Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale

     Review Date 12/7/2006

If beer is any indication, the United States is following in the footsteps of ancient Rome, on a path from republic to empire. Before long we’ll likely see Bush crowning himself Emperor, and maybe even dissolving the senate after shooting a few lightning bolts out of his hands.

Why do I say this? Well, of late the trend in the beer world seems to be towards producing “imperial” beers. Oh sure, we’ve had Imperial Stout for a long time. But “imperial” IPAs, porters, and the latest from the Lagunitas Brewing Company, Imperial Red Ale?

The trend in the American craft brewing industry has always been towards bigger and bolder stuff, of course. In this case, however, I think we just end up with another IPA, albeit one with a little extra crystal malt to it.

Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale is certainly a big enough beer, with an original gravity of 1.072, 84 IBUs, and an alcohol content by colume of 7.6%. Of course, these stats are all within IPA range, making an “imperial red” not that much different from an IPA. And, I think, a lot of beers with the imperial moniker have this issue: they begin to blur the lines between styles. At any rate, this is still a very good brew.

Lagunitas Imperial Red pours to a, well, red color; dark red actually with an almost chestnut hue about it. A fair sized thick foamy head forms on a moderate to vigorous pour, and the nose directly assaults your olfactory senses with thick, citrusy hops. So much so that you can’t really put the glass down before taking a sip.

When you do, you’ll get a nice taste of malt: chewy, caramelly, stewed malt goodness, and a fair amount of it. It washes over the tongue and coats it with a rich and luxuriant texture. Now that’s living, my friends. But better enjoy that delicious malt while you can, because the hops quickly take over and run the whole show from then on.

The hops build into the finish until they end in a very bitter crescendo that hop heads are sure to enjoy. While there is a bit of an herbal hop aroma present, I’m thinking more early hop additions than late ones, as the intense, grapefruity citric bitterness is the most predominant hop characteristic here.

Overall, this seems suspiciously like an IPA to me, and probabl;y will to you, too. But that’s OK, because this is a really good beer, though certainly not one for the timid of palate. Try it with spicy fare like wings or tacos for a match made in heaven.