Tasman Red IPA - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

"Bold, lively and a bit rugged. This wily red IPA gets its character from the Tasmanian hops that are full of grapefruit, pine, and earthy notes, creating a bold flavor that threads throughout the taste. The hips are balanced by a core of roasty malts that give this brew body and richness with hints of toffee. This flavorful brew is rounded and smooth with a dry and citrusy hop finish." Brewed in the style of an American IPA. Available as 12 oz. bottles in the Hopology 12 pack variety by Samuel Adams. Having previously tried this beer, I let this bottle age for a few months to see how the flavors develop.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a tulip. Served above 48º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Head quality is a creamy eggshell white with good retention power and thin, caked lacing. Body color is deep copper red, almost red-brown with mild haziness and sediment. Overall it's an impressive pour. 4.25

(Smell) A malt-led IPA by aroma, there's a fruity grape must aroma, husky caramel malt grains, boozy molasses and a spicy, herbal hop blend, mildly citric. There's a significant balance between malt and hop character in this beer, with malt aroma leading the way and resiny bitterness also in tow. Aroma is a bit sharp in places but also unique in its own merit. 3.5

(Taste) Complex grain alcohol roasted caramel, and a trailing spicy herbal bitterness. Hop presence is also a minimum, although some spicy hop aroma comes through in the finish. There's some medium yeast characters and fruity esters to be found, but it is largely muddied by the grain. Probably more along the line of a barley wine in terms of intensity and drinkability, but enjoyable enough. 3.25

(Mouthfeel) Slick smoothness without much carbonation, which compliments the flavors well. Heavy body for an IPA, Medium/heavy body overall. Medium alcohol presence, accented by the herbal bitterness and hop character. The carbonation presence was enjoyable for this style. 3.75

(Overall) I did not enjoy this beer first time through but with repeat takes and some age the off flavors mellowed a bit and allowed for a bit of balance to be achieved. The herbal hop character is less common amongst the style but a pleasant change for the style and the husky grainy malt character is a good complimentary character. It may not be for everybody but it is a decent take on the style. I wouldn't get it again but I don't regret trying it a couple of times to see if it's for me. 3.5

Boston Beer Company's
Samuel Adams Tasman Red Red IPA
3.45/5.00

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2013 17:02:53 | More by Jadjunk

Reaper16

Alabama

3.18/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

served on-tap @ The Alcove, Tuscaloosa, AL into a tasting glass

Pours a dark red color, like someone splashed some cranberry juice into an Amber Ale. It's body is pretty clear, like most all Sam Adams beers are. Over 1.25 fingers of farm egg colored head.

There's some juicy grapefruit hops here. Not a complex hop aroma, but a reasonably effective one. The amber malts provide a strong (and spicy) backbone. It's a very average, by-the-book IPA aroma.

The taste is similarly by-the-book, but quite solid. The hops taste like pretty generic hops. Yeah yeah, I know, Tasmanian-grown hops. But they just taste like Cascades to me. The malt has some cinnamon character to it, a touch of potpourri. Tasty stuff, but nothing that is particularly impressive at this stage in the craft beer game.

I was pleasantly surprised by Tasman Red. Of all the limited SA beers I drank tonight, this was the one I was least excited about trying. And it ended up being the most solid beer of the whole bunch. It's trying to be the same kind of beer that Green Flash Hop Head Red is, only Sam Adams has made that beer better.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2012 05:10:17 | More by Reaper16

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Sawmill Tap Room 4/28/12

A - dark amber; quarter of an inch of soft white head; good retention

S - piny, spicy, floral hop aroma

T - faint caramel malt, spicy, bitter, faint citrus, very floral

M - medium bodied, smooth, good carbonation

This is a decent beer though the malt character is a bit lacking for this style. The hop character is rather solid and definitely fits to the IPA tag that SA put on it. It's worth a try in any case.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2012 03:40:19 | More by tdm168

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear but dark rust copper color, thin cap of khaki froth, moderate sticky lacing. Scent brings light caramel and earthy and grassy hop balance, some light toasted malt with kisses of citrus and pine. Taste of slightly aggressive citrus, pine and earthy hops balance with lightly sweet caramel malts, faint toasted grain. Medium bodied, lightly oily and coating. Quite a nice IPA from Sam Adams who have been doing a good job with hoppy beers lately.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2012 15:02:58 | More by rfgetz

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.18/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a nice deep red color with a small slightly off white head. The head faded quick leaving a nice level of lacing.

Smell – The smell is quite sweet up front. There are great aromas of cherry, caramel and a nice roasted –bready malt base. A nice citrus aroma is very pertinent as well; citrus in nature and a bit more citrus candy sweet in smell.

Taste – In the front of the taste there is a nice roasty and bready malt base with a good caramel sweetness. More towards the middle a nice hoppy flavor really works its way into the mouth. Citrus and a bit of pine really begin the hop flavor. More toward the end however the hop turns to more and more bitter grapefruit citrus in nature and leaves a very strong grapefruit bitterness in the mouth.

Mouthfeel – A little more creamy and thick then the normal brew with a average level of carbonation. It very nice for the style; the carbonation complements the nice grapefruit hop and the thicker body the nice bready-caramel flavors.

Overall – This is a very tasty brew. Nice malty hop flavor with a great aroma and mouthfeel. One to try and have many a times.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2012 00:51:35 | More by Darkmagus82

nrs207

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap served in a pint glass.

A - Dark amber color with a finger to 1.5 of fluffy off white head. Clear and leaves a decent lacing down the glass.

S - Smells somewhat citrusy, but also some earthy/floral hops. Get a little sweet maltiness in there. Above average, but not fantastic.

T - Get some definite classic malt for the style. More prominent, however, are some citrus and earthy hops, and a little spiciness. The reason I gave it a 2.5 is because of the horrible aftertaste. Tastes incredibly metallic, and with the color I couldn't help thinking of blood. Horrible thought when you're drinking a beer.

M - Good level of carbonation. Goes down smooth, but the horrible aftertaste kills the drinkability for me.

O - It's a good beer that goes horribly wrong a few seconds after you take a drink. I have no idea if something was wrong with the keg or the tap lines, but I had 2 other beers that tasted fine to me. I hope this wasn't how it always is, but the reviewer right below me seems to have had the same problem. Won't be drinking this again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2012 01:42:17 | More by nrs207

DocJitsu

California

3.95/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown-red with a creamy root beer head. Excellent head retention. Just a nice looking beer in my standard pint glass. Delightful grapefruit and butterscotch (not diacetyl) nose. Grapefruit and caramel malt flavors. A surprisingly interesting and complex beer. This is one of the two above average beers from Boston Brewing I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2012 17:38:59 | More by DocJitsu

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on 2012-03-02 in Columbia, PA at Bully's.

A - Dark, clear ruby-mahogany with a short, tan head and excellent lacing.

S - Light roasted malt and spice. Not very aromatic.

T - Different. Straw, toffee, medium roasted grain with a bit of wheat, touch of pine and citrus. A decent hop bite. Finish has a sour and spicy rye flavor and moderate lingering bitterness.

M - Medium body and carbonation. Substantial yet crisp.

O - Nothing wrong with this but nothing extraordinary. Definitely wasn't worth the $6.00 for a 12 oz pour.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2012 11:43:48 | More by Tucquan

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11 ounce pour - Taco Mac in Canton, Georgia.

Appearance: Served up a clear, very dark amber-hued body with an inch of lightly yellowed foam. Lasting layers of lace tracking my progress.

Smell: Toasted bread toasted enough to yield burnt edges, milk caramel (like a Sugar Daddy), citric, pithy citrus fruits, and a light but interminable element of spice.

Taste: A big start of malty breadiness with some darkened toast and plenty of chewy caramel candies. Fast florals, lemon, and a layer of heavy grapefruit with a persistent spiciness running its course. Moderate bitterness. Drying, pithy finish with some enduring bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Maybe a little chewiness present.

Overall: I was pleasantly surprised by this one. BBC did a good job with this release.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2012 15:23:31 | More by ChainGangGuy

312HopBomb

Illinois

3.76/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours brown but clear ruby red when held to the backlight. Medium tan head with good lacing.

Smells of caramel malt and earthy hops. Maybe a slight twinge of American or Australian hops?

Taste is the same with roasted caramel malt and burnt toast. Earthy hop with a very slight note of fruity hop. Light/moderate bitterness and some sweetness and moderate/full malt flavor.

Mouthfeel is medium/full with moderate carbonation.

Overall a decent red for the price but not one of my favorites. More of an Imperial red leaning toward the malty side.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 20:35:02 | More by 312HopBomb

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

A- pours a dark ruby-red color with a huge creamy head with long retention and patches of lace sticking down the entire glass

S- sweet caramel-toffe malt, dark fruit and figs, grapefruit zest & citrus hop

T- much more malty profile than expected, but its very good. Strong flavors or caramel-toffee, dark fig & prune. Citrus and pine hop flavors provide a nice balance, but the malt takes center stage on this one. The finish is slightly sweet with a dark fruit and resinous pine linger

M- medium body and carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and a smooth finish with just a bit of alcohol bite at the end

O- this one had a few months on it so I don't know if that influenced the malty sweetness or not, regardless I really liked it. This drinks more like an imperial amber/red but one of my recent favorites from SA.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 20:01:23 | More by Treyliff

teromous

Virginia

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Dark mahogany color of brown, with a hint of midnight red. Fluffy thick tan head with lots of lacing. Although it's hard to see through the dark body, it is easy to tell that it is clear as a bell.

S: Strong hop aroma right off the bat. There's a grapefruit scent and a little lemon zest. Not much else, but it smells good.

T: I'm hit with a malty flavor at first. Some caramel, a little charcoal, some roasted nut. The aftertaste is a pine resin with a little bit of mineral taste.

M: It's very smooth...smoother than most other AIPA's I've had. There's still the roughness that you get from highly hopped IPA style beers, but it is very dextrinous and feels very malty.

O: I liked this beer. It was easy to drink, and tasted good. It was a bit too roasty for my personal taste, but that did not stop it from being an enjoyable beer. I would drink this over many of the other "standard" IPA/AIPA/IIPA offerings.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 19:20:39 | More by teromous

Durtdiggler

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a big head into a snifter glass. Dark red with a obsidian background. Nice huge head, lacing and great retention. Alot of clarity.

Aroma is crystal malt pronounced, slightly sweet and toasty with some pine and slight citrus hop character. Not a lot of floral style hops. Wish I had more hop in the aroma.

Taste showcases the malt but has good hop character. It has a big malt backbone to back up a nice earthy hop bite with some sweetness to round out. Resiney pine flavor like simcoe. Almost reminds me of sierra christmas celebration.

Mouthfeel is medium easy drinking.

This beer feels like a typical west coast IPA but with some darker crystal style specialty malts. I think the malt mutes the hop character a bit. Gives it a very unique eclipsed sun kind of color. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 00:40:54 | More by Durtdiggler

BigBarley

Texas

3.74/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clear ruby with an off-white/ khaki head.

Aroma is that of tropical fruit (mango, pineapple mostly) with some sweet, biscuit malt backing it up.

Flavorwise there's a little tropical sweetness followed by a blend of dank bitterness and that same malt holding down the balance. Very sweet but still with a strange butter flavor that wraps around that dank hoppy goodness and accents it well.

Medium body with decent carbonation, kinda sticky in the mouth, lingering flavors. I enjoy this beer quite a bit, but have had a Red IPA or 2 that outdoes it. Unique but not mindblowing.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 15:33:19 | More by BigBarley

argock

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 22 oz brown bomber into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass. No decipherable bottling date. Purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA) for $6.99.

A: Very clear dusky dark amber with a lot of redness. The head is 2-fingers and light beige with decent retention and a good crusting of lacing.

S: Light on the hops for a "red IPA" with most caramel and toasty maltiness coming through, kissed by grapefruit and floral hops.

T: Despite the name, this really fits the bill as an imperial amber ale, as it has all the signature qualities, but is just bigger. In this way, it is an excellent beer, but it seems accidental given the labeling. The maltiness is the clear flag-bearer with toffee, caramel, toasted malt with light graininess carrying this very easy-drinking beer. The hoppiness that is given all the print falls way short with only some minor grapefruit, floral, honeysuckle, and pine notes. THey do provide a great counterpoint to the wallop of maltiness which is exceptionally smooth and delicious.

M: Creamy and drinkable with relatively low carbonation and medium body with a pretty dry finish.

O: Ignoring the naming the SA puts on it, this is pretty damn good beer. Consider it a true imperial amber ale, probably one of the truest to fit that moniker that I have tasted. Delicious without being decadent and overly sweet, a really good big beer that needs renaming to really express what you are going to be tasting.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 04:17:55 | More by argock

secondtooth

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a beautiful ruby-amber with a thick foam of tan bubbles. Gorgeous lace, so an A+ on presentation.

Nose is hoppy but earthy, too. I get some orange tones. Superlative.

Flavor is nicely hopped, but well-balanced by a fair malt profile. A little tart, a little sweet, and a strong earthy character. I'm reminded of dirt, leaves, and the like. And that's not a bad thing at all. Very delicious and I'd definitely buy a 6 pack of these if made available more widely!

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 12:59:38 | More by secondtooth

FlatRabbitRed

Arizona

3.91/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Lets go with bronze on this one, not copper...even though the bottle says "red". This one made me do a double take, because it was called a red ....it's just a different one for sure.

The main up front character is the roasted malt, followed by the high hop addition, not very sweet, no caramel, biscuit vanilla undertones.

The usual high standard beer you would expect from Sam Adams.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 16:07:04 | More by FlatRabbitRed

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.16/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: reddish brown with and tannish head. a finger or so that leaves a lacing. in the middle of opaque and clear.

Smell: Wonderful smell. strong caramel malts and some citrusy hops. very well balanced and pleasant

Taste: toasty malts, caramel sweetness, citrusy hops and piney hops. good but it needs more hops. they come in nicely in the smell but the malts beat them out in the taste.

Mouthfeel: fairly creamy, some bitterness afterwards

Overall: This is a pretty great beer. if your in the mood for a slightly hoppy red this one is a winner. nice strong malts with some but not overpowering hops

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 21:08:51 | More by SportsandJorts

BeerEngineer

California

3.51/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

General - This beer was from a bottle that poured this into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass. This came in a variety pack called the "Hopology" from Sam Adams.

Appearance - BJCP color around 43 to 45 with a red hue to it. Head was an off-white and faded very quickly. The legs were OK, they held up for the majority of the beer. Really nice color of this beer, a real dark brown nearer to black than brown with a gorgeous red tint.

Smell - There is a slight citrus hint to this beer with a strong malted backbone. A touch of a toffee like smell also, not sweet but almost like it was burned slightly. Decent odor but it's not very strong, to get it a good scent of it I had to hold my hand over the pint for a few seconds while warming the beer with my other hand.

Taste - A pronounced citrus flavor that I would expect from an IPA with a nice strong punch of malts from a Red Ale. A unique combination of the flavors actually. There is a slight bitterness at the back of the tongue. The flavors are there, they are pretty good but they just aren't as pronounced as I would like. Just like with the other beers from this pack it seems like it is a watered down beer. There isn't the flavor that I would expect from a quality brewer. Just a little disappointing.

Mouthfeel - Moderate mouthfeel, I would say it would be thin for a red and a touch thick for a traditional IPA. Pretty refreshing with a bright, moderately carbonated feeling to it.

Overall - Well it's something different. I'm disappointed with this but because I may be expecting something it's not. I really wanted a bold red malt flavor with the citrus hit of an IPA. This just isn't it. It's a bland red ale with an OK IPA, just not something that I'll go for all that often.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 01:48:28 | More by BeerEngineer

Nugganooch

California

3.49/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle as part of the IPA Hopology pack
*Notes from 04/02/13 - FW Snifter glass

A: Dark auburn color with a nice ruby glow when held to the light. Superb clarity on this one with a half finger of dark khaki froth. Resilient head and a nice staining of cling that leaves squiggles down the glass. I will say one thing, BBC does make a near perfect looking brew.

S: Smells of toasted caramel malt sweetness with a bit of raisin and spiced bread. There is a soft breeze of tropical fruity hops there and some nice earthy notes with just a hint of chocolate. Not bad but steers more towards a very traditional red ale with the maltiness rather than a hoppy amber per se.

T: Deep roast caramel malt and toffee flavors lead with a bit of raisin, bread, and peppery spice in tow. There is a nice hoppy presence of grapefruit, pine, and some passionfruit even but not incredibly citrusy as the label leads on. Moderate to low amount of actual bitterness and a dash of alcohol kicking in at the finish. Not bad but again the approach is more true to a classic red with malts playing the lead role.

M: Moderate body with a mild filling of malty chew on it and a smooth creamy texture overall. There is a nice consistent carbonation aiding to a bit of drying crisp midway. Finishes a little wet with some residual sugars and hop oils.

D: A decent American red and I do like the idea of utilizing some Southern Hemisphere hop varieties but in the end I think the big malt toffee sweets mask a lot of those hoppy flavors. Would have liked something with much more citrus punch. Would have again but probably not going to be seeking this one out anytime soon with much better options available to me.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 23:14:30 | More by Nugganooch

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.43/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Samuel Adams Tasman Red has a thick, soapy, cream-colored head and a hazy, reddish-brown appearance. with some fairly thick lacing rings left behind. The aroma is of brown bread crust and subdued sweetness. The flavor is the same, with straightforward bitterness present underneath. The mouthfeel is medium to heavy and a bit dirty (in an ale sense), and Samuel Adams Tasman Red IPA finishes dry, bitter, sweet, and pretty well drinkable. Overall, this is a really nice one, and is most certainly worth checking out.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 17:23:07 | More by RonaldTheriot

DMXLOX22

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked up a single of this brew at a quick grocery store stop. Let's see how it ranks up, shall we? The label looks intricate.

Appearance: Pours a deep, dark robust amber brown. Leaves behind a enticing, frothy, white foam head that leaves a vigorous lacing that really draws you in for more. Really impressed for an American IPA.

Smell: Toasted malts and thick caramel really come to mind at first scent. Upon further inspection, I also detected a great hint of dark chocolate and possible molasses. However, a somewhat heavy aroma of alcohol was apparent. Not so bad, the rich aroma of toasted malts and the undertone of dark chocolate redeemed this beers potential, and it's definitely worth it.

Taste: First thing that I noticed was a nice texture of toffee flavor. Somewhat strong flavors of caramel and dark chocolate are visible along with maybe a slight hint of citrus and a minty, pine flavor. Not so bad at first and it actually brings the strong, dark flavor along with the somewhat sweet, citrus-y flavor in and actually sort of well balanced in the end. I enjoyed the mixture of both.

Mouthfeel: medium carbonation along with a nice medium body. Finishes slightly dry.

Overall: At first sip, this beer brought something special to the plate. It was a nice mixture of a tasty session beer along with a refreshing taste. The dark, roasted malts along with the somewhat pine-like and slight fruity citrus provided something that was passable as well-balanced enough to be a contender for a memorable American styled IPA. This beer is definitely worth trying again and I would recommend to a friend for something a little different outside the normal range of American styled IPA's. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:42:36 | More by DMXLOX22

bmwats

Louisiana

3.93/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle, into a hand glass.

A: Dark amber hue. Pours about a 2 finger, foamy, brown-white head. Settles very slowly. Settles to a thick foamy blanket with some persistent residue around the glass. Lots of thick, dry, beer ring lacing.

S: Rye bread, with a little molasses and dark chocolate.

T: Pungent malty base with a little licorice, chicory, a little coffee, pecan, and slight hints of dark chocolate.

M: Hearty, full body. Lightly pungent finish.

D: Sip and enjoy.

Atmosphere is really solid. Dark hue, thick foamy persistent head, and plenty of dry beer ring lacing. Nose is pungent bready tone with some sweet components. Pretty complex, but well-balance flavor profile including a hearty starchy base, with bitter, sweet, and nutty components. Overall, this is a really good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 04:49:10 | More by bmwats

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

best beer ive had from sam in a long time. this one pours a rich coppery red color, dense and sturdy looking, with a darker than khaki head with phenomenal retention, a real looker here. the nose is bright citrusy hops, minerals, and red malt that isn't sweet at all. smells more like an ipa than a red, if such a distinction can be made in a red ipa. the hops aren't nearly as central in the flavor, not to say that it isn't hopped well, but some of the sexy citrus notes fade back into balance with the rugged red malt. its a real old world feeling beer, something unique and intriguing, historical in some way, special. its bitter in the end, and the red malt sans sugar is a nice change of pace from the syrupy reds these days. rather dry finish caught me off guard. fantastic mouthfeel with really dancing carbonation and a fuller body. this is a mans mans ipa in my book, its really hearty and yet also very drinkable, its not boring or generic at all, and it gives me a real sense of satisfaction consuming it. my only regret was that I had ot share my bottle around a little bit and I didn't get to drink the whole bomber. I will absolutely buy this again, I wish sam would 6pack stuff like this, its really good.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 16:59:10 | More by StonedTrippin

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Clear red with a fluffy beige cap (1"). Good head retention with sticky, streaky lacing. Malty aroma, a bit bready and biscuity, with muted, grassy hop character. More malt in the flavour, moderate bitterness, mild citrus and pine with some earthy caramel sweetness. Medium body with smooth carbonation, decent texture. Not an assertive IPA, but drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 00:46:03 | More by DrJay