First sip is a complex one. It starts off kind of watery, but it blossoms right in the middle with a kind of smokey caramel with the sweetness of the hops really taking hold. Then, very quickly, the sweetness is shoved right out of the mouth with the bitterness of the hops. There are a lot more hops in here than I would typically expect to find in a red or amber ale.
A bigger swig finds a more complex beverage then before. Right in the middle, there is a bitter, hoppy taste that is well balanced and quite entertaining. the tip-in is now lemon with caramel in its smokiness. Then, a sourness - not bitterness - takes hold for the finish. It's unexpected and unwelcome. What follows is hard to describe - it gets a bit stodgy and stiff with a kind of nutty taste, and that blends obscenely with the sourness in an equally unwelcome way.
All told, it's a good effort from someone who clearly knew what they were doing. I think they just got bored with beer the way it was, and they decided to branch out. I can respect that, but this isn't their best effort.
2/5