Kilgubbin Red Ale - Goose Island Beer Co.

ZAP

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A fine tasting red ale...I really like the nose..almost like sweet caramel rolls...bready...with a distance smokiness....Pours a cloudy brownish red....body is about perfect...feels nice in the mouth...taste is sweet breadiness....also a hint of smokiness on the finish...

This is a very tasty, quality red ale I would drink anytime...and I would definitely buy this again....I used to think Goose Island was slightly overrated but the more I drink of their beers, the more I appreciate their wares...

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2003 01:46:14 | More by ZAP

dirtylou

Washington

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz single, Woodman's, best by 6/26/06

appearance: pours a full mahogany-amber into a great dane imperial pint glass, full foamy beige head with, very strong retention, pretty clear body. an appealing irish red

smell: a surprising dose of fresh and alive green hops, sweet caramel malt presence, very earthy aromas, a touch of spice

taste: while the aromas were nothing tremendous, there is a lot going on in this beer....fresh green hops, sweet bready malt, rye, creamy caramel, a decent spice presence, a woody feel, a hint of smoke. A very good irish red from goose island

mouthfeel: medium body, adequate carbonation

drinkability: sessionable

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2006 20:45:14 | More by dirtylou

cokes

Wisconsin

2.58/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Shadowy amber-brown with a vanishing beige head.
Dominating aroma of rye bread. Crusty and ever-so-slightly nutty. Attractive.
At the start, taste follows these footsteps, as rye bread is preceived from the get go. It turns a touch earthy prior to a big carbonation sting that vanquishes the mouth of all discernable flavor. Returns a bit later with some increasingly astringent hops and a miniscule lingering nuttiness. Oppressively dry, without even a glimmer of sweetness. Very wrong.
Thin, watery and over-charged within the mouth.
Worthless, but still drainable.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2003 22:21:37 | More by cokes

TurdFurgison

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle, from a 6-pack left at my place from a poker game. It pours a dark copper color, nearly hazy, with a 2cm foam cover with long retention. The aroma seems to be mostly roasted malts, and the taste is malty and tasty (although too neutral to be called rich). Easily drinkable as the style should be.

Goose Island is reliable as always, but this beer could jump beyond average if they cared to do it. Still, a safe choice for an Irish Red.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2008 23:53:38 | More by TurdFurgison

AgentZero

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Had on St. Patrick's Day at GI Wrigleyville.

A - A carmel colored beer with a small head that faded to a partial cap and a solid ring.

S - Mostly caramel malts, slight touch of butter, light sweetness. Mild hops.

T - Maybe I don't understand the style, but this just tastes like caramel water with a touch of honey. A very low hop profile.

M - Slightly flat, watery, lighter boded.

O - It's easy to drink, but it's not a fantastic beer, I'd put it at merely average.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2011 16:00:35 | More by AgentZero

Brent

Kentucky

3.73/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Interesting Celtic goose motif incorporated into the label. Poured a golden brown - nothing standout in the aroma. First sip - "hey, who snuck a Killian's into my glass?" I gave it a moment, however, and some depth began to emerge from the inital impression of shallowness. Soft caramel and toffee wafted on the malt. Overall, quite pleasant and easy quaffing, but not up to the general standard of Goose Island. A good session candidate. I think I'll add a new category to "okay but not outstanding " beers. For summer there are "lawnmower beers" and for winter "snowthrower beers." For spring, this inaugurates the "hot tub beer" category.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2003 07:03:23 | More by Brent

champ103

Texas

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: A deep and clear red/amber color. A billowing and frothy white head forms and leaves a good coat of lace down the glass.
S: Burnt, toasted, caramel malt.
T: Lots of caramel malt, though not as sweet as I thought it would be. Toasty and bready flavors. The malt flavors work well with just a hint of hops as the taste lingers.
M/D: A fairly dry feel in the mouth that has a medium body. Creamy, well carbonated, and not watery at all. Very smooth and easy to drink. I can session this with no problem.

A very good red ale by Goose Island. This is a beer I would recommend and drink again soon.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2008 03:46:36 | More by champ103

merlin48

Kentucky

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle pours a clear copper body with a scant beige that quickly falls to a collar. Some chains of lace are left on the glass.
Roasted caramel malt and spicy floral hops comprise a subdued aroma.
Mouthfeel is light medium bodied and the carbonation seems a bit too much.
Taste has a slightly sweet caramel malt backbone with good floral hops bitterness.
I'm not much of a fan of Irish Red Ales, and this one doesn't do much to alter my opinion of the style. Good drinkability, but not something I would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2005 19:01:27 | More by merlin48

Vancer

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Well, darn, I finally found a brew that I didn’t particularly care for, bummer. It had a good pour – mahogany brown with a foamy and lacey head. Then, a sharp and biting earthy aroma, including spices and rye.

But the taste, a doughy malt followed by an overly powerful rye grass. Just not my cup of tea. Brew was dry and crisp, medium bodied.

Can’t win them all.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2006 13:14:26 | More by Vancer

mynie

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark amber with a big retentive head and it smells like floral Goose Island hops against a woody soda bread odor. Nice

Very big hops for a red ale, but they work. Toasted caramel and tons of hops like taste like flowers and candy and bitter sunshine.

Goose Island beers often have a wonderful hop character but no malt to balance it out. Not so here. The result is an excellent brew, easily one of my favorites for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2005 20:08:39 | More by mynie

GbVDave

Illinois

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a 16oz pint glass at Goose Island-Clybourn 4/18/07. Thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist!

A: Very clear, deep red hue that leaves tons of lace as the glass is emptied. Pretty to look at.

S: Huge toasted malt nose. Spicy tang from the rye.

T: Toasted malt, hops, and spicy rye malt flavors. Dry, sweet, and tangy. Roasty and toasted malt flavors definitely dominate.

M: Oily, coating, and very dry. Graininess on the tongue.

D: Fair out of the bottle but this one comes alive on draft. Worth a re-try on draft if you've only had it from the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2007 01:54:54 | More by GbVDave

beerguy101

California

3.15/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Red brown color, small white foamy head. Aroma is malty and slightly sweet. Lighter bodied amber. Roasted malts, caramel taste, mildly hopped. Mild taste, malt is prevalent. Finish is clean and light. Aftertaste is slightly bitter, with some malt sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2003 00:29:08 | More by beerguy101

Reidrover

Oregon

3.55/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Slightly turbid ,chesnut brown coloured beer, with a nice sized frothy off white head.
A very nutty/roasty aroma, quite malty.
Quite sooth intaste.Quite malty, slight bitter aftertaste, slight nutiness. This almost reminded me of a Scottish type ale.
Nice and very smooth on the palte.
Quite drinkable.Not the greatest beer ever made but a fine session ale to be sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2004 06:28:06 | More by Reidrover

ADR

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bright red-brown appearance, wafer thin tan head that settles to a permanent skin. Just a slight bit of lace generation. Slight peppery and smoky almond aspects to the nice aroma. Medium body, nice restrained carbonation, and a nutty cinnamon and dark toast kind if impression to the flavor. The hop aspects and overall finish are a little minimal for balance, but all-in-all, seems kind of cool and "old school" in brewing characteritics like those from across the pond.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2003 16:14:15 | More by ADR

Mitchster

Michigan

3/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

4.5% ABV, 28 IBU, 25.0 SRM.
Pours out to a semi-clear dark-amber with copper accents, forming a small beige head with poor retention and average lacing. Carbonation is mild to moderate. Aroma is firmly nutty and toasty with a fair amount of diacetyl butterscotch and toffee, some mild earthy hops. Mouthfeel is smooth, lightly dry and medium bodied with a clean, watery finish. Taste starts with some ale yeast dregs, some toasty and nutty malts with no residual sweetness, and some mild earthy bitterness. Nothing to exciting and quite one-dimensional. Odd suggestion of rosemary and basil in the aftertaste. Wierd. Kinda like Irish stew.

Nothing to enveloping here. Very standard Irish Ale with nothing too exciting, though it does have that "Pub" kinda gestalt. Certainly not worth buying again, but not entirely offensive, either.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2004 01:58:16 | More by Mitchster

morimech

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

An attractive reddish tinted amber beer with a one-fingered head that had some good retention. Moderate amounts of lacing left on the glass.

Toasted and biscuit malt are the aromas.

Mild toasted malt flavors with a hint of cinnamon or nutmeg are the flavors I detect.

Medium body with low carbonation.

A good beer but with low ABV makes it sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2008 23:05:49 | More by morimech

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine March 2007.

First, Goose Island gets marks for presentation. Clear, reddish brown color, with some killer head retention! This beer really wants to stick to the glass in a very appealing way. Very aromatic, with fresh and redolent floral hop, and dark, watery, caramel malt. A bit nutty too, with a rousing, spicy, rye note. Impeccable smooth- ness throughout. The creamy, medium body really holds things together, and makes this brew insanely drinkable.

Medium hop bitterness and flavor. A kiss of hop oil with a mild bitterness keeps this beer in proportion. Hints of steely grain and soft malt sweetness. Soft, chocolaty notes; hearty breadiness, and a distinct spicy, rye malt flavor. Nice semi-steeped tea character. Finishes relatively dry, with a bit of grain tannin in the linger.

This brew is an homage to Irish immigrants who came to Chicago and founded neighborhoods known as Goose Island and Kilgubbin, some 150 years ago. We think they'd be honored. The use of chocolate malts and rye is superb, and gives what can sometimes be a rather dull style tremendous appeal. As a result, this is one of the better Irish Style Red Ales to meet our palates. Pair it up with a traditional Irish breakfast or boiled dinner, or a nice Irish cheddar. Yeah, it's a no-brainer, but damn good. Sláinte!

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 19:59:12 | More by BeerAdvocate

bditty187

Nebraska

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Coppery-bronze hue with hints of auburn, clear, the off-white head scarcely reached a half finger before fading quickly to soapy patches of bubbles. Subsequent lacing was very spotty. The nose is very nice, toasty malts are coupled with piney-citrus hops. Clean. The bouquet seems more like a Pale Ale then an Irish Red, oh well, it is has a very nice aroma. The palate is nicely hoppy with tasty citrus notes and pine needles; this is very crisp and clean with only faint hints of yeasty fruitiness. The malt imparts very few flavors; a trace of caramel malts, there also seems to be a hint of wood. The palate lacks depth; it is a one trick pony, just hops. Where is the maltiness? Kilgubbin seems more like a naked English-style Pale; it turns out okay. This is plenty tasty and very drinkable, the abv is low enough to session with; this is a beer that is begging to be paired with a juicy hamburger. It is refreshing and appetizing; the hops worked a magical dance down my throat. Medium in body, surprisingly sturdy, the carbonation is firm and a little forceful. This is a simple beer that is a joy to drink, worthy for those “everyday” needs. I’d like more. Purchased in Sioux Falls, SD.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2004 21:18:03 | More by bditty187

Boto

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz. bottle: This one pours a pretty standard amber color. There is a bit of an off-white head that dies down quickly. Somewhat caramel malty nose, with hints of roastiness and smokiness. The flavor is semi-sweet, with some of the roastiness and chocolate coming through. No real hop flavor to speak of. A fairly good rendition!

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2004 22:56:29 | More by Boto

RBorsato

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reddish-brown with a nice light brown head. Nice malt aroma and taste. Nice sweet nutty balanced flavor. Light-medium bodied and smooth.

Note: To me this tasted very much like a Honker's Ale with less hops. Not a bad thing !

Best By: 06/12/02
Tasted: 03/17/03

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2003 12:23:20 | More by RBorsato

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.58/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Predominantly Irish neighborhood brewery makes an Irish red, names it after another old Irish neighborhood.

Brownish but light notes..looks hazy at angles. Very little head, fine lacing trickles down the glass.

Fine flavor, a little tipped toward the malts but what can you do with the style? Nice and crisp, quite tasty, breadiness and a little roasted flavor with the dominant ingredient, the hops aren't totally shut out as they peak through with a little citric burst and some dryness in the mouth.

Very drinkable, nothing off, challenging, etc. Only fault is a lack of complexity, but it's one of the best red ales I've had. Beats the hell out of green swill on St. Patrick's Day.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2007 04:20:58 | More by BretSikkink

TastyTaste

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reddish brown in color, with a small white head that leaves a ring around the top of the beer. Smells lightly of roasted malt, caramel, and a little black pepper. It is a unique smell that grows on you. The taste is dominated by a malty, robust flavor. Finished off cleanly with a small amount of hops. Good all around. One of the better reds I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2004 15:15:44 | More by TastyTaste

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I find this a very enjoyable beer, especially because of its versatility, in that it goes well with many styles of food, or is just a good drinking beer. A pretty straight forward aroma of malt with slight caramel hints. Big foamy head, very clear, very nice red color that looks almost mahogany. Medium full taste of malt from start to finish, with nice slight dryness in the finish that isn't particularly long. Flavor has some caramel and smoke qualities providing a nice complexity. Mouthfeel is medium without excessive carbonation. I look forward to purchasing this beer about this time each year.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2002 17:36:39 | More by garymuchow

Redrover

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I bought a keg of this for the home kegerator, since we were hosting a St. Pats Day party I figured this would be a perfect beer.

The beer pours a red/dark bronze with a dense tan head. Sheets of lacing.

The aroma is of fresh roasted malts, bread, some citrus and a bit of spice.

The taste is malty with undertones of rye bread. Seems to have slightly more aggressive hoping this year and they add a nice subtle background taste of grapefruit. The beer also has a bit of caramel and peat flavor.

The beer is very creamy and smooth with excellently calibrated carbonation. Beer is somewhat thick and extremely easy to drink.

This is an excellent red and I think my guests enjoyed it as much as I did.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2005 21:11:05 | More by Redrover

clvand0

Kentucky

3.03/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours an amber color with a small head and doesn't leave much lacing on the glass. The aroma was malty with some citrus in it. This beer had an interesting flavor. Slightly sour. Somewhat fruity and hoppy as well, but there is a grassy/pine-needle feel to it as well. Good beer, but just didn't fit my taste buds very well.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2004 19:58:43 | More by clvand0