Red Rocket Ale
Poured into a pint glass from a 22oz bomber. No freshness date. Appearance: A thick, delectable red/amber color in the glass. Due to bottle conditioning, it contains a murky and dark look. It maintains a strong head, but there is no carbonation visible. Smell: A very funky, earthy smell resembling berries, caramel. There's also an overpowering malty smell in this beer as well, often resembling bread. Taste: More bitter than expected, yet amazingly flavorful! It tastes about as fruity and bitter as it smells. Yet, the most prominent fruity flavor throughout consumption is that of black cherries. The malts taste lightly roasted, and the hops provide a tingling, spicy sensation to its flavor. Mouthfeel: While it's the alcohol that really bites back here, the malts provide a thick, chewy experience on the palate. There's a lot going on here. The hops leave a dry sensation on the palate, and the yeast somehow counteracts that with a sweetened, refreshing sensation. Overall: Wow! THIS is an amber ale?! According to the Bros, it's hybrid of sorts - although I'm somehow thinking of Flanders reds, and not Scottish reds - and I couldn't agree more. The bottle conditioning really allows this thing to be a flavorful experience like no other. Bear Republic once again shows the beauty and future of American craft brewing in this rather intense beer of their's. Due to its heaviness, it's not something I could sit and have any day, but it's quite recommended!