A Microbrew Review of Samuel Adams Irish Red Ale

I'd been meaning to pick up a bottle of Samuel Adams Irish Red ever since I'd seen it for the first time in the local beer cooler right before St. Patty's Day. For whatever reason, I passed on it at the time and am just finally getting around to sampling this Boston Beer Company offering after grabbing a single 12 ounce bottle of it tonight.

I poured 12 chilled ounces of this ale into a standard 10 ounce glass mug discovering a fiery ruby colored liquid bursting with those lively tiny effervescent bubbles o' joy just racing gleefully to the top of my beer mug. Those little bubbly leprachauns formed a gloriously frothy eggshell colored head that stuck around for a good five minutes and never fully dwindled down to non-existent. Foamy and creamy was my general impression.

The nose of this craft beer was malty and sweet with a tinge of allspice in the far distant horizon. What that was doing in this beer, I'm not sure. Sweet and malty sticks in my mind though.

The first few sips of Samuel Adams Irish Red was smooth and silky. I may have been better served to let the beer warm in my glass a bit before partaking but as it warmed a bit at mid-bottle, more flavors came out to round out that malty kiss of sugar. The predominant sweetness was nicely balanced with a mild hop backstop and notes of smoked peat appeared and left its mark on my palate.

As the beer in my glass dwindled, there was not much in the way of lacing or "beer legs" gracing the glass walls but I was mainly focused on drinking Sam Adams Irish Red, not looking at it for long periods of time.

My bottom line review of Samuel Adams Irish Red leaves me thinking that this is a very good beer, one of my favorite ales from the Boston Beer Company. This is smooth drinking, packed with flavor and easy to imbibe in more than one or two without going over the top in the alcohol by volume realm. I only wished that, knowing what I know now, I'd have picked up a six pack of this ale to have on hand and enjoy at this year's St. Patrick's Day celebrations. It's definitely a supremely enjoyable and well put together craft beer that I will be sure to keep in mind and look for come early March of 2009.

If you have a chance to grab a left over, straggling bottle from your local beer purveyor's shelves from this year's batch of Irish Red Ale, it's definitely worth a shot and your time. Samuel Adams Irish Red is a winner. Thanks again Boston Beer Company!

Oh, by the way, I'll give this beer review a 8.00 out of 10.00 points on my microbrew and craft beer review ratings scale. Boston Beer Co. knows what they're doing when it comes down to brewing!

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