The Imperial Texan - Martin House Brewing

This is my first taste of Martin House Brewing, and let me tell you, this one is mad!

Actually, I think this beer falls into the category of a double hoppy red ale according to the Brewer’s Association, but for our purposes we’re going to review it alongside the rest of the Imperial/Double IPAs this month.

This one comes fully loaded at 9.0% ABV and 100 IBU, making it more of a Double IPA in that respect than a double hoppy red ale. According to untappd.com, it is made from Munich and crystal malts and American hops.

On first pour, it formed a nice head in the top quarter of the glass above a beautiful orange-red (likely from the Munich Malt) with a slight haze. The aromatics were nice and surprisingly subtle with some bright floral flavors, likely from late-addition Cascade hops.

The first sip was a little difficult to wrap my head around. I don’t gravitate toward Red ales, but this beer had a really intense bitterness followed by a roasted red ale finish. I could definitely taste the American hops (Maybe Cascade, Simcoe, Chinook?) with definite pine and grapefruit flavors, a little earthy spice, and the noticeable alcohol content associated with the Double IPA. (Check the link below to see what other characteristics make up an Imperial/Double IPA!)

This was an interesting one. It had a fairly gentle aroma, followed by intense bitterness, and finished with the mouthfeel of a red ale. I really enjoyed this one. It is dense, strong, gritty, and fitting of the Imperial Texan name.

Cheers!

Mr. Brew

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