The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale

Although I am not a huge fan of red ales, Lagunitas never lets me down so I jumped at the chance to pick up their Imperial Red Ale. The beer poured a deep copper mahogany color with a substantial off white head. The aroma was of a piney and citrusy hop with a bit of toffee malt underneath. The taste followed with an initial sweet malt that quickly jumped into a mega hop dose of slight resinous pine and more citrus and tropical fruit bitterness. It leaves a burnt toffee and hop bitterness on your tongue between pulls and even has hints of floral hops as the flavor lingers. This Imperial Red Ale from Lagunitas has me back on the red ale fence. When done right like this one it is a wonderful hop journey over a bed of malty goodness. Great work once again from Lagunitas, and I will definitely be grabbing whatever comes next.

Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale

 

The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Lucky #13

Lagunitas’s Lucky #13 Mondo Large Red Ale was first brewed for their 13th Anniversary, but they liked it so much, they keep bringing it back.  I have had the Lucky #13.Alt, but never the original.  I am not usually a fan of Imperial Red Ales, but I love all things Lagunitas so I had faith this would be great.  It poured a deep copper amber with a substantial off white head.  There were sweet malts and a strong citrus and fruity hop on the nose.  The initial taste was signature Lagunitas grapefruit and citrus hops and I knew I was going to enjoy this beer.  The flavor had much more depth than the initial hop love.  There were notes of caramel and toasted grain malts underneath the tropical fruit, citrus and apricot hop flavors.  The taste profile was deep and varied and took my palate on a ride with each sip.  The Lucky #13 was a really superb beer and had me re-thinking Imperial Red Ales, although this is the best I have had.

Lagunitas Lucky #13

The Brü Revü – Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Imperial Red Ale

The Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Imperial Red Ale was my third beer from the Beer Camp series to try and given the first two I knew I was in for a great beer. This Red Ale was a dark brown copper color with a generous hop nose that had hints of grapefruit and tropical fruits.  The taste starts with a smooth roasted malt and caramel malt flavor that yields to a bitter almost burnt taste that lingers on the palate.  It starts sweet and ends bitter which was different.  The sweet malts and bitter hops were definitely at play although a bit in competition.  I enjoyed the beer but it was not my favorite of the Beer Camps so far.  We’ll see how the Oatmeal Stout goes, but I have a feeling it may steal the show.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Imperial Red Ale

The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Lucky 13.alt

A simple review would be to say the Lucky 13.alt is another excellent Lagunitas beer with the trademark big hops with a touch of sweetness, but that’s too easy.  The Lagunitas Lucky 13.alt is an alternative take on their Lucky 13 Imperial Red Ale that pours a dark dirty blonde with plenty of hops in the aroma.  The initial taste was like biting into a big juicy grapefruit that kept my mouth watering and wanting more.  There was a light malt on the end that adds a lingering sweetness, but it was the big sweet grapefruit flavors that kept me coming back.  The Lucky 13.alt is a seasonal offering that is only available for a short time and it’s easy for me to end this with “another excellent Lagunitas beer”.

Lagunitas Lucky 13.alt