During the California Gold Rush the foothills just south of San Jose were mined for their red cinnabar, which contained the quicksilver essential for extracting gold from its encasing rock. The historic town that is home to the oldest and richest mine in the state is called New Almaden and is the inspiration for our Imperial Red Ale. New Almaden Red pours an exquisite cinnabar color. It is brewed with a combination of pale and crystal malts to create a complex malt profile, while copious amounts of hops are added to balance the malt sweetness and create a piney, citrusy aroma and flavor.