Style: Irish Red Ale
From: Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City MO
According to the brewery, Irish Ale is made with six different malts - pale, carapils, caramunich, caravienne, aromatic, and chocolate – as well as malted wheat. It contains Magnum and Saaz hops.
The beer was a deep, clear copper that leaves no confusion about why this would be considered a red beer. It had a thick fluffy head, off-white with a reddish tint. The head was slow to subside, and left a nice lacing behind.
The aroma is not extremely strong. It’s slightly sweet, with a candy or caramel smell. There was just a hint of a buttery aroma, but not very strong. The malt was noticeable but not overpowering, and there just a suggestion of a piney hop.
Typical of Irish red ales, the flavor of Boulevard’s Irish Ale is slightly sweet, but is well-balanced by the hops. There is a nice mellow caramel flavor, almost more like a toffee, along with a faint chocolate or coffee flavor. There’s also a suggestion of spice. The beer is slightly hoppier than would normally be expected from this style, and it finishes slightly dry – a nice counterpart to the up-front sweetness.
Irish Ale is medium bodied, with good and consistent carbonation throughout. It’s smooth and very drinkable, and light enough to be able to enjoy several. The carbonation gives the beer just enough of a “prickly” feeling to prevent it from feeling bland.
This red ale would be good paired with pork or poultry. Recommended serving temperature is 40-45 degrees, and the beer is best served in a traditional pint glass or mug.
Irish Ale is a seasonal brew available roughly from January through April, in bottles and on tap. Boulevard Brewing Company is a regional brewer based in Kansas City, MO. Their beers are available in 11 states in the Midwest.
