Tongue Buckler - Imperial Red Ale - Ballast Point Brewing Company

RustyDiamond

Georgia

4.88/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Sadistic blood orange pour into the Duvel glass. Quite the devil. Very inviting looking...crimson red with a striking off-white frothy 3" head. Chill hazy...ominous. Aroma of hot citrus glaze on a piping hot waffle with pineapple singing backup. Big ole flavor of spruce tips and thick indian river grapefruit. So balanced for such a big ole crunchy hop bomb. Perfumey as hell in the mouth yet the tongue buckler sensation was omnipresent. Rich, malty taste and I get hints of bittersweet chocolate and toffee somewhere. So aromatic hop nasty yet so rich and malty. Citric piney overhand then a sweet uppercut maly smack. This one is a winner!

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2009 23:36:01 | More by RustyDiamond

SDtastentune

California

4.83/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Red or brownish, cant remember exactly. No much head, or lace but there.

S - Smells of malts and caramel malts, somehops back there but not like an IPA

T- Taste is somewhat complex, think malty, grass/deep hops, red kinda beer flavor, kinda homebrew taste. Hard to explain.

M - Pretty great sipping a half pint fresh from BP, kinda lower carbonation, but well liked and balanced.

O - Nice, well rounded strong ale, malty, hoppy, and redish all at the same time, mixed in with a homebrew kinda vibe. Thumbs up for a different style!

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2011 03:08:27 | More by SDtastentune

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.83/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer was served on tap at the Blind Tiger in New York, NY. It arrived in a tall, stemmed tulip glass. It glowed a beautiful maroon color, boasting a one finger head of creamy white bubbles. This showed great retention and thick lacing as the beer left us. Translucency was high, as no sediment or haze was noted. Carbonation appeared average. The aroma is immensely complex. There are bright bubblegum esters, making us think of Juicy Fruit bubble gum. The fruity part of that also applies, as guava fruit hits the palate hard. The hops are spicy and citric, with distinct grapefruit and lime. The malts are cooked and darker. They are actually on the pale side in flavor, but show a depth of darkness. With warmth the nose becomes sweaty and salty. As we sipped, the citric hops hit up front like crazy. These mix with even, calm malts. There is a limey quality here as well, with mustard seed, tannins, and a biting nutmeg spice. The malts act more towards the middle, with significant toast, and the faintest suggestion of caramel. They even give off a woody quality at times. The hops remain for further bittering and resiny dryness. The end holds most of the fruit, with tropical berries and hand fruits predominating among the grapefruity hops. Despite the sugars, the end is quite bittering, with pine and grass being the last things to leave your mouth. The aftertaste breathes of big booze and chalky grain. There is even more booze with warmth, but it becomes subdued by thick hop resin and pine cones. The body is medium and the carbonation is medium to high. There is a definite drying astringency despite the fantastic slurp, pucker, and smack. The abv is appropriate, and the beer is quite warming. Drinkability here is supreme.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the big hops in both the nose and the taste. The aroma is damn near perfect, with a certain cleanliness and crispness to it. While the hops were so robust, the malts beautifully balanced this beer. The alcohol is hidden expertly, and the flavors all melt together. This is one of the best beers we’ve had in a long time.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2012 23:14:26 | More by TheBrewo

DoubleJ

California

4.55/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I'm ready to walk the plank with this strong red ale. On to the beer:

Good clarity in the body. It has a beautiful amber reddish glow, topped by a thick, hearty head which continues to hold up. The aroma is quite a treat as well, it's both malty and hoppy. Where to start? Assorted tropical fruits, mango, passionfruit, caramel, toasted malt. Is this a Double Bastard clone?

Oh my! All the flavors are mixed together, and it feels softer than silk. A burst of citrus, passionfruit, and burnt sugar cling on to the palate at first. Hops explode everywhere, but they are controlled without getting too fiesty. A little uncooked veggie gets noticed. Toasted towards the end. A tad more malt would make this perfect for me, but I'm merely nitpicking at this gem. Luscious and smooth like no other (sorry Newcastle!), the alcohol is hidden extremely well, and it is dangerous to drink.

Tongue Buckler is more of a Mind Buckler to me. How Ballast Point managed to pull off this beer without any major leakage of alcohol deserves props. An excellent beer, but watch your consumption: it drinks more like 7% ABV than its listed 10% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2009 06:53:37 | More by DoubleJ

Halcyondays

California

4.55/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bomber, listed at 10%, well up from 6.4%,

A: Pours a red-brown with a thick 2-finger off-tan head.

S: A pine tree/bitter resin bomb, heavy caramel with some volatile ethanol.

T: Grapefruit and some guava immediately in the hops. Some toasted biscuit and caramel come as the malt shows up. Great cinnamon spice meets Christmas tree in the finish. Hoppy throughout, but always a good balance. Ethanol is present, but it melds seamlessly with the spice and the hops note; it is very well integrated, great structure of flavour.

M: Pretty much what you would want in this style. Resinous of course, but very smooth and silky. Soft, luxurious carbonation. The finish is long and true, also being zesty and tangy.

D: Usually with a beer this big like a barleywine, the bomber would last 2-3 hours, but 20 minutes into this one I had about 8 oz. left in the pint glass. Just a beautifully drinking beer for it's strength. A fantastic Imperial ale, I really just can't say enough good things about it.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2009 22:54:31 | More by Halcyondays

Dmann

California

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer hit the spot the other night and I hope to come back for more. Had this on tap at the San Diego Brewing Co. and it was great. Poured a great amber color with a great head and nice lacing. The smell leaned more towards the IPA side of things with a nice wiff of hops and a little carmel malt scent in there too. The taste was very good and was a perfect mix between a strong amber and an IPA with a nice healthy hoppy flavor backed by a sweet malt that broke through very nicely and came to the foreground to ballance. I too hope they bottle this one someday, I'll buy!

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2004 10:40:53 | More by Dmann

HopHead84

California

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle purchased from the Ballast Point Home Brew Mart. Despite what the Beer Advocate listing says, this release of the beer is 10% ABV, not 6.4%. Poured into a Pint Glass. The beer is effervescent dark red with a large pillowy off white head. The retention is very good, and the beer leaves some lacing as it recedes.

Sweet caramel and bready malt nicely balances out aggressive citrus, piney, and earthy hops in the nose. The 10% ABV is apparent. The beer is initially sweet, mainly bready, sugary malt, but it's quickly balanced by a high level of bitterness reminiscent of citrus and pine. I talked to the brewer and he said they used 6 or 7 hop varieties in this beer. The taste has a lot of different hop flavors that come together nicely. There's a lot of alcohol. The finish is sweet and piney hops with lingering alcohol heat. There's a high level of bitterness in the finish. The beer is aptly named.

Medium bodied with good carbonation. The mouthfeel is dry and sticky.

Bottle consumed on 3/7/2010 (2010 batch)

I'm not sure if my palate has progressed or if this is just better than last year's batch, but this is a contender for best Imperial Red...up there with Nugget Nectar. Alcohol is better hidden this year, and the hop aroma and flavor are both explosive. So much citrus and pine. Outstanding stuff. Drink it fresh, drink it fresh, drink it fresh, and you'll find it to be amazing.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 01:30:06 | More by HopHead84

PatrickSwayze

California

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a majestic clear and beautiful rich amber that gets deeper in color as you peer deeper to the middle of the glass

S: Huge floral and pine brightly caress the nose. Smells so good with hints of caramel that creeps

T: Full massive hop flavor and bitterness kicks your socks of in the friendliest way possible. Huge piney hops murder the forward end with a lovely dough/bread and caramel back end. Slight alcohol trickles up in the middle. 

M: Full bodied with medium carbonation and wonderfully dry

O: So amazing this beer is. I always get it on tap whenever u see it at my local san diego brew pubs. Bad ass beer that provides full crazy amounts of flavor. So amped there bottling again. 

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 03:31:28 | More by PatrickSwayze

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Colorwise, a deep ruby red to an amber fade. Thick ecru head is dense enough to survive the trip down to the bottom of my glass. Sparse lacing driblets.

Aroma is intensely juicy peach candy and citrus. Lots of sugar malt sweetness as well. Smells gooey?

Gooey brown sugar and sugar coated raisin malt is almost intense enough to keep pace with the citrus hop onslaught. Sharp pine. Not as bitter as I had expected which is good...because I expected too many IBUs. Dry and bitter fade which helps wipe my palette of the initial sugar malt.

A fine big ass hoppy amber, up there with the best of the style. This is my favorite style BTW.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 20:39:53 | More by donkeyrunner

Stoneman78

California

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On cask at the Real Ale Festival at PP Carlsbad

Appearance is a cloudy red hue, off-white creamy foam head, moderate lacing

Smell is super pine needle hops, caramel malts, bread and biscuit malts, toffee, citrus, chocolate

Taste is bitter pine hops balanced with smooth caramel malts, toffee dominates the middle, finishes slightly bitter

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, thick and creamy texture, moderate carbonation

Drinkability is high, great mix of hops and caramel malts, a very impressive 'imperial' amber style beer resembling GF Hophead and Port Shark Attack

Serving type: cask

06-25-2008 07:03:07 | More by Stoneman78

slaintemhor

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The colour of this beer was a dark amber. The aroma was a hoppy smack in the face! I couldn't detect much else as the hops were predominant. On the palate, WHOA! A hop caliope! Geez! Citrusy hops galore, sweet, resinous and an extremely long finish that ruined my palate for the rest of the night (but in a good way!).

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2009 05:31:56 | More by slaintemhor

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

$10.75 bomber from Abe's.

Truly a red ale. Deep scarlet with great clarity. Rising carbonation throughout. Topped by two fingers of off-white-with-a-hint-of-beige rocky micro-bubbles.

Huge citrus nose. Grapefruit, mango. BIt of lemon. Some pine too.

Thick slabs of caramel goodness slathers the tongue and lays a firm foundation. It fruit. Even bigger bitterness. Crushing bitterness scrubs the tongue at the swallow.

Solid full mouthfeel carries everything along smoothly.

A terrific Imperial Red. Ballast Point needs to ship this more frequently.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 03:32:33 | More by RonfromJersey

ocelot2500

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy amber color with a tight, off-white head that leaves chunks of lacing.

Smells of piny and citrus hops with some toasted malts.

Tastes of big hops upfront on a supportive malt backbone. Big notes of grapefruit, pine, and herbal notes. Moderately bitter, but not overly so. Malts come in with caramel, toffee, and a bit of toasted bread. A bit of fruitiness comes through as well and add to the grapefruit notes. Sweetness balances out what bitterness comes through. Alcohol is very slight and pleasant.

Mouthfeel is medium-full with a smooth amount of carbonation.

Overall, this is a big amber ale and I would definitely think it was a barleywine if not told otherwise, but this is tasty either way.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 03:20:01 | More by ocelot2500

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Union Jack's on the Manatawny.

A deep copper colored brew with a two-fingered head - creamy white and dense.

Smells of earthy citrus hops and bready malts - smells of rye bread.

Tastes of resinous, oily hops, big cirus bitter hops, extremely dry - a big malt backbone.

This one lives up to its name - hopheads only - loved it...

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 01:26:27 | More by ujsplace

DonDirkA

Arizona

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into DFH laser-etched snifter.

Pours a deep, opaque red/mahogany with a thick light brown head that dissipates down to about a half finger. Nose is super hoppy. Pine, tangerine, caramel, grapefruit, molasses and brown sugar. The taste is pine, grass, red grapefruit, black tea, caramel, toffee and bitter orange. Pine explodes and quickly turns into tart grapefruit then plunges into caramel/toffee with a hint of grassy bitterness and some notes of black tea (almost like unsweetened iced tea) that all fades out into a bitter orange and caramel that clings onto the tongue and doesn't let go. This "red ale" is a better DIPA than many beers that are classified as DIPAs (I'm looking at you Palate Wrecker!). Very awesome, love me some Ballast Point.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 04:37:13 | More by DonDirkA

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a brown to amber. Darker in color with a slightly cloudy look. Healthy head - at least a finger and quality lacing. Smell is dominated by a great hop aroma and slightly balanced with some malts. Taste is good with malt and candimsugar more present with the hops some hidden well. Spicy. Good.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 00:40:58 | More by Oakenator

moosington

California

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber from Hollingshead.

Pours a deep amber/copper with a nice off-white head that disappeared to a consistent ring.

Aroma is not overpowering, but bears sweet citrusy hops and a sweet bready/malty combo.

Taste starts with a sweet and spicy bread/malt quality that is quickly taken over by a hop charge of citrus rind and pine that sticks to the tongue. This is all washed down with a noticeable, though not unpleasant hint of alcohol.

Mouthfeel is great for the style. Pretty heavy, but balanced well with great carbonation and the hop kick sticks to the tongue for a while.

Certainly not a session beer, but I had no problem at all finishing the bomber, and could probably handle a few pints on tap. Very tasty, and another awesome beer from the Ballast Point limited releases (I find their year round releases to be not so hot).

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2009 05:11:26 | More by moosington

peacebone116

California

4.35/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Bright dark amber, the color of a worn copper penny. This ale pours with a great off-white head that fades to create fine lace along the leg of the glass.

N: Rich malty sweetness and beautiful citric hint at pink grapefruit.

T/M: Following the aromas, the sweet and tart flavors wind across the tongue. The heat of alcohol is noticeable, but the body is not overwhelmingly heavy, but rather light for the heft of this beer's potency.

Overall, this is a great take on the style. Excellent flavors!

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 02:26:42 | More by peacebone116

emerge077

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Assuming this is the recent "robust series" bottling, the original listing should be updated if there's an ABV change. Huge thanks to Jason for dropping this in a recent trade!

Lovely burnt crimson color, fluffy foam, and minor lacing. Dank hop oils in the nose. Sweet fruit and a hint of maltiness buried underneath. Later there's a waft of the alcohol, but it blends in well.

Huge smack of melon/cantaloupe sweetness, dank fruity hops are massive in this one! Lush, sweet almost syrupy body. Reminded me a little of oak-aged Unearthly minus the oak. Drying with moderately bitter finish. Traces of alcohol only seem to come out as it warms. Pretty damn strong, but tasty. The sweetness and booze are integrated well enough that it isn't a distraction. I'm going to miss this bomber when it's gone...

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2009 01:07:30 | More by emerge077

GreatJob

California

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Picked up a 22oz. bottle from BevMo.

A - Poured a clear, dark amber with light creamy tan head that last through the entire glass.

S - slight smell of hops and cirtus, but not as much as other reviewers had stated. The smell is dominated by sweet, bread-like aromas similar to a belgian aile.

T - The taste starts with sweet malty goodness, followed by a strong alcohol flavor immediately after swallowing. The beer finishes pretty bitter, which is accompanied by bread-like flavors similar to the aromas. This is an extremely well balanced beer.

M - Very smoothe mouthfeel. Perfectly carbonated.

D - I could drink this all night. Like I said before, this is a very well balanced beer which makes it very easy to drink. There are no extremes in any category that would make this difficult for anyone to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2009 03:14:04 | More by GreatJob

Overlord

California

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Intriguing.

Pours an amber red, gigantic off-white foam head. Smells like citrus, pine, and pine, and pine, and pine.

The taste is behemoth-esque on the palate. Sure, there's some bready malt backing. Even a bit of brown sugar. But mostly, it's a scorching, bitter assault of pine and sharp, biting citrus on one's tastebuds. It will rend the unsuspecting tongue asuner. Beware, here there be dragons.

Nice mouthfeel. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2009 09:32:20 | More by Overlord

mikedashg

California

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a slightly hazy but very clear, well, amber color! spot on! With a good size super light tan head.

S- Candied sugar, hops, citrus

T- Wow! Those hops are killer. In your face and tounge buckling. Nice pine and citrus flavors too. Very powerful. A bit caramel and toffee, with a bit of grapefruit.

M- Perfect full body and good carbonation. Nice and crisp.

D- Couldn't have too many of these. But they sure are good.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2009 02:48:22 | More by mikedashg

stawn

California

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured into a tulip - a deep mahogany with a fluffy off white head that dissipates slowly with good lacing.

S - Smells of pine and sweet malt. Lots of hop aroma!

T - Taste is VERY balanced. Not overly hoppy at all. Malty sweetness quickly aided by piney hops.

M - Full thick bodied. Hops come out more as it warms.

D - Can't tell its 10% until you're done! ;)

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 21:08:35 | More by stawn

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Thirstybird for sharing. Poured a copper-amber color with a semi-translucent clarity. Pour exposes a quarter inch off-white head that dissipates into a skim and a cluster of bubbles, but refreshes with a swirl. Some spots and strands of lacing exposed during the tasting. Nose reveals caramel, toffee and some grapefruit notes. Taste consistent with nose, all on a big, malty backbone. Mouthfeel was medium-bodied with a consistent background carbonation. I am really growing to appreciate Ambers, and Tongue Buckler is definitely a standard for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 01:22:27 | More by Jwale73

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a fairly clear red with a bit of orange mixed in with a finger of frothy tannish head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is full of grapefruit, pineapple, citrus, and pine hops with sweet caramel malts and a bit of dark fruit and booze.

T - Starts off with lots of grapefruit, pineapple, orange, and other citrus hops and bitterness with some sweet caramel malts. Through the middle, the pine hops come through with even more bitterness and a touch of dark fruits. The finish is a mix of grapefruit, citrus, and pine hops with some bitterness, some caramel malts, and some booze.

M - Medium-plus bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth and a bit resiny with a dry and bitter finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice big hoppy Imperial Red. Good strong hop profile and bitterness throughout with enough malt flavor to balance things out a bit.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 04:54:32 | More by ngeunit1