Bridgeport Kingpin Double Red Ale

I'm up in Portland, one of the beer capitals of the Pacific Northwest, picking up some more exotic brews to fill the pantry for future tastings, and am starting off the experience with a new brew from Bridgeport Brewing, the self-proclaimed and to my knowledge uncontested "oldest micro-brewery in Oregon"... Bridgeport Kingpin Double Red Ale.

Bridgeport Kingpin Double Red Ale was a orange-red color, heavy with carbonation and topped by a small but fluffy white head.  The nose had light orange notes to it, backed by some caramel malts.

Bridgeport Kingpin Double red Ale had a highly carbonated front with no real distinct hop flavor.  There was an almost Belgium yeast quality to the middle before it settled into a malty, bready body that stuck around.  The ending notes were sugary and candy-like.

I wanted to like this one better than I did.  It's a good beer and very drinkable, but it's a malt bomb and doesn't really hit the hop standards set by other big reds.  It succeeds in masking a high ABV, but came off a bit too dimensional.