Imperial Red Ale (Pilot Series)
Alaskan Brewing Co.

Imperial Red Ale (Pilot Series)Imperial Red Ale (Pilot Series)
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From:
Alaskan Brewing Co.
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
Imperial Red Ale
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.88 | pDev: 9.02%
Reviews:
64
Ratings:
266
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 28, 2017
Added:
Dec 06, 2012
Wants:
  14
Gots:
  50
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by MattyG85:
Photo of MattyG85
Reviewed by MattyG85 from Minnesota

4.21/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep mahogany amber red with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two fingers of off white head that slowly fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a lot of creamy lacing.

Smell: Rich aroma with a good balance of strong malt and hops. Hoppy upfront with earthy hints of grass and pine. Hints of citrus grapefruit, orange peel, pineapple, and lemon. Big sweet malt balance with hints of caramel, toffee, biscuit, yeast, and a mild hint of roast. Some noticeable scents of alcohol. A very solid balanced aroma that is big and sharp.

Taste: Like the aroma hints, a big rich and sharp taste of hops and malt that is balanced. Starts with some sharp hops upfront with notes of earthy grass, spicy pine, and herbal notes. Citrus grapefruit, orange, pineapple, apricot, and lemon. Strong toasty malt balance with notes of sweet caramel, toffee, biscuit, grain, yeast, and toast. Slight undertone of roast. A little alcohol taste is detectable. Very good taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Somewhat chewy. Fairly drying on the finish. Some alcohol heat is felt.

Overall: A very solid red ale. Aggressive but well balanced mix of hops and malt. Even with a few months on it the hops are still lively.
Apr 06, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Dec 28, 2017
 
Rated: 3.72 by TheCrowsEye from California

Dec 27, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by Calraven from Michigan

Oct 23, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

4.16/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Treated as an American Strong ale, this was poured into a snifter.
The appearance was a clean semi-dark amber color with a finger's worth of white foamy head that slid off at a moderate pace. Slight roaming messy lace ran around the glass.
The aroma had a clean sweet caramel/toffee maltiness up front flowing over some herbal to earthy hops. Light grassiness and a gentle brush with dark bread help to round out the entire smell.
The flavor was sweet initially and blended in the earthy components to a super slight spicy fashion. Mild malty aftertaste.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a pretty good sipping quality about it. ABV noted but not distracting. Nice slick component easing up the finer quality of a stiffer mobility of those malts moving along my tongue - yes, it's not cloying, but just slow moving.
Overall, nicely done as an American Strong ale, but I don't see it as an American amber/red ale. I'd still have again.
Jun 30, 2017
 
Rated: 3.65 by Kahlerbock from Kansas

May 23, 2017
Photo of Skrumpy
Reviewed by Skrumpy from Oregon

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Deep red color, foamy, tan head with streak lacing. Aroma is bread malt and spice, honey and oats. A hint of alcohol vapor. The flavor is similar, nutty and earthy notes as well. Very heavy mouthfeel with a big hops bite which is herbal in nature. I wouldn't say this was a smooth beer, but the flavor is not bad.
Mar 19, 2017
 
Rated: 3.73 by beefington from Alaska

Oct 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.92 by Thirstygoat from Illinois

Aug 27, 2016
 
Rated: 3.94 by DMarlinJ from Michigan

Aug 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4.06 by Smythe from Kansas

Aug 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3.43 by Bammer21 from Illinois

May 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.72 by Squire from Mississippi

May 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by red94tt from Michigan

Apr 01, 2016
Photo of greshdoghophead
Reviewed by greshdoghophead from Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Older bottle bomber from summer 2015. Poured very dark into snifter but is red when held to light. Not much foam or lacing. Great unique maltiness, not roasty or amber malt but certainly fitting of an imperial red. Nothing overly notable but yet nothing off putting, solid and chewy with a tiny musty dankness, worthy of praise in a social setting.
Mar 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.53 by zestd from Idaho

Feb 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by robear from Wisconsin

Feb 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4.3 by greggiefresh from Minnesota

Feb 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.3 by bigpoppa67 from Wisconsin

Jan 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.66 by DrAnnaNemis from Illinois

Jan 25, 2016
Imperial Red Ale (Pilot Series) from Alaskan Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 266 ratings