So rich. So good.

Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, CO

There are not enough quality red ales in this world. It’s the same problem I have with trying to find a really high quality scotch ale. So anytime I find either of these beers, they are a must-consume. So naturally, when I found the Gordon Ale on tap at Meridian from the awesome Oskar Blues family of beers, I jumped right in. It was even better to know that the beer wasn’t just a traditional red, but an imperial red as well. Can’t get a whole lot better than that on a rainy Wednesday evening.

After pouring a really thick and rich-looking dark mahogany, the Gordon emanated a fantastic scent of rich and sweet malt with a back-up chorus of cirtusy hops. The taste matched all of this perfectly with a thick and rich malt flavor that mirrored some of the better red ales I can remember, but with an added jolt of booze and a rather hefty dose of hops mixed in. The bitterness was also rather prevalent throughout that really added another dimension to this full-mouthed beer.

Not only a rarity to find in this area, but a really strong and tasteful imperial red, the Gordon is a fantastic beer that starts to connect the dots between some of the lighter beers of the summer and the thicker and denser beers of the fall. If only all reds could mirror this little fantastic brew. That would make the fall very tolerable.