(assuming the Bruery tasting room still has bottles), not necessarily for myself, but to bring to an impromptu bottle share.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 03:23:33 | More by sirtomtom

notchucknorris

California

4.15/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a murky light brown color with hints of orange. An enormous tan head forms immediately and leaves tons of lace down the glass.

S: A thick, citrus hop aroma is the first thing I notice. Grapefruit and tangerine with a rich malty backbone. Lots of caramel malt, wheat bread and a hint of oak when agitated. A bit of a floral hint as well.

T: A rich, malty red. Tons of malt laced with citrusy hops. Caramel, toffee, and a faint taste of wood, which I'm assuming is the oak. Definitely a bit on the heavy side, and the alcohol does show, but it really doesn't take away from this one. A really good beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 02:21:46 | More by notchucknorris

cozumel4me

California

4.81/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A - Cloudy red-brown with a finger of lacing.

S - Lots of sweet caramel malts, grapefruit, orange, citrus, pine, oak.

T - Rich sweet caramel malts, grapefruit, orange, citrus, pine, resiny bitterness, oak, vanilla, a bit of booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with lots of carbonation. Very smooth for an imperial red with a bitter and warming finish.

D - Excellent and very balanced imperial red ale. Excellent hops profile and bitterness.

This beer is in my wheelhouse big time. It may be too malty for some. I love the balance of this beer, even with a touch of booziness on the finish. This is one of my favorite new beers from The Bruery.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 17:27:45 | More by cozumel4me

ngeunit1

California

4.28/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Cloudy red-brown with a finger of frothy tan-khaki head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Sweet caramel malts, grapefruit, orange, citrus, pine, and grassy hops, oak, vanilla, some booze.

T - Sweet caramel malts, grapefruit, orange, citrus, pine, grassy hops, good resiny bitterness, oak, vanilla, some a bit of booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a bitter and warming finish.

D - Fantastic balanced imperial red ale. Good hops profile and bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 05:39:02 | More by ngeunit1

UCLABrewN84

California

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap for the Bruery Initiation Celebration held at The Phoenix Club in Anaheim, CA.

Pours a murky orange-red with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus zest, and herbal hops. Taste is much the same with a citrus zest flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and super easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2013 18:12:56 | More by UCLABrewN84

jvillefan

California

4.36/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

A: There is a two finger brown/ivory thick head with a muddy brown/amber body.

S: Hops are the first thing to come off this beer. Very strong citrus aromas. There is also a very potent caramel malt as well. There is no EtOH which is surprising for a 12% beer.

T: It is both simultaneously a hop bomb and a malt bomb. The hops are bitter, citrus, and pine. The malts are toffee (very strong), caramel, with a tiny bit of roast. There flavors are very independent and don't really work together.

M: Very heavy and silky body with a surprisingly pleasant carbonation for a 12% beer. There is a touch of alcohol there but it is well hidden.

O: Great beer worth a try. Get this beer when it is released in bottles in about a month.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 00:13:44 | More by jvillefan