Irish Red Ale - Garrison Brewing Company

Long813

Nova Scotia (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a deep red clear body with two fingers of thin white bubbly head. Retention is good and lacing is pleasing.

S: Aromas are not to strong. Some grainy hops and sweet caramel malts.

T: Clean notes of caramel malts with some interesting grainy hops.

M: Light bodied with medium carbonation. Texture is smooth and water like with some odd grainy aftertaste.

O: One of my more enjoyable Garrison brews. It's very easy to drink and enjoy, but not lacking to much character.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 03:16:25 | More by Long813

Yoozeo

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%

01-03-2013 20:09:00 | More by Yoozeo

cfalovo97

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -10.7%

11-06-2012 15:22:11 | More by cfalovo97

djcreepshow

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +19%

10-21-2012 22:03:38 | More by djcreepshow

Idrankthat

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +11.6%

10-13-2012 04:26:54 | More by Idrankthat

bcrocker

Nova Scotia (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%

10-06-2012 20:00:54 | More by bcrocker

CurtisD

New Brunswick (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +26.5%

09-07-2012 02:35:45 | More by CurtisD

Mdez

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I tried one of these while on a vacation to their brewery in Halifax in August 2012. Compared to the few reds I've had, this was a pretty pedestrian offering; nothing offensive yet nothing to write home about. I found myself wishing I'd ordered something else instead and that's kind of disappointing.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2012 20:22:04 | More by Mdez

PJ1

3.75/5  rDev +11.6%

05-16-2012 15:52:01 | More by PJ1

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

3.03/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a clear pale copper with a finger width of foamy off-white head.

Smell - Grains, grass, hint of apple.

Taste - Caramel malts with grassy flavours and that hint of apple and tea. Not much else to describe in this brew.

Mouthfeel - Light-to-medium bodied with light carbonation. Dry finish.

Overall - A standard Irish Red by Garrison. It hits the mark on some of the style's traits, such as dry finish and tea-like flavour, but otherwise does not offer much else new.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 03:39:17 | More by leaddog

Ivanhoes_Backpack

New Brunswick (Canada)

3/5  rDev -10.7%

04-02-2012 17:38:41 | More by Ivanhoes_Backpack

Skizem

New Brunswick (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +33.9%

12-23-2011 22:30:19 | More by Skizem

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +19%

12-11-2011 22:59:43 | More by hopsolutely

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a deep chestnut brown borderline ruby red with a big amount of frothy white foam that slowly faded leaving some lacing
S - aroma is faint but nice, some nice caramel malts with just a hint of roastiness
T - taste is alot of burnt caramel with a slightly metallic taste. There are some notable grassy hops that leave a small amount of bitterness in the finish. Nice flavor, but the metallic flavor makes me knock this one down a bit.
M - crisp carbonation, medium bodied with a dry finish
D - decent flavor, probably my least favorite so far by Garrison but still enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 04:42:14 | More by mikereaser

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours a clear copper with a finger of sticky looking, light orange-tan head.

Smell. Strawberries, melon, caramel, and some toasty grains.

Taste. Sweet caramel malt and pears. A little grassy hops in the end. Finishes pretty clean and sweetness isn`t offensive. A little watery.

Mouthfeel. Light body with medium carbonation.

Overall. I liked this. Light and refreshing with nice hints of fruit.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 18:48:00 | More by Rutager

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - clear red-brown with a thumb of tan head, dissipated slowly
S - caramel and roasted nuts, leafy hops and some alcohol sweetness
T - molasses malt with a dry leafy hop note, a little nutty, buttery and sweet finish
M - lightly creamy and quickly drys out, very dry finish
D - maybe not a session beer but could definitely enjoy a couple

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 04:39:37 | More by joemcgrath27

spree92

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.05/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This darker amber/red ale pours with a light skimming of a head. An aroma of nutty malts and earthy hops both stick out. Very small amount of carbonation is noted in the glass, but it is more noticeable on the tongue. A sharp bite. I find this to be an Irish Dry Red, if that is even a category, as that is how it leaves my mouth, sticky also. Overall, a typical beer for the price and for what I was expecting.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 01:22:07 | More by spree92

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.38/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a nice dark copper colour, finger of bubbly head with little retention and no real lacing.

S - Pretty mild, reminiscent of an ESB with musty caramel and grassy hops.

T - Similar to the scent, the musty caramel and grassy hops dominate, though come through slightly metallic. Bitterness presence is strong with some leafy hops lingering on the finish.

M - Medium bodied, big bubbled on the way down and finishes with a touch of dryness.

O - Overall a tasty red ale with some ESB characteristics. Worth a try, but nothing spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 17:40:57 | More by andrenaline

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

2.98/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From a variety 6-pack, in a 341 ml brown bottle. Pours out a clear deep russet amber, thin creamy off-white head.

Nutty caramel sweetness on the nose, faint tinge of leafy hops.

Something of a worty sweetness in the flavour, mild notes of nuttiness with mild spicy and herbal hops on the finish and which lingers on into the aftertaste.

Medium-bodied mouthfeel, smooth with a bit of a creamy texture, moderate carbonation.

Sweet and somewhat generic, doesn't really stand out for the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 01:07:25 | More by IronDjinn

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.2/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

341ml, the final soldier in the Garrison mixed pack.

This beer pours a clear medium copper hue, with one finger of tight foamy off-white head, which leaves a consistent ring of drooping lace around the glass as it recedes. It smells of sweet toffee/caramel malt, and a mildly stringent mineral character. The taste is stale bread and caramel, and a bitter, almost metallic alcohol edge, without the warming. I also get a bit of earthy, weedy hops. The carbonation is moderate, and somewhat spritzy, the body medium-light in weight, and leaning well towards smooth. It finishes off-dry, the maltiness still presiding over some latent herbal hops.

An Irish Ale with an identity problem - it maintains the big, enjoyable malt base, but the other off flavours, at times, push the low-rent brew boundaries. Still easy enough to drink, but not all night...

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 00:57:25 | More by biboergosum

socon67

New York

2.98/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Color is reddish amber with minimal foam. The smell has some sweetness of caramel. The taste I found a little disappointing. It seemed diluted to me. none of the tastes seemed all that strong.

The red has a smooth finish and I could see this being drinkable. This was not one of my favorite irish reds by any stretch, but it is still a decent beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2010 20:38:19 | More by socon67

PEIBeerGuy

Prince Edward Island (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A darker-than-medium copper+amber+red. It starts with one finger of head that's gone not long after I got into it.

It smells like a bit of toffee, and a bit of that iron/metallic flavour/scent from some beers, especially reds.

The taste is pretty good. Expected "red" flavour... a bit of that toffee... just a slight bit. Malts come through... a little earthy.

The finish, right after you swallow, is a bit bitter, but it doesn't seem too out of place. It's OK. Although it's somewhat creamy / smooth, that bitter finish somehow makes it seem a bit watery... either that, or a watery feel kicks in at the same time.

If it was my university years again, a pitcher of this for me would be just fine at the pub. Pretty drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2010 17:59:51 | More by PEIBeerGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle: Poured a light red/amber color ale with a medium foamy head with average retention and not much lacing. Aroma of dry caramel malt with light cereal notes and some residual sugar. Taste is also dominated by dry caramel malt with light sweet notes and no discernible hops. Body is a bit light with OK carbonation. Decent but a bit too bland to be truly interesting even as a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 02:33:00 | More by Phyl21ca

berley31

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.08/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Poured with hardly any head at all, and what was there was gone within seconds. Body is completely clear and a really nice ruby red color.

S: Just like the Raspberry Wheat, there seems to be a slight alcohol smell coming through, which is weird. Mostly, though, sweet maltiness is apparent, along with a slight fruitiness to the whole thing.

T: Sweet at first... but then it ends with a slight bite of bitterness which isn't very pleasant. Almost astringent, or something. There's also a bit of smokiness to this beer, which is kind of unusual. Overall, it's not terrible, but it's not balanced very well.

M: Light bodied, thin-creamy texture, with average carbonation that seems a little bit too high for the style.

D: Not terrible, but not very smooth. The odd things about this beer likely won't make me buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2009 14:44:56 | More by berley31

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

341ml bottle poured into pint glass dec1 2009

A red crossed with copper with a small amount of slow rising carbonation and two fingers worth of off white head that has average retention and leaves lace while it lasted

S a little earthy with some caramel and mild hops

T a little nutty compared to the smell but not far from it other then that

M medium bodied with a little bite and it's smooth enough to satisfy

D not a bad beer overall and worth trying

not the best red ale I've had but nothing to be ashamed of either. thanks again Long813 for this one yet another worthy beer from the other side of Canada

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2009 04:06:13 | More by wordemupg