Strong Rope Brewery Blood of Gods
What the brewers say
Red ale. Malty, deep.
What our panel thought
Subdued aroma of dank, piney hops, caramel, and toasted malt. Flavor is more pronounced, especially the piney-citrus hops. Roast-forward malt character keeps it from straying into the IPA realm, complementing the hops nicely. Moderately strong bitterness, a bit astringent. Pretty classic hoppy red.
What our editors thought
Very subtle nose—wood shavings, light citrus. The sip pushes hefty caramel-malt sweetness, accented by citrus notes, backed by mild bitterness that pulls into focus in the finish. Between the woody notes and slightly ragged bitterness, it may not satisfy drinkers of smoother red ales.