Red Skull
Revolution Brewing

Red SkullRed Skull
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Revolution Brewing
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Imperial Red Ale
Ranked #11
ABV:
8.8%
Score:
91
Ranked #7,629
Avg:
4.07 | pDev: 9.34%
Reviews:
34
Ratings:
249
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 25, 2022
Added:
Dec 10, 2011
Wants:
  21
Gots:
  26
Our Imperial Red Ale is brewed with whole Cascade hops and dry-hopped in both the fermenter and the serving tank with whole Crystal hops. A flavorful, hoppy delight balanced with caramel sweetness and alcohol warmth.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of russpowell
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas

4.21/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours an effervescent & slightly hazed Auburn with one finger of tight sandy colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Bready, piney, toasty

T: Follows the nose, dry, cakey up front, some herbal hops as well. Plenty of pineyness, a little caramel & dryness, plus toastyness as this beer warms up. Finishes dry, piney, with a little caramel & grapefruit

MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, good balance

Potent Red Ale. but plenty easy to drink
Nov 25, 2022
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Had on draft 11/17/22 @ Revolution's Taproom.

Semi-opaque red appearance.

Small white head; strong, frothy tree-rung lace.

Grapefruit, lemon peel & cane sugar notes in the nose.

Sticky medium mouthfeel.

Grapefruit & orange peel flavors up front; mild cane sugar & faint baking soda notes on the finish.

It's big & bold, but not quite harmonious. Worth a quaff, though.
Nov 19, 2022
 
Rated: 3.89 by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

Nov 02, 2022
Photo of ovaltine
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana

4.42/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a clear amber color with red highlights on the edges and a sudsy light tan head that acts like a jealous boyfriend (very clingy). It actually looks like fall in my glass. Just a beautiful beer, IMHO.

The nose has spicy floral and citrus hop notes (thank you Cascade hops, AKA “the SNPA hop”) and a bit of pine and a nice, rich caramalt aroma. That fall theme continues its march with this beer.

The taste is very complex, with ripe cherry, resiny pine, and grapefruit flavors up front, a nice dollop of spicy pepper mid-palate, and the aforementioned caramalt flavor at the back of the palate for a nicely bitter (60 IBU’s) imperial red ale that is balanced and warms you more than a bit with its 9.3% ABV heft.

The mouthfeel is full and drying, reeling you in for another pull whilst you’re still working through your current indulgence. The beer nerd world needs more imperial red ales, and Rev delivered a magnificent here, IMHO.
Oct 24, 2022
Photo of Luscious_Malfoy
Reviewed by Luscious_Malfoy from Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
poured from a 16oz can into a FFF DLD nonic pint glass. pours a murky dark amber with two fingers of dirty white foam. floral, piney hops on the nose. very reminiscent of a west coast DIPA, although perhaps a bit subdued. taste is an incredible balance of piney hops, caramel / toffee maltiness and even some rye-like spice. as it warms up, it takes on some apple and grape notes with even a touch of cinnamon. full mouthfeel that finishes with a hoppy, dry finish. this is excellent. complex and full of layers, especially at room temp. does not drink like a 9% ale.
Oct 23, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by MeIquiades from Illinois

Oct 18, 2022
Photo of ZebulonXZogg
Reviewed by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

4.02/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Big frothy off white head covers this copper colored Ale, great lacing. pine and citrus are balanced by the malty backbone. Another better than average product from Revolution, they rarely screw things up.
Oct 14, 2022
 
Rated: 4.26 by bschmidt_37 from Illinois

Oct 01, 2022
 
Rated: 4.25 by drstalker from Illinois

Dec 01, 2021
 
Rated: 4.17 by darktronica from Indiana

Dec 20, 2020
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Revolution continues to capture my heart, this imperial red is right there with nugget nectar, and this coming from a guy who used to live less than an hour from troegs and would load up on NN back in the day. Clear amber with an off-white finger of foam, tons of thick lacing as you venture down the glass, forum worthy. You will know it is cascade hops from the nose right away, resinous and floral with a touch of dankness, with supporting rye bread, dried berries, passion fruit, herbs, toffee and lime zest. Potent and complex. Taste is much the same, but sweeter, loses some of the fruit complexity but the toasty rye bread and the beautiful hops shine. Feel doesn't get near cloying, but the resin is quite potent on the finish. It has a huge complexion for the style, and I know the resin and hops will turn some off, but I found this to be drinkable, complex, and a fantastic experience. So happy to have a four pack of this one
Dec 17, 2020
 
Rated: 4.23 by KingBiscuit from Illinois

Dec 25, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by jschott75 from Illinois

Dec 02, 2018
Photo of ChicagoJ
Reviewed by ChicagoJ from Illinois

3.29/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
10/9/18 (Chicago): $7.74 12 oz 9.3% ABV draft pour into a tulip glass at the Revolution Brewpub on Milwaukee. Dark red pour, light off-white lacing. Faint sweet citrus aroma. Light citrus hop taste, abv well masked, nice balance. Thin crisp mouth feel. Overall good offering.
Nov 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Oct 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.68 by Egotist from Illinois

May 09, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by SoCal_Matt from California

Sep 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Bammer21 from Illinois

Aug 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4.15 by slavall from Wisconsin

Apr 25, 2016
 
Rated: 4.35 by TripelMark from North Carolina

Mar 29, 2016
Red Skull from Revolution Brewing
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 249 ratings