Imperial Red Ale, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Petaluma, CA

Another solid product from the most talented brewers in Petaluma, CA! Imperial Red Ale is one of Lagunitas Brewing Company's seasonal releases for 2009. This is a fantastic beer. Originally, I purchased a six pack, planning to save one to review for the site. Well, that first six pack was gone before I knew it, and the one from this review is the tail end of the second six pack. Like I said, fantastic beer...

The color on this one is red-ish brown, with a short cream-colored head. There is a prominent aroma, mostly suggesting hops, but also some toasted malt scent. I'm getting a bit of ripe cherry aroma too.

But it is the taste of this beer that makes it a winner. With a solid 7.8% ABV, you'd expect some kind of alcohol presence or "heat", but that isn't present with this beer. The strong hop aroma doesn't directly translate to the taste, as the malt flavors win out, with a bit of that fruity taste (in a good way). The hops are there in the aftertaste, balancing everything out. Delicious!

Rating = 4.5

Superlative! Track some down while it's available!