aka “Sam Adams attempts to answer the call of Southie”

Brewery: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company), Boston, MA

Commercial Description: This rich and malty ale originated in Ireland in 1710. It has a deep red color and distinctive caramel flavor from its Pale and Caramel malts. The malt sweetness is balanced by the earthy notes of East Kent Goldings hops. Cheers!

Brew Style: Irish Red Ale, 5.5% ABV

Recommended Glassware: Engligh Pint, Dimpled Mug, Stein

The Ugly Truth: You know what, people can say what they want about Sam Adams but I love their beer.  I’ve rarely ever had a Sam A’s I haven’t liked.  And sadly down in the lower reaches of civilization, I can’t get access to their full range of small market brews available in Boston but fortunately they decided to open up the Irish Red to a wider market.

Sam Adams Irish Red is a solid Irish Red.  Nothing that will knock out you of the park, but certainly not something bottom of the barrel for taste and craftsmanship.  The beer pours a beautiful deep amber color with ruby highlights when help up the light.  It presents with a foamy tan head with low retention which reduced quickly after the pour.  The aroma churned up by the pour was great and strong enough that I could smell it without even having to get my nose into the glass.  Hefty caramel malt sweetness to the aroma, with no true hops profile present.  There was a hint of toffee in there as well, which rounded out the whole aroma nicely.

The taste was equally good. It had a very smooth and rich flavor to it, with a slightly slick mouthfeel and medium light to medium body. The caramel promised in the aroma comes through in the flavor, with the added hint of a buttery texture to it. No hops present, which is typically for the brew style. Solid finish, pretty dry and not overly sweet and had a slight alcohol warmness that lingered through.

Overall, a solid Irish Red style beer. I did think it could have been a little drier, but that didn’t detract from the experience. Its the typical offering from Sam Adams: a well brewed and crafted beer that was enjoyable.

Verdict: SA’s Irish Red scores an 8 out of 10 bottlecaps.