Here’s another in the long line of “imperial” beers hitting the store shelves these days: Heavy Seas Aarsh Imperial Red Ale. I picked up a few bottles of this malt accented treat last April, shortly after its release in February. The beer is a seasonal selection, part of the Heavy Seas “Mutiny Fleet” line, about which the brewery says:

Launched in 2009, the Mutiny Fleet showcases unusual beer styles in excess of 8% ABV…..Released in very small batches in only 22 oz. bottles and very limited draft.

Curiously, Heavy Seas Aarsh Imperial Red Ale is only 7% alcohol by volume, seemingly understrength for the Mutiny Fleet line. That’s OK by me, though. You can overdo a good thing, and I think it would be difficult to retain any red ale character by boosting a beer like this much higher in body and alcohol content. Here again is Heavy Seas to talk about their beer:

Our version of the Irish red ale, brewed with 3 kinds of grain then pulled through a pot o' gold with 2 kinds of hops.

And here’s what I think:

Heavy Seas Aarsh Imperial Red Ale pours to a (duh) dark red color with a light creamy head formation and a sticky sweet treacle nose. Red ales should be all about the malt; “Imperial Reds” doubly so. This one certainly does not fail to satisfy in that department, as the beer smacks immediately of chewy caramel, candied fruit, a hint of burnt chocolate, suggestions of spicy rye, and maybe a bit of raisin. Some citrusy orange pokes through, too. Black pepper accentuates the moderate but drying hop bitterness in the finish.

This is indeed a very big red ale, but it remains a very drinkable one. It’s much more complex than I had expected it to be, and I highly recommend this malt blast. Quite frequently, hoppy beers get all the glory, and some beer geeks think you can never throw enough hops at a beer. But malt is an equal partner in the business of beer, and it’s nice to see it so prominently featured here.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



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