Highland Imperial Gaelic

Formerly brewed at Highland Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Asheville, North Carolina USA

Poured a hazy brownish-orange color with a small off-white head. Caramel malty aroma with notes of alcohol and some hops. This was followed up by toasted bread and then earthy and sweaty notes. Malty flavros start this off and some hops come out on the finish.

I too waited in the rain for my six jugs o’ imperial gaelic ale. This has actually been the first beer I’ve rated in a good long while. The only new stuff I was drinking this summer and fall was a bunch of Eastern European/ Russian lagers which were available all of the sudden at this slavic market in town. Nothing really impressive with those. This beer that I’m drinking now, however, is another story. This beer is a treat. Yes, I stood out in the rain for mine too (woot!) And it was well worth it. What a treat. And brewed locally. I would say, this brew holds its own with any of the rogues. Pours a deep ruddy amber color. With a fluffy tan head which left ok lacing behind. Burnt prune alcohol aroma. Strong, sticky palate fades to a substantial hop kick. Nice. This beer treads a fine line between strong ale and barleywine. If lacking in any way, it’s malt character. I could have used some more there. Otherwise a fantastic beer, Points for being the best NC brew I’ve had in a while. Asheville must be so proud of you, Imperial Gaelic!

Giant liter jug: Pours really deep ruby with a tall, thick white head that soon forms mountainous terrain and never really disappears. The aroma is peppery and piny with toffee and biscuits. I picked up a bit more spicy hops in the aroma this time around. Dense peat and toffee coat the palate with many semi sweet cigar-like qualities. Less of the hops are noticed in the mouth, but they’re there to add light touches of pleasing acidity. The brew has much less noticeable alcohol after a couple of months and it seems a tad more dense as well. The burn is very appropriate and basically just an afterthought. The finish is moderately dry with a good array of spiced notes like cinnamon, cacao and tobacco. This is a nice drink.

I guess after reading previous reviews of this, I was expecting a really hot, alcoholic brew, and that probably played into lowering my expectations. But this was pretty tasty - very tasty, in fact. Cloudy brown, with a nice white head. Really nice aroma of walnuts, vanilla, toffee. First sip is earthy and nutty, with hints of vanilla and a touch of oak. Slight winey character, too, but definately in the background. There is some alcohol heat, too, but it never overwhelms, even as the glass rises to room temperature. Is it worth the hype the brewery put into this? Maybe not, but I do think this would be a great fall seasonal.

Liter bottle. Pours dark mahogany/burnt orange with a bubbly beige head. Aroma is hoppy, with notes of sweet malts and caramel. Flavor has a nice citrus/piney hop character similiar to a good IPA, and a sweet maltiness and alcohol finish like a barleywine. Thoroughly enjoyable.

While i can taste the alcohol in this brew, I don’t feel it is as obvious in the finish as others migjht think. thehead disssipates quickly leaving only the soapy finishing leftovers behind but that’s okay. Slightly sweet. Almost feels like a tascall mixed with a gaelic with an extra kick.

Pours a murky mahogany auburn color with a surprisingly fluffy tan head that exhibited plenty of yellowish tinges. As it reduced, sticky soapy lace clung to the glass. Little to no rising bubbles are seen. Aromas have a heavy American barleywine feel. Sticky and sugary and syrupy. Dark red cherries drizzled with pine sap. Subtle booziness. Thick chewy caramel maltiness with tacky and sticky pine resins clinging to the teeth. Cherries and oranges. Lip-smacking sugariness. Both citrus and green earthy hops aggressively angle their way to the forefront. Again, more American barleywine characteristics. A sturdy thickness. Alcohol is easily observed; there is a definite warmth here. 8.7% must be a misprint. Aftertaste of leafy hops. Burps offer up the best of the hoppy barleywine. This one is a sipper, but ironically two UK pints quickly drain this liter bottle during an afternoon of football (U.S. style) on the telly.

Pours out a deep orange brown color with a small thin head. Aroma is sweet and slightly hoppy. The flavor was very malty and had a strong alochol finsh to it. I liked it, but i was hoping for a bit more than this. I guess i had more expectations than i should have had.