Irish Setter Red - Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

WesWes

New York

3.9/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark amber/red color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a rich malty scent that boasts of crystal and biscuit malts. It has a sweet caramel aroma with a mild bread-like character. The taste is good. It has a smooth crystal malt sweetness with a dry roasted malt finish. It goes down incredibly easy with tons of malt character, yet only a hint of residual sweetness in the finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a very good red ale. It appears to be overly complex (aroma), yet it stays in check and drinks well.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 22:22:26 | More by WesWes

tallfellapgh

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

06-11-2013 00:43:11 | More by tallfellapgh

xDeadGuYx

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

06-06-2013 23:51:06 | More by xDeadGuYx

BTFU

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%

04-28-2013 05:42:45 | More by BTFU

UltimateLivewire

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%

04-13-2013 19:42:26 | More by UltimateLivewire

Groomsy

Kentucky

3.35/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

On tap at Dewey's Pizza in Newport KY. Served in a pint glass.

This Irish Red pours a dark crimson, bordering on brown. There are highlights of dark orange in the light. It is topped by a thin cap of foam and leaves spotty lacing down the side of the pint.

While most Irish Reds are quite mild on the nose and present no real interest to most craft drinkers, Thirsty Dog's take on the style is quite nice. While the trademark caramel and roast is there, there's also a sturdy malt presence of toffee, nuts, and a little bit of malted milk chocolate. There's also some earthy, herbal bitterness to balance out the abundant malt profile. A multi-dimensional Irish Red.

This multi-dimensionality carries over into the flavor. Starting with a robust roasty note of nuts and toffee, the malt presence is very sweet and well-rounded. There is some earthy and tea-like bitterness in the middle of the palate, followed by a chocolate, sweet finish. For a very "standard" style, I'm impressed with how Thirsty Dog has brought some power to this style. Well-balanced and very drinkable.

The mouthfeel is a little flat and slightly watery, but has a well-placed carbonation and sweet finish. Not bad, but not totally fitting for the flavor.

This isn't bad by any means - I commend Thirsty Dog for taking a style like this and giving it a real dimension. For fans of amber ales and brown ales, check this if it's available to you.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 00:43:13 | More by Groomsy

dlin0sbb

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

03-25-2013 16:21:35 | More by dlin0sbb

BuckeyeSlim

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

03-21-2013 08:06:40 | More by BuckeyeSlim

jminch

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

03-16-2013 17:37:58 | More by jminch

Danno

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%

03-13-2013 05:09:37 | More by Danno

Eastside151

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

03-09-2013 14:33:14 | More by Eastside151

Blueribbon666

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +27.5%

03-02-2013 13:56:30 | More by Blueribbon666

maznblue80

Ohio

3/5  rDev -15%

02-16-2013 05:32:34 | More by maznblue80

Kalev13

Delaware

4.25/5  rDev +20.4%

02-14-2013 15:13:17 | More by Kalev13

lastconfederate2

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%

02-10-2013 21:10:40 | More by lastconfederate2

Jenessa

Ohio

2.75/5  rDev -22.1%

02-03-2013 05:37:07 | More by Jenessa

MAUEX_MFA

Rhode Island

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

12-27-2012 23:12:01 | More by MAUEX_MFA

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Huge head that subsides in a rocky fashion. Any lace slides down the glass. Mild haze on a deep amber with a dose of ruby color.

Biscuit aroma with some caramel, but not sweet. Light alcohol nose. No perceptible hop.

Sweeter flavor than the smell suggests. There's a berry flavor to this brew. Again, there's no notable hop. The body is watery with a high level of fine bubbles (so, it isn't too soda pop-ish).

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 23:27:03 | More by smcolw

Rook162

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

07-09-2012 16:56:29 | More by Rook162

shockrocker65

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +20.4%

04-29-2012 03:00:59 | More by shockrocker65

chasmandocharles

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +13.3%

03-26-2012 01:28:22 | More by chasmandocharles

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours as you would expect, a nice reddish amber color with small .5 finger head. Lots of carbonation coming up from the bottom.

S - Not a ton of smell here. Some caramel malt, breadyness, a tinge of sweetness.

T - A lot of caramel malt, with a bit of fruity sweetness, almost like a grape juice, finishes bready.

M - Very smooth, good body present.

Overall - For the style, a pretty solid beer here. I feel like Irish Red Ales can only be "so good" and Thirsty Dog has brewed a good one.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 17:18:12 | More by BeerBuckeye

hustlesworth

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Irish sample time. Not my favorite style of beer, but whatever.

A- clear reddish copper with golden highlights. Creamy lasting beige head. Lots of sticky lace, a TD trademark.

S- a little metallic, not a bad thing, sweet toasted caramel and brown sugar malt. Toffee, nutty, and some leafy hops. Meaty and a bit of tomato.

T- sweet and malty. Heavily nutty. Brown sugar, toffee, caramel, a savory quality, about zero bitterness (expected) but not so overly sweet and malty as other Ohio Irish reds. A hint of chocolate. Finishes well balanced.

MF- over medium, gently carbonated and definitely malty feeling.

D- again, not my style, but one of the better ones. Backin the home team, this one is pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 07:13:51 | More by hustlesworth

meanmutt

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

02-18-2012 14:32:37 | More by meanmutt

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +13.3%

01-29-2012 20:31:39 | More by ejimhof