Kilgubbin Red Ale - Goose Island Beer Co.

animal

Illinois

4.72/5  rDev +27.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Overall an excellent Irish style red ale. I sampled some during a recent visit to relatives in Chicago, and I was quite impressed with this particular beer. It seemed to have a rather pleasant fruity mouthfeel and finish.I will definitely have this again on my next trip to Chicago.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2005 03:31:58 | More by animal

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Amber with lace. Slight floral aroma. Easy drinking malty transition brew, with a sample of spice, nuts, chocolate malt, roasted barley, and slight pine bitter hop. More sweet than bitter, and malt on aftertaste. Medium mouthfeel. I never had a bad brew from Goose Island, and Viggo's ladyfriend, who brought it, is a native from there was with us in this session.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2005 14:18:50 | More by northyorksammy

flaminghomer

Indiana

3.7/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

lots of sparkling head on this one. it takes a while to settle. aroma reminds me of the red ale home brew i once made. maltiness is what i am picking up most in the aroma. it's a farely dark redish copper in color.taste is balanced pretty good. not too malty. it's smooth and very easy to drink. not very complex either though. a one timer IMO, but i'll gladly drink it again if some else is buying.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2005 06:22:04 | More by flaminghomer

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

gimmehead

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: transparent chestnut red with a two finger eggshell head and decent lacing

Smell: sweet roasted malts, caramel and toffee, very bready and earthy

Taste: big roasted caramel malts, nice wheat or rye flavor, hopped just enough to provide a nice balance to the dominant malts

Mouthfeel: smooth and creamy

Drinkability: highly quaffable in vast quantities

I look forward to this beer every year. I wasn't disappointed this time, either. I don't have any previous notes to go by, but this year's seems better than last.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2005 02:40:22 | More by gimmehead

BeerFink

Ohio

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

Reviewing on St. Patty's day...

Pours a dark coppery reddish brown with a white head, slight haze is present. Aroma of pale malts, toasty and yeasty with some citrous hops. The taste was lots of smooth malt creaminess. Slight hop presence, a little citrous and pine to add a bit of balance to the big malts. Some toasty biscuit taste in there too. A hint of spice added some complexity to the tasting experience. Mouthfeel was a light to medium with good carbonation. The finish was a good malt/hop balance hampered by a metallic finish. A well balanced and somewhat tame red ale that is easily quaffed.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2005 21:28:56 | More by BeerFink

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

mentor

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle obtained from John's Grocery (Iowa City) and consumed that same evening. Best by 7/23/05. Pours a 1/2 finger mostly white head over a crystal clear copper/light brown liquid. Smells of caramel, mostly. Some chocolate and maybe some nut with searching. I also get a fresh 'plant' smell that reminds me of paddling through lilly pads on a quiet river one summer about 10 years ago. Tastes fantastic. Starts strong with caramal and plays some hop characteristics before the caramel returns. Certainly too hoppy for the style, but it really works well on my hop-seeking tongue. I get just a bit of tannic in the flavor as well as some roasted malts. WTF hop is this...I know it...hmmm. As the beer goes down my throat, I get a mint hint followed by a noticable rising caramel sweet, that falls back away revealing at flatter version of the floral. This hop...it's got almost an oily quality that whisks away the liquid from my mouth after the swallow. Tettnanger. Has to be. Medium thick mouthfeel. What a great combination with the caramel sweetness. Glad I had the chance to try one of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2005 05:43:18 | More by mentor

GuinnessSmurf

Missouri

2.9/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pour looks almost identicle to the Christmas Ale. It is slightly more orange (as opposed to ruby color). Head is full.

Smell: Has a strange sugary nose - some how aged and musty. Very subtle overall.

Taste: The onset is very much like an Assam tea - very tea flavored throughout. The finish bitters up a bit, with a very sweet-sided hops.

Mouthfeel: This is a very thin bodied beer. It seems very watery, but not refreshing.

Drinkabilty: Not impressed. I still have 5 more of these...groan.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2005 07:53:34 | More by GuinnessSmurf

Zorro

California

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

Pours a hazy red brown brew.

Smell is malty and smoky with a clear scent of dark roasted malts. Faint sour scent here that that I think is from the dark roasted malt.

Taste is fairly malty and faintly sweet with caramel and chocolate taste. Solid bitter hop edge in the after taste but this is pretty well balanced.

Mouthfeel is good.

Nice and drinkable. I have had better Irish ale but not many and none recently. A solid drinkable brew that I do recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2005 02:12:40 | More by Zorro

granger10

Wisconsin

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

This beer pours a really strong dark auburn color with a medium head. I can barely see light through it, I like the appearance on this guy. Smell is strong and really toasty. Lots of toasted biscuit and caramel, almost too much for my liking but its still nice to have a pungent beer. Taste brings about really unique malt complexities. The toasted, roasted flavors are dominant but there seems to be a good mix of malts going along with it. It's very dry and lingering. Body is medium and holds the flavors well but there's too much dryness in here and too much roasted flavors. I'd like a little more malt sweetness or residual sugars and then a little more flavor from the hops. There's a slight bitterness from either the malts or grains but no unique hops step out. Some could really dig this beer, for me it's good but not anything better than that.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2005 16:56:09 | More by granger10

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

UnionMade

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a tawny amber, infused with a slight ochre hue. Great clarity, topped with a short cap of dense ivory foam. Good head retention, keeping a thin haze throughout the glass. The head leaves behind spattered blobs of lace. No complaints here.
The aroma features a surprisingly present hop profile. Fresh herbal/piney hopping introduces itself immediately, although well within bounds for the malt. Grainy, caramel maltiness forms the bulk of the aroma, a whisp of floral fruitiness and perhaps a touch of detergent-like soap in the background.
The flavor opens with toasty, grainy caramel malt. The malt maintains prominence throughout the sip, a bit of pear and plum esters in the middle, wih a pleasant fresh cracked graininess increasing into the finish. A bit of red grape adds the barest touch of sourness, adding some color to the hoppy background of the finish. Excellent herbal hopping, fresh in the way of your buddy's homebrew. Perhaps goldings? Whatever it is, I like it. The aftertaste is mostly caramel malt, with a brush of peach and plum fruitiness. Mild, easy going carbonation with a mellow, giving mouthfeel. Medium bodied.
A rather mild brew throughout, certainly a session style. The hopping goes well with the malty/grainy texture. I could certainly put back a few of these in one sitting without any complaints. Not the most complex brew that's ever been, but it's a damn fine choice for a pint or two.
Thanks to oldcrustacean for the bottle!!

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2004 03:20:37 | More by UnionMade

Rio

Kansas

3.38/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nice red/brown color, pours with a small bit of head that fades to the ring around the edges of the glass. Carbonation appears to have died down rather quickly. Seems to be a rather clean smell, nothing much that I can really pick out smellwise.

Bit of a malty taste, I think. Smooth feel to it, but a lack of the crisp carbonation feel that I find myself missing. A good beer. Not great, but good. I dunno if I'll pick it up specifically anymore, but I might put it in one of my build-a-six-packs again.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2004 05:24:09 | More by Rio

DPMomutant

Missouri

3.23/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This pours a straight amber red with a medium sized head that lasts a while. A little clinging there.

Smell is of mostly toasted malt. Not much else but that is very noticeable.

The taste is about the same as the smell with a little more bitterness in the end than I'd like.

The extra bitterness makes it a bit harder to get down, but the carbonation is nice and balanced.

This is a light enough beer to get a couple down but since it is otherwise unsensational, I wouldn't want more than that.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2004 05:07:06 | More by DPMomutant

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

jimdkc

Missouri

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

Color was dark amber... not very red for something calling itself a red ale! Soft, white head, about 1 fingers worth on a pretty agressive pour. Leaves a little lace on the glass. Aroma is pretty mild roasted malt and herbal hops. I was surprised that the taste was quite hoppy (especially considering that several other reviews here state little to no hop flavor!) I expect an Irish Red to be a little maltier and not quite so hoppy, but this was pretty good. Tastes more like a pale ale than a red ale. Decent mouthfeel. Clean, dry finish. Good drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2004 02:04:24 | More by jimdkc

soper2000

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

best when consumed by 7/18/2004

Pours a nice golden amber color with a small white head. Smell is pretty intense with notes of roasted malts and sweet caramel. The nose belies the taste. There is some malty sweetness but it's not overwhelming. This is a pretty faint tasting beer but it's solid. Mouthfeel is average as is drinkability. I like Goose Island and will continue to buy their products. This is a decent offering, not their best, but not their worst.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2004 00:12:17 | More by soper2000

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

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

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

Orangish amber with just a hint of red (Kilgubbin Orange Ale doesn't sound quite as good). The head is bone white and looks to be fairly sticky. The fact that a fair amount of it ends up on the glass in ragged sheets bears that out. The aroma is rather nice and is more hoppy than expected. It's orange peel fruity and a little spicy as well.

The flavor is enjoyable if not overly impressive (the beer improves as it warms and I've bumped the taste score to reflect that). The major elements are lightly toasted caramel malt, spicy rye and orange fruity hops. The malted rye is a nice touch, but I would have preferred more of it.

The beer stays pretty evenly balanced between malt and hops throughout the mouthful. The finish is short and is neither sweet nor dry. How about neutral? The body/mouthfeel is merely okay; I'd like something a bit bigger and more mouth pleasing.

Kilgubbin Red is a good, drinkable red ale. A few well-chosen tweaks from Goose Island could ease it into 'better than good' territory.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2004 18:07:50 | More by BuckeyeNation

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

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

oberon

North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep copper with reddish highlights aroma caramelly sweet with some light nuttiness.Taste is just about everything like in a beer biscuity and some caramel malt along with a great nuttiness.Way to drinkable I might have all six before the day is over the best Irish Red beer I have had to date.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2004 21:28:42 | More by oberon

SetarconeX

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tasty little brew, picked up on a recent trip to Chicago. Comes in a nifty, celtic themed bottle, though I'm not allowed ot give any points of that. A bit darker than some red ales I've seen, which is a good thing. The smell is pure malt through and through. Smell matches the taste, which is heavily malty, and without the hop bitterness that you seem to often get with this style. Likewise, it's a bit less harsh on the mouth than the average red ale.

A good beer, and probably the most easily quaffble red ale I've had. Much more malty than usual. It's a nice twist.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2004 19:50:38 | More by SetarconeX

Tballz420

Minnesota

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

This beer pours out a brown color, and has a white head on the top. Its scent is of roasted malts and a nice blend of hops. This translates over into its taste. I think a good way to describe it is what you would expect from a red ale, with a relatively good dose of hops, not overpowering, but influencial none-the-less.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2004 08:14:50 | More by Tballz420