Mission Carrack Imperial Red Ale

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This is the type of beer that would have blown me away with it's deep maltiness offset by bitter hops about 10-12 years ago. The brewing world has surpassed this, so it's no longer as epic. Not as hoppy as expected, but I dug the malts. Rich toffee and bitter pine, with some spice. Covers the abv pretty well. Slightly nutty on the nose and finish.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

pours a clear deep brown with some luminescent red in the light. A small off white cap lingers nicely. The aroma is hop forward with a light malt presence. Piney and earthy and more so when muddled with some caramel malts in the Carrack. Bit sticky overall. The taste is so so given the initial hop bomb delivery of things and a rather bland malt complexity. Offers a firm hop aroma but it dies there as the bitterness is quite light on the finish. Touch of sweet cherry at times as expected but a rather dry finish follows. A bit one dimensional. The mouth feel is generally a bit thin and offers a moderate sweetness, though still belying a 10% brew, yet a certain stickiness remains on the finish as a window to the true strength of this brew.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

12 oz bottle. Pours hazy reddish amber with a small light tan head that goes to a thin film and leaves a little lacing.

The aroma is sweet nutty malts and some cola with a lot of piney resiny hops.

The flavor is sweet nutty caramel malt with noticeable alcohol and a big resiny piney hop finish (no over the top Summit). The mouthfeel is medium bodied and a little watery.

Overall, a nice big nutty hoppy boozy imperial red.