Samuel Adams Tasman Red

Samuel Adams Tasman Red - Red IPA (2011)

1'st Batch Special Edition - Rotating (depending on sales) (Limited Release)

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 6.75% ABV

About: "Hops: Topaz, Galaxy (Imported from Tasmania) / Malts: Two-Row Harrington, Metcalfe, Copeland Pale, Special B, Caramel 60, Roasted Dehusked. This wily red IPA gets its character from the Tasmanian hops that are full of grapefruit, pine and earthy notes creating a bold flavor that threads throughout the taste. The hops are balanced by a core of roasted malts that give this brew body and richness with hints of toffee."

Thoughts: Poured a dark amber out of the bottle that developed into a deep red inside the glass. The foamy head is very frothy looking and going nowhere fast.

First scent is hops, obviously... little bit flowery. This smells really, really, like utterly sweet though. Very nice.

Through there's a distinct hop flavor throughout the entire flavor of the brew, malts come flowing in like sets of waves hitting the shore. These hops from Tasmania must be pretty damn strong that they'd have to use so many different malts to offset it, and even then the hops are the main thing going here. The malts are doing a nice job of balancing things out here, with a bit of a roasted nut flavor and those Cella's goo-filled chocolate covered cherries, only with less emphasis on the chocolate.  

Bitter citrus on the back of the tongue. There's a bit of a peppery spice, though very mild.

The super malty backbone they've got here really tries to hold back what most surely would be a huge snap of these hops, so I'd say that's fairly well done. It sure does feel malty, but those hops just cannot be denied here! This is a really good, and very hoppy beer. And these hops taste awesome.