I received a special can of Tule Duck Red as a sample from Buckbean Brewing Company before the official cans were released so my photos of the can may not represent what you’ll find in the stores. This red ale is refreshingly different from other West Coast breweries in that it is not super-charged with the 3Cs (Cascade, Centennial, Chinook), instead the hops reveal themselves as more herbal and floral. The malt of this beer also gives is a sweeter flavor. Continue reading
The Napa Smith Brewery is a fairly new brewery out of Napa, California. The brewery was started by “The Smith Family” who was able to hire a master brewer of 30 years, Don Barkley, with the simple premise that the beers they produce should pair well with food. Their core offerings are Pale Ale, Amber Ale, and Wheat Beer. The beer that I reviewed is either a seasonal or special release called Lost Dog Red Ale and is quite delicious. Continue reading
On a recent vacation to London, a friend of mine, Allen, introduced me to The Jerusalem Tavern where we were in for a real treat: a full selection of St. Peter’s Brewery beers on tap and in bottles. One of the beers I tried was the Ruby Red Ale and although I drank it out of an acrylic pint glass, I was able to enjoy it outside with friends and it still tasted spectacular.
St. Peter’s Brewery describes Ruby Red Ale on their website as follows:
A tawny red ale with subtle malt undertones and a distinctive spicy hop aroma from Cascade. Ruby Red won a Silver Medal at the SIBA East Anglian Beer Festival in Bedford in October 2004.
Where I Found It. I had a pint of Ruby Red at The Jerusalem Tavern in London on August 11, 2009.
Serving Type. This beer was served from the cask into an acrylic pint glass.
Appearance. Thin off-white head with loose bubbles and does not last long. Clear red amber ruby mahogany color.
Smell. Ruby Red Ale has a sweet crystal malt aroma which is more sweet and roasted than biscuit-like. The fruity sweetness almost reminds me of watermelon, sweet and refreshing. The hop aroma is subtle and sweet.
Taste. This beer as a smooth sweetness with a kick of bitterness at the end. It has roasted sweetness with a flavor of vanilla. I also has a wonderfully unique flavor which is hard to describe. There is a hint of cocao which gives a slight dark chocolate flavor enhanced by the bitterness of the hops. This beer, to me, seems quite bitter, but at the time of writing, during my London trip, I have had several barely hopped English ales. So on the spectrum of English bitters, this beer is much more bitter.
Mouthfeel. Ruby Red Ale is medium bodied with low carbonation. It has just the right amount of thickness for the flavor. Not watery and not syrupy.
Drinkability. Delicious and a refreshing departure from the almost too easy to drink English ales.
Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.
On the same visit to the Yard House, when I tried Avery White Rascal, I also had a pint of Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red by Rogue Brewery.This beer is made with Chinook and Centennial hops giving it a piney hoppy smell.
St. Rogue Red beer is an award winning red ale that has won Best Amber at the 2006 Celebration of Suds, a Silver at the 2004 World Beer Championships, and more.
Where I Found It. I enjoyed this beer at the Yard House in Pasadena, CA.
Serving Type. I tried St. Rogue Red on tap served into a pint glass.
Appearance. This beer has a typical off-white head, which lasts an average amount of time. Despite it’s amber color, it is crystal clear with a medium amber golden color.
Smell. Dry Hopped St. Rogue Red has intense floral hops with citrus and pine notes. The pine is a smooth scent and not harsh and scratchy. There is also a hint of grapefruit with a touch of orange.The malt aroma is almost completely masked by the hop bouquet.
Taste. The hop bitterness can be characterized as being smooth and not very harsh. I was surprised when I tasted this beer because it is not as bitter as you might expect from the very hoppy nose. It gives it a refreshing quality. I would consider this beer to be more roasty and toasty but less malty. It does, however, have a nice balance between the malt and hops.
Mouthfeel. This is a medium to light bodied beer. I actually find it to be on the lighter side of body and almost feeling a bit too watery for my taste. The hop bitterness finishes well and does not linger too long. Although it seemed watery to my, my gravity calculations don’t agree so take this part of the rating for a grain of salt.
Drinkability. This beer is very drinkable. It is smooth and well balanced which makes it feel like it is not too bitter even though it has 44 IBUs of bitterness. Although it felt a little watery for my taste, this lighter body makes it more refreshing.
Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.
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