Kilgubbin Red Ale - Goose Island Beer Co.

BigJim5021

Indiana

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

Pours amber as one would expect of a red. The head is off-white and none-too-impressive with very little lacing. It was, however, bottled back in January, so a loss of carbonation is not too surprising.

The flavor is fairly typical of what you would suspect from a red. Slightly malty and a tad sour, but in a good way. Aroma is much of the same.

Not too complex, and nothing that will knock your socks off, but it's a nice enough beer. And at $7 for a six-pack, the price is certainly right.

While it's not my favorite Goose Island brew, it's still a pretty decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2008 05:50:00 | More by BigJim5021

happygnome

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a: pours a nice amber color with about a half inch of head that dissapears fast leaving a little lacing around the edge of the glass as well as a pillowy lacing in the center of the beer
s: caramely malts, leafy crisp hops
t: caramely malts dominate the palate but there is a deffinate balance by a leafy/piny hop flavor
m: medium bodied beer with little carbonation

overall, this is a pretty solid beer very nice

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2008 17:14:03 | More by happygnome

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review based on notes

Pours an effervescent amber with 2 fingers of pearl white head. Good head retention & lacing

S: Leafy hops, caramel & biscuitty malt

T: Leafy hops, caramel & toffee up front. More leafy hops, apricot, & dryness as this warms. Finishes with more leafy hops

MF: Medium bodied with low carbonation & good balance, maybe a bit too hoppy for the style

Drinks good, not a style I go wild about, but worth a try

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2008 16:02:50 | More by russpowell

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

Wasatch

Utah

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

Thanks goes out to Monsone for this brew.

Pours a nice clean/clear golden amber color, nice carbonation, nice one-finger creamy off-white head, some nice sticky lacing follows. The nose is big and malty, with some very nice caramel notes. The taste is slightly sweet, malty, with some caramel. The finish is slightly dry/bitter. Medium body. Drinkable, this is a tasty one.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2008 23:59:26 | More by Wasatch

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

Gehrig

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A pleasant surprise, Kilgubbin is more brown than red in its body, very rich hazelnut. More complex nose than I expected, with chocolate malt emerging fairly strongly. It did also in the taste, melding with fruity hops and some caramel to produce a good, solid flavor. Smooth and pleasant, this is a nice, solid representative of the style.

Irish Red never jazzes me, but this is good and well worth returning to. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2008 04:47:00 | More by Gehrig

ybnorml

Rhode Island

3.88/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A clean dark amber beer. Has a small white head. The aroma has a light crisp grain character with hints of vanilla and coffee running through the background. There is a small battle between the barley and rye malts. Resulting in alternating sweet and dry/crisp malt notes. There is a nice herbal hop note on a lovely crisp finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2008 03:21:10 | More by ybnorml

JDV

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

bottle from archer liquors from the "freshest in house" section.

Pours slightly hazy dark red to maroon. Lasting creamy beige head sits atop. Smell is malty in the way a light lager is, at least initially. Taste is surprisingly satisfying. Malty, a hint zesty and nicely drinkable with a bit of balancing crisp hoppiness in the middle. Finishes with a lingering sweetness and has a nice body to it. This was definitely fresh, and I was extremely surprised how easy drinking it was and how much I liked it. What a fantastic session beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2008 04:52:03 | More by JDV

giblet

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a solid irish ale. pours a nice reddish color. has very little head with a light carbonation. was wanting a little bit more of both. aroma was nice, sweet, malty smell. taste was quite nice and not as sweet as i expected - which for me is a very good thing. nice balance of taste.

suckem up and movem out!

giblet

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2008 12:48:11 | More by giblet

tmitch75

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Cloudy red color with thin head and tons of lace, at least at first.

Toasted english muffin smell with butter, cinnamon, & sugar. Sounds like a good breakfast! No hops that I can detect.

Tastes caramelly and a little nutty. Lightly floral hop finish.

Light to Medium body with nice carbonation and a dry finish.

A nice and drinkable session beer, but not as goo as I remember it. Very tasty though, and I will definitely buy again. It's a spring-time staple for me.

Tasted on 3/15/08.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2008 05:30:44 | More by tmitch75

Jason

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reddish brown color, brightly glows in the light. Creamy colored lace is bubbly and randomly sticks to the glass here and there. Sweet highly toasted malt, smells of fresh baked dark bread with a hint of caramel as well in the nose. Moderate body with a creamy back, level carbonation that adds a lot of crispness. Toasted malt flavor creeps in slowly and brings it to the point of being close to roasted, slight nutty flavor from both the malt and yeast. Spiciness comes from a touch of malted rye though the hops are in there also. Faint smokiness comes out of no where, this might be from some floor kiln dark malt. Hops are light in bitterness yet they have no problem balancing. Fruitiness is trivial and the clean finish is full of residual toasted grain flavors.

Great stab at the Irish Red Ale style, very malty without the clinging hoppiness that some have. One the clean side with fresh malty flavors bursting within.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2008 05:28:18 | More by Jason

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

brentk56

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber with a modest ecru head that fades with some haste but leaves some shards of lace behind

Smell: Almost graham cracker-like

Taste: Opens with a mouth full of cracker malt that starts to display the rye spice by mid-palate; after the swallow, the caramel flavors return to dominate through the finish, but are offset, very gently, by a tea-like hoppiness

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Not being a big fan of the Irish Red, this was an eye-opener; quite enjoyable between the impact of the cracker flavor, the rye and the hops

Thanks, brandoman63, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2008 03:03:29 | More by brentk56

SMark

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer was poured into an Imperial pint glass at 41° from a 12 ounce bottle. There was a bottled on date on the back label along with a note to serve in an Imperial pint glass. A 1 ½ finger head developed with the pour displaying slight carbonation and slight lacing as the head disappeared over the next four to five minutes. The beer was a medium brownish red and very clear.

There was a hint of malt attributable to the bouquet but not much else which I would attribute to the temperature of the beer. A more pronounced malt aroma developed over time but this too was not dramatic.

There was more malt taste than aroma and bitterness was sensed on the tip and sides of the tongue. Taste was definitely better than your average beer.

Best taste and feel was actually in the top of the throat and at the back of the mouth. Liquid went rather quickly through the mouth and then gained some focus.

I would try to drink this one a little warmer the next time unless I am drinking it in late spring or summer when the air temperature is more than 30°F. This is a satisfactory beer and could be considered as one of those session beers although it might be a little alcoholic at 5.2%. ABV on website says 4.5%.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2008 03:30:42 | More by SMark

bluemoonswoon

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into an imperial pint glass.

A: Pours a slightly brownish shade of ruby rude with a mixture of loose clear bubbles resting on top of the tightly packed one inch head, the head fades away into a cap in a minute or so and leaves little lacing along the way to the bottom of the glass.

S: Smells a bit like Honkers Ale but with a bit more of a malty presence and a little less on the hops, which is to say there is a dextrose and sweet crackery aroma going on here with bits of green apple.

T/MF: Not as sweet as I was expecting, a bit on the dry side actually, that crackery aspect that was there in the aroma is very present in the taste, much less hop character in this one than the honker's ale and replaces it instead with a solid huskiness, don't get me wrong the hops are still there they just play a smaller role, this is evidenced in the slight bitting sensation I feel on my tongue after I swallow the beer with a nice tingling sensation around the roof of the mouth and the gums. The further I get into this beer the more balanced it becomes, in the opening the fruity hop aspects can be separated from the malt but then as the beer stays in the mouth longer the huskier and breadier aspects of the malt reappear. In the finish I get nice husky and light tobacco finish and the malts come strong and hard. Long and dry finish.

D: Incredibly well balanced, wonderfully complex taste and mouthfeel. A very very nice surprise and a wonderful representation of the style, I don't give it a 5 because of the appearance and the fact I haven't had enough beers in this style to truly be certain it earned a five, but damn if it does not come close. Also after drinking this I noticed it was past it's best by date, so I can't imagine how much better this one tastes fresh.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2008 03:54:04 | More by bluemoonswoon

marcpal

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Monkeyknife for sending along. 12oz bottle poured into fancy Sam glass.

A: Very frothy head on the pour, crimson red color with good retention and lacing. Good looking pour.

S: Malt and chocolate aroma. Some fruity hops.

T: Bready and malty and not as much hops as were in the nose. I found this to be a little bit bland in flavor for a GI brew. Caramel and hop balance are there though.

M: A little too much carbonation and again lacking in the hopfeel that I was hoping for from the aroma.

D: Very drinkable and sessionable. It can become a bit dull but this is one that would be a good drinker on tap if it were available around here.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2008 00:52:15 | More by marcpal

jar2574

Missouri

2.95/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Amber, red color, not a very appealing head. Head dissipates far too quickly. Light, honey scent. Pretty weak.
Plain Jane taste, nothing to brag about here. No hops, I guess what taste there is, is malts and sweetness.
Boring. I have to give this a thumbs down. It's not offensive, but there's no reason to have another.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2008 22:07:02 | More by jar2574

Atch

Wisconsin

3.15/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Reddish orange color, one finger head, nice carbonation and very clear.

Smell: Smells of sweet malts, floral hops.

Taste: Dry, nice balance of flavors.

Mouthfeel: On the lighter side. A little thin but it tastes good.

Drinkability: Very easy to drink. Good session beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2008 21:12:28 | More by Atch

botham

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a nonic. pours a copper like amber color with a finger of light orangish tan head to top it off.

aroma is malty, with caramel malts mainly, but a touch of roasted malts as well, alongside an earthy-bready character that makes the irish reds great. overall sweet in the aroma, but with a light hop character in the background.

taste is malty as well, with caramel malts prevailing over notes of the same earthy breadlike character. an aftertaste of lingering caramel and bread makes this one a solid irish red.

mouthfeel is medium bodied with a creamy texture and a smooth and semi dry finish.

drinkability is good. this is a smooth and drinkable brew that represents the style well. cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2008 01:51:01 | More by botham

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this at the new Lakeside Grill restaurant on Toronto Road.

A - Deep amber brew with a solid finger of khaki foam that shows pretty nice retention and leaves a little bit of sticky lace on the glass.

S - Big time grapefruit hops and caramel malty notes. Smells really fresh and fruity.

T - Citrus fruit, caramel malt, lightly toasty flavors, and loads of hops. This actually reminds me of Fat Tire, but better.

M - Medium-light in body with a good deal of carbonation and an off-dry finish. Very thirst quenching and refreshing.

D - One hell of a session brew. Like an amber ale should be, this is far from complex but it is really fresh and tasty. The tart fruit hops and off-dry finish make this a great beer to have with food.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 19:16:51 | More by pmcadamis

shroompod

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a nice brown hue , good carbonation , some lacing.

Smell is faintly caramelized malt , faint hops.

Nice combo of sweetness on slight hoppiness on tasting beer.

Mouthfeel is medium , good carbonation.

Although it's a little high in ABV, it's seems suitable for a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2008 01:00:20 | More by shroompod

1fastz28

Illinois

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

pours a really unique light amber color without a lot of head, and some average lacing. smell is pretty good, has a sugary malty aroma to it, but not alot of hop in the nose. the taste is ok, not bad, not good, just average tastes like your average red ale. mouthfeel is decent so is drinkability. give it a shot if you are a fan of lighter ales

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2008 03:39:00 | More by 1fastz28

DrainBamage

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a cloudy tea-like color with a thin lace of head and looks moderately carbonated. It smells sweet with some toasted malt aromas. The toasted malts are definitely prominent in the taste. The hops and sweetness are well balanced and there is a slight bitter aftertaste. I really enjoyed this beer and is now my favorite Goose Island brew after Christmas Ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2007 21:23:32 | More by DrainBamage

ViveLaChouffe

Georgia

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

More from my trips out west this summer:

I was curious to see Goose Islands take on an Irish Red. I am a fan of their Honkers Ale and IPA but this beer should be malt focused, not on the hops. Hmmmm....

Pours more of a deep orangish-copper than red. Topped by a wispy ivory colored head. Smells of fruity english type of malt. Bready aromas and british hops. Sweetish malt smells.

This beer is fruity and spicy in the mouth. There's light but distinct dark roasted malt flavors. A quite bready malt profile and decent balancing hops in the finish. Sweetish mouth but not overly done. Quite a nice and drinkable brew.

Does Goose Island make a bad beer? This is not even a style I am particularly fond of but the guys at Goose Island do it up right. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2007 20:11:49 | More by ViveLaChouffe