Tongue Buckler - Imperial Red Ale - Ballast Point Brewing Company

Murrhey

Montana

2.8/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured in a taster at Ballast Point in San Diego, Calif. Reviewed from notes.

A- Finger width tan head. Long retention, fluffy lacing. Reddish brown color, nice clarity.

S- Caramel malts and spicy hops. More subdued than I thought it would be.

T- Some bitter hops, but balanced out with sweet malts. Not terribly impressed.

M- Medium bodied and fairly wet.

O- I wasn't really impressed with this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2012 02:46:17 | More by Murrhey

socon67

New York

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Maroon\amber color. Cloying foam laces the glass.

S - Best feature of this beer. Smell of fresh english malt, caramel, and wood, combines with oily scent of hops. Just impressive.

T - Hearty malt flavor, with notes of caramel. Behind that is a slight bitter bite. There is a subdued boozy burn at the finsih.

M - Feels heavy, and the robust styles lead to this being a bit overwhelming. Surprisingly it went very well with dinner. So it can compliment food though I'd never session this.

O - A great amber for folks who want a very robust beer. Liked some things about it but not everything.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2012 19:13:37 | More by socon67

argock

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a nonic pint glass at Toronado (San Diego, CA).

A: Very dark garnet with a short cap of light beige head that fades to a fair amount of lacing.

S: Aroma is fairly grainy with a big dose of raisin but smashed downw ith pine and tropical and fruity hops aromas of pineapple, orange, and mango.

T: The flavor is very bitter and fairly boozy up front but the hops flavors try to poke through the bitterness with mango and pineapple the most prominent. There is a significant malt presence with a lot of toasty, raisiny character.

M: The feel is exceedingly heavy with all of the dark malt sweetness, alcohol, and bitterness.

O: While I liked it, I would not be ordering this a whole lot because it is a chore to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2012 02:58:31 | More by argock

Zorro

California

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On the red side of amber with a good sized yellowish tan colored head. Held up to the light it is a clear red colored ale.

Smells sweet the moment you open it, I smell malt syrup from 3 feet away from it. Sweet malt with a minty hop aroma. Smells woody with a Cedar chest scent. Slight sour scent, there is more pine here than citrus.

Starts out bittersweet with a little pine board in the after taste. Strong bitterness but the malt does a good job smoothing the taste out. Not a lot of subtlety here, just a smooth bittersweet ale that is solidly in Barleywine territory. Alcohol level is completely hidden.

Mouthfeel is thick and smooth.

Overall a mild tasting Barleywine that kicks you in the head like a Mule.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2012 23:07:34 | More by Zorro

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-medium amber color with a nice off-white head and good lacing

S-malt and sweet fruit aromas with some bitterness

T-rich malt and dried fruit with slight hoppy bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth

O-a solid imperial red ale with decent balance and body

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2012 19:43:36 | More by MDDMD

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a very deep and murky amber brown. thick tightly packed deep tan head. decent retention. spotty lacing.

S - dark and dank resinous aroma. notes of spicy herbs and citrus, with a dark bread malt profile.

T - the flavors are a more intensified version of the nose. dark bread up front with lots of citrus/grapefruit rind character. the bitter fruit flavors last long after the finish.

M - milky. lighter bodied verging on medium than one would expect. carbonation is medium.

O - a decent "IPA" with an interesting malt profile.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2012 04:37:09 | More by Teleweizen2

claspada

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a light amber leaning toward red with a light tan that leaves some nice sticky lacing.

Aromas begin with a blast of dank, juicy grapefruit with less intense citrus and pine hops. As it warms you detect more of the malt backbone highlighted by some brown sugar and caramel.

The tastes begin with light sweet maltiness; brown sugar and darker caramel once again. Then the hop flavors, particularly grapefruit, a bit of citrus and lesser pine are not quite as bitter as I would have expected. Bitterness increases as it warms in the finish.

The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied for the style with a crisp carbonation and lightly bitter finish. Alcohol is little to none exisitent.

Overall this is a very nice example of a West Coast Amber Ale. Plenty of dank, resinous, citrusy hops to balance a mellow but substantial caramel maltiness. Very easy to drink and dangerous @ 10%ABV. Not my favorite of the style but definitely worth a go if you see it on tap. Not mind-blowing but super solid beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2012 13:22:57 | More by claspada

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at Mugs Alehouse in Brooklyn, NY

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden orange to amber in color with a finger tall beige head. The head reduces to a ring at the edges of the glass and some patches of bubbles. Moderate lacing is observed.

S: Lots and lots of hops - pineapple, pine, and grapefruit are all present with pine being the most dominant.

T: Pine hops with some pineapple and grapefruit notes. There is a real lingering bitterness after each sip of this beer. The flavor of the beer is very sharp and the finish is almost resin like.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation. Slightly chewy.

O: Very nice for the hop head in all of us but not an easy drinker - the hops are really intense and the name of the beer is appropriate. Probably would be amazing with the correct food pairing but on it's own it is a little difficult to consume much of.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2012 02:47:02 | More by dbrauneis

Gavage

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours a dark amber in color with a short 1/2" head that breaks apart quickly.

Smell: caramel and fruit sweetness is most notable and alcohol is also part of the aroma.

Taste: caramel, ripe apples, nice hearty bitterness, a bit of citrus, and some alcohol are the main flavor components.

Mouthfeel: medium-heavy in body. Smooth throughout with a dry finish. Long lasting aftertaste here.

Overall: this is a slow sipping beer that will catch up to you quickly. Not a bad beer, a bit over the top for me.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 23:00:10 | More by Gavage

UCLABrewN84

California

3.45/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Library Alehouse in Santa Monica, CA.

Pours a clear dark copper with a beige head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Thick chunks of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grapefruit, citrus zest, and a slight alcohol kick. Taste is of malt, grapefruit extract, and very bitter citrus zest. The bitterness with each sip is quite assertive and lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a somewhat full bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but it is extremely bitter just like the name implies.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 06:52:53 | More by UCLABrewN84

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

mltobin

Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in Brooklyn last month, from notes.

This imperial red poured an amber color with a short beige head. Its` nose has pine resin, grapefruit, toasted malts and hops. This is a smell that creates anticipation of the beer and is quite nice. Upon sipping it, I taste oranges, pine, some more hops, all well balanced together with some of the other flavors. MF is medium with a good amount of carbonation. All in all, this is a very good beer, which I have never seen on a shelf in metro NY; so it was nice to enjoy it on draft.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2012 03:50:16 | More by mltobin

Sideswipe

California

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Barley and Hops

Deep red/amber color witha finger of off-white foam. Thick, sticky lacing. Caramel malt and citrus hops in the nose. Taste follows true to form with a big caramel presence up front. The malt is offset by huge citrus hop bitterness on the back end. There's mango, tangerine and a bit of pineapple. Some booze is apparent in the finish and there's a lingering bitter aftertaste. The beer is full bodied, quite thick and viscous. Medium level of carbonation. A good imperial red, emphasis on the imperial. I like the combination of caramel malt and hoppiness, but the 10% ABV starts to wear on me a little as I near the bottom of the pint. A good brew for a chilly November evening.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2011 01:59:25 | More by Sideswipe

RBassSFHOPit2ME

California

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Cloudy red, small amount of activation in the pint glass served at Toronado SF but head retention and lacing pretty damn solid.

S - Malty...hops there evened out with the malts but you can tell this one is going to be maltier than the average West Coast Imperial Red.

T - Follows smell exactly...this one is BIG...a sipper. Took me longer to finish than my usual Imperial Red or Imperial IPA. Thick, hoppy and equally malty.

M - Big, creamy and heavy due to the ABV and large dose of malts.

O - Everything about this beer is good but nothing mind-blowing. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2011 23:29:00 | More by RBassSFHOPit2ME

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had a goblet at Liberty St. Tavern. The alcohol was well hidden, but overall this was a thick beer without as many stand-out flavors as I'd have liked for something this strong. The hops were juicy, with a citrus rind finish, but lacked depth for such a big beer. The malts were also fairly big, with a soft bready character, but oddly indistinct. Finally, the bitterness, likely thanks to the residual sugar, was far too balanced for anything with the name "Tongue Buckler." I don't want to give the impression that this is a bad beer, but when we're talking about 10% ABV hop-bombs, there are better options.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2011 20:58:55 | More by tempest

57md

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy dark copper with a finger of head. There is little retention or lacing, however. The hops are way upfront in the nose, which is definitely a harbinger of things to come. There is a brief malty taste with the first sip, but it quickly becomes overwhelmed by the blast of hops that follows. The finish is very crisp and bitter - much more reminiscent to a DIPA than an imperial red.

This offering is a puzzler. I am a genuine hop fan and I loved this beer for its aggressive hop profile. However, there must be some minimum style standards adhered to so that we beer nuts can compare apples with apples. This is simply NOT a red, as it is not at all true to style. I am not sure what it actually IS other than a tasty big beer. Let's just go with that, ok?

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2011 02:44:44 | More by 57md

augustgarage

California

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap first at Mohawk Bend where I took very brief notes, then at Blue Palms Brewhouse which is the primary source of this review. Served in a goblet.

Clear, carnelian liquid with a lasting dense creamy layer of ivory foam. Thick pasty lacing refuses to dissipate. Superior retention.

Strawberries, bubblegum, oranges, and floral hop aromatics blend seamlessly with a honey-infused malt base.

Ester-heavy, like a field of berries in a summer rain. Candy-like sweetness is persistent but balanced by a moderate faintly peppery bitterness from the citrus-forward hops. Finishes medium-dry and crisp.

Medium-bodied, somewhat oily and creamy with a solid alcohol kick.

It's interesting to compare what I think was a super-fresh keg against this one which has been on for many days now. The fresh keg was more astringent and biting (in a good way) but maybe with a little less nuance...while the hops seem to have fallen off a bit in the older keg, allowing more fruit to come forward albeit with more sweetness.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2011 18:30:09 | More by augustgarage

mactrail

California

2.55/5  rDev -34.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Starts out with a kiss of barley wine, ends with a serious dog bite. After a brief honeymoon with the big malt it turns into a shrewish storm of hop overdose.

I can't find what hops these are, but they do a good job of bittering. This tastes like they took a batch of Sculpin and dosed it with quinine. The color is a nice orange mahogany with really good lacing in the tulip glass. Aroma of roast malt. I'm not sure what the point of this exercise is. Anything for research, but after a few sips I'm grateful I don't have to finish it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2011 04:49:00 | More by mactrail

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Flowing at Smokin' Joe's in the Southside pours a copper hue with a light off shade of white head, big chunks of lacing. Aroma has big abrasive pine/caramel blended with some dank smelling herbaceous goodness, quite a nose with a some booze edging in this good just as easily be a barleywine in most beer cultures. Flavor again earthy herbaceous and citrus peel accented hops bring a strong bitterness full big booze and big caramel malts with a bit of dirt/mineral quality going on. Alcohol is soothing and fits within the massive arrangement of this beer, never seen bottles in the Burgh but definitely scattered on a limited basis on tap. Mouthfeel was big a bit harsh with bitterness and alcohol but I new what I was getting into when I ordered this one. Overall a high quality big aggressive West Coast Tongue Buckler, meaning it pretty much assaults your palate with intense flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2011 15:44:12 | More by WVbeergeek

kylehay2004

Florida

3.8/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: amber with red hues. Lots of lace and single finger head.

S: wet sock odor hops

T: lots of grassy and floral hops with dominant caramel malts. Some citrus notes.

M: Moderate carbonation and medium body.

Overall: The beer was very good. This wet sock hop aroma that I see in some imperial beers and IPAs is a bit of a turn off before the taste. Otherwise a decent beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2011 01:30:00 | More by kylehay2004

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

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Ballast Point : Tongue Buckler

Poured ontap into a snifter. Deep brown in color with a small white cap. Aroma is full of sugary malt and floral hops. In the flavor, deep peaty malt notes and grapefruit rind like hops. Very close to a scotch ale with a sweet and unexpected maltyness. For 100 IBU the bitterness is moderate. Sweet malts battling a good dose of hops kind of overshadows the lofty alcohol. A hybrid style, Scotch IPA is what it had me thinking.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2011 14:20:14 | More by Stinkypuss

magine

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Union Jacks.

Deep amber with a thick creamy white head. Dense and great looking head and nice lace remains. Great looks.

Brew smells of oily pine resin hops, malty biscuit and some sweetness as well. Good nose.

Tastes of oily resin hops, the creamy head gives way for some great smoothness. Huge drying; puckering the tongue drying bitters. Sweet earthy malts and nice balance in the middle. Tremendous bitter brew. Great stuff.

Great brew that would really go well on a cold night.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2011 15:02:48 | More by magine

MONKandTUCK

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A- A nice red hue. Some foam on top, but it gives way too quickly.

A- like punch. Lots of fruit and sweet caramel.

T- Kinda hard to place them, but the hops are apparent. The malt bill is a little more complex than an IPA, but not what I'd call interesting. There's a lot going on here, I just can't place it. The craftsmanship is undeniable, but the inspiration seems lost. The alcohol is warming, but doesn't burn. The finish is dry, but it's still a big beer. Nothing about it stands out as unique or extraordinary. Just what the hell am I supposed to be drinking? I like that the bitterness is smooth, even muted, but I'm desperate to taste something that sets this beer apart.

M- It's heavy. The beer never becomes sappy or even chewy, but there's a hefty grist bill here. Due to lack of direction in the flavor department, this massive beer becomes a chore to drink.

O- Big Red. It's a great selling-point, but I can't think of a reason to finish this, let alone try it again. The beer is enjoyable for a little while, and makes "lesser" beers seem wimpy. Beyond that, this beer just becomes flabby, and an apparent product of indecisiveness.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2011 03:36:36 | More by MONKandTUCK

IronLover

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Amber red in color with an ornage hue and excellent clarity. Poured with a decent beige head that reduced to a wispy cap that left nice sticky lacings on the glass. Aroma consisted of a nice balance of sweet caramel malt and ripe tropical fruit, grapefruit and orange. On the thicker side of medium bodied with a resinous feel from beginning to end and robust carbonation. Grapefruit, and ripe pineapple hop flavors, with hints of floral hop as well and a strong, very sweet caramel malt backbone. Alcoholic heat is well defined from the middle to the end, making this one a sipper. Finishes with a touch of bitterness that lingers briefly along with the heat of the higher abv.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2011 17:41:22 | More by IronLover