Dragonmead Erik The Red - Dragonmead Microbrewery

SeanSweeney

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

Excellent appearance, beautiful brick red in color with inch thick head. Head retention is lower than average. Heavy malt flavors tasting only a slight bitterness on the tail end. This is my first in depth review and I drank it the night before not currantly just based on memory.

Pairing: best with hot wings, I advise against nachos, jalapeños overpower the beer yet the wings did not.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2013 00:59:22 | More by SeanSweeney

superspak

Michigan

2.58/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, no bottle dating. Giant hiss upon opening and a long pour with tons of head; looks like I got yet another infected Dragonmead. Pours very hazy and cloudy red copper color with a flufffy 2 finger light khaki head with great retention that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Spotty foamy lacing on the glass, with an insane amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big raisin, cherry, caramel, toffee, light toast, brown sugar, bread, and light herbal hops. Pretty nice malty aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of raisin, cherry, prune, caramel, molasses, toast, brown sugar, earthy spiciness, and light herbal hops. Light earthy fruit tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark fruits, caramel, molasses, toast, earth, and herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Mediocre flavor with some astringent off flavors; and moderate cloying on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a slick, syrupy, and slightly grainy mouthfeel that is a bit unpleasant. Alcohol is well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a poor Irish red ale. Flavors are off balanced and cloying; and this was difficult to finish because of the cloying. Dragonmead needs to get their quality fixed, as I have gotten 3 singles that were infected.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 05:27:10 | More by superspak

Mavigo

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the red fox pub in royal oak. Served in a pint.

A: Is a clear amber-orange color, with a short off white head with small amounts of lacing.

S: Can smell hops, citrus peels, wheat and grains, brown sugars

T: Sweet, hops, wheat and bread, mellow flavors to begin with, ending with a slightly bitter finish

M: Fairly well balanced in terms of carbonation and flavor, smooth light body

O: It was alright, average beer for an average price, I guess I wouldn't mind having it again but it's not something I would seek out for.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2012 17:29:50 | More by Mavigo

punky796

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a glass at O'Mara's Irish Restaurant in Berkley.

A - Dark amber-red with minimal head and lacing.

S - Light and hoppy, with some fruit flavor, mostly apple.

T - Pretty sweet taste, not as hop-centric as I was expecting. Has an Earthy feel to it.

M - Fresh without leaving a lot of aftertaste or bitterness, which I might expect from this style. Enough carbonation to keep it lively.

O - Overall a pretty good red, but there's better out there.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2012 05:50:19 | More by punky796

jsisko01

Michigan

4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a dark copper/amber color with a very thin head and not much lacing.

Smell - Very sweet.. with toasted malts, hoppy, and a floral scent. Has a slight fruity aroma as well

Taste - Toasted malts, not so hoppy, and very sweet and tarty. It's very fruity but I can't decipher what kind. Apple, cherry, or strawberry? I don't know.. Has somewhat of a floral character also.

Mouthfeel - Light bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall - I was surprised by the flavor of this beer.. I thought it was going to be a typical amber ale. It's very good. It's not far off from a wine cooler though.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 23:19:28 | More by jsisko01

tectactoe

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

On tap at the Town Pump in Detroit. Pours a deep copper with a slight red hue to it. Small beige head formed on the top, leaving very little lacing on the way down. The initial smell is a nice combination fruity and malty, not many hoppy or floral scents. It was hard to get a good nose from the start, had to wait until it warmed up a bit to really decipher it. The strongest flavor that comes out is a tart red apple that is present the whole way through the beer. As it warmed up, I could taste a slightly warm, cinnamon spice coming through, which complimented the fruitiness quiet well. The body was light-medium, not too sticky or wet, with medium carbonation.

When all is said and done, it's a nice red beer for a cool fall day, but there are many better reds out there.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2012 14:17:48 | More by tectactoe

kylehay2004

Florida

3.03/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Enjoyed at the brewery. Single finger head with nice lacing on a clear amber body. Caramel and toasted malts with light strawberry and herbal aroma notes. Flavor is plain and undermalted with a slight earthy and herbal hop note. lighter body than expected for the style and moderate carbonation. Many of these brews are boring and undermalted, expecially the red ales.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2012 00:05:20 | More by kylehay2004

Abel25

3.23/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Very smooth. Mild taste with little aftertaste. Nice golden color with red hues. Thick head finger and a half high.

Apple taste is interesting, confusing even. Very interesting flavor.

Brewery is nearby. I look forward to sampling a few Dragonmeade beers fresh.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2012 23:50:01 | More by Abel25

morimech

Minnesota

2.55/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Murky, dark amber color with two fingers of head that had very good retention. The head settles to a thick cap. Just a little lacing is left on the glass.

Smells like a run-of-the-mill amber ale. A lot of caramel malt with hints of apple and citrus.

Not a big fan of the flavor. Very sweet with an odd green apple flavor. Slightly acidic as well. Not sure what they were going for here.

A bigger body would of been nice but fine the way it is for a 5% ABV beer. Decent carbonation.

Hard to get excited for this beer. Some off flavors going on here but they seem to be intended. Glad I just have the one bottle.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 21:36:37 | More by morimech

FanofHefe

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No dating on the bottle or label; pours a clear, light amber color with a bit of red hue. Very carbonated, with a three finger tan head, but it dissipates very quickly and leaves nearly no lacing.

Interesting aroma featuring some caramel malt and a note of citrus hops. Not overpowering or complex, but plesant enough.

The flavor is much more tart than I would have expected from the aroma. Tart apple/cherry is prominent along with the sweet malt.

Light mouthfeel with a tangy finish. Not something I would drink every day, but an interesting spin on a red ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 22:43:39 | More by FanofHefe

EricCioe

Montana

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

This pours a particulate-laden deep red with a small sandy head rising and falling leaving no lace. On the nose there is pine tar and a good deal of caramel malt. It smells like a couple of pretty sticky things. In the mouth, there is a nice citric flavor that is almost but not quite out of place. It's more like a great addition to a nice malt base. Surprisingly it's not a very sticky body, almost light, which I guess given the ABV is no surprise. The finish is medium and it's the citric acid that hangs on longest.

Overall, this is a fine but maybe undistinguished red ale. It sort of cements Dragonmead in my mind as a fine but maybe undistinguished brewery with the exception of Final Absolution.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 02:42:34 | More by EricCioe

brentk56

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrives at the bar with a clear amber color and a modest head that leaves shards of lacing

Smell: Caramel and raisin

Taste: Opens with the caramel and raisin from the aroma which produces a flavor that is vaguely reminiscent of spice cake; by mid-palate, earthy hop flavors add balance but the finish is malty, with a bit of vanilla added to the spice cake, producing more of a bread pudding character

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Refreshing and much more flavorful than expected for the style

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2011 02:36:52 | More by brentk56

AllensMtClemens

Michigan

4.45/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Good pouring, brilliant red/amber hue, not too much head. Great aroma, has a distinct "heavy" smell. Some carbonation, but not enough to "bite." Very refreshing, one of the best darker beers I've had for the summer. Not a lot of sweetness, quite dry, but still fresh tasting. Clean finish, almost a lemon/bitter aroma at the finish, it was there, and now it is gone.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2011 18:59:07 | More by AllensMtClemens

bierenutz

Michigan

3.33/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a murky brownish red color and literally a foam bomb. Couldn't pour slow enough to avoid a glass more of head than beer.
S-Sweet molasses and brown sugar aroma with hops and malt as the second team.
T-Roasted malts with dark fruit and fig flavors.
M-Way, way overcarbonated which distracted me too much from the flavor of this beer.
D-Not a bad tasting beer overall but just too over the top with the carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 01:53:56 | More by bierenutz

MIMicrobrews

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours a beautiful cloudy deep amber with a slight head (after a fairly aggressive pour) that dissipates quickly. Definitely not aromatically challenged. I get a very pleasant & mellow malt essence with a tinge of sweet. It has a good meaty scent to it, but it's not piercing my nostrils; already, it seems balanced and tasty, and that's coming from my nose. The taste is nice, dry & crisp. Light to the sense, yet packed with malt-flavored goodness. It's a fine mix, as some ambers pack on the flavor, and the density; whereas this brew almost drinks like a lager, but yet has plenty of girth to back it up as an Irish ale. I love how there's a hint of sweet and a slight bitterness, yet it's almost like they mask each other. There's a 'bready-ness' to the taste that allows each flavor to blend and create its own taste. The aftertaste is a nice lingering malt sensation. It hits the back of my throat in a refreshing way and sits there until the next sip. I get a nice hint of bitterness in the end.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2010 21:55:39 | More by MIMicrobrews

paco1029384756

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep amber color with almost not head and a thin ring of lacing.

Scent of caramel, a hint of cherries, and tobacco. A bit too juicy, but still pretty good.

Taste of caramel, bread, a hint of cherries; not bad at all. While it isn't great, this is something I could drink again if I was in the mood for the style.

Mouthfeel is light bodied with a small amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2009 00:32:44 | More by paco1029384756

WakeandBake

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A hazy amber pour,with two fingers of soapy white head.Aroma of bread, toasted malt and herbal hops.Flavor is sort of a toasty ,piny,nutty,and herbal hops,medium sweetness, A sweet honey type finish.Thin mouthfeel,kind of a watery body, drinkable but nothing special

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 01:23:47 | More by WakeandBake

SammyDavisJrJrJr

Illinois

2.05/5  rDev -41.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Picked up on Vacation to the greatest beer state in America, Michigan!

A - Standard amber ale - light amber body, tan head.

S - Lots of hops in this aroma, spicy, fruity, and earthy. Seem to dominate any atempts from the malt to contribute...

T - Kinda weak in the mouth. Watery in the finish, with just a slight amout of fruityness and dryness. Some mild carmel malt sweetness in the entry.

M - Good carbonation, weak body...

D - I hate to say it, but this was not good. The fruitiness I noted reminded me of young homebrew. Love to try this on tap, and see if that helps with the conditioning. Weak body, weak flavor. Still looking forward to try more from these guys though...

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2008 15:37:49 | More by SammyDavisJrJrJr

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Grabbed a single from Bello Vino for $2.49

This beer is unlike the few other Irish reds I've had, in fact it reminds me more of a Scottish ale, but I suppose they can be fairly similar. While it had a standard red, with white head, appearance, the aroma and flavor, especially, came off as dry, thin caramel malts with some bready flavor mixed in. The yeast seemed to add a creamy note as well, but the malts carried this beer. Tasty and drinkable, worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2008 13:47:59 | More by tempest

emerge077

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a small 8 oz. chalice glass. Creamy eggshell tan foam, high clarity reddish orange body.

Whiff of sweet toasted cereal grains.

Fairly sweet malt flavor is predominant, faint earthy hop note in the background. Muted citrus, with a light astringency. Lower carbonation, bit of a watery finish. A decent Irish Red, not one i'd seek out, but an adequate beer.

$2.69 single at Sicilianos.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2008 01:30:18 | More by emerge077

drxandy

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Michigan micro's night at reno's west in Lansing, MI :D
12oz to ale glass, pours a golden/amber red, overtly foamy (old bottle?), super carbonation, nice lacing of bubbles

smells of malts, sweet, slight bitterness, not a lot out front distinguishable

tastes crisp, sweet, malty, nicely carbonated, appley, very nice representation of style, head retention is really good, nice bitterness

mouthfeel is nice, good weight, good flavor, and very sessionable - a great irish red!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2008 18:24:43 | More by drxandy

barleysangel

Ohio

3.33/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer was a golden reddish color. It was nice and clear, no cloudyless here. It had a sweet smell, yet the beer was not sweet at all. The mouthfeel was dry. I mostly liked this one. I do like my Ambers. When I had this beer it was 4.5ABV, not 5.
I would order again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2008 22:49:02 | More by barleysangel

jeremyd365

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a dark reddish copper with minimal head. It really didn't have much smell to it at all, so I was especially surprised with the flavor of this one's! It had a pretty strong flavor with a very sweet finish which I believe was honey. It was a very drinkable beer which I will want to definitely try again.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2008 01:49:38 | More by jeremyd365

alexgash

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Auburn copper body, clear, with a finger of fizzyish, dirty light khaki head. Sweet caramelly malts over toasted nuts, light brown sugar, and soapy, floral hops. Lightly toasted malt and grains up front. Mildly sweet caramel and cola flavors gradually turn sourish. Finish is slightly tart with hints of herbal and citrus hops. Moderate body with a rather fizzy feel. Not bad, but not one of my favorite Dragonmead brews.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2007 22:14:44 | More by alexgash

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.85/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dragonmead describes Erik the Red as 'an Irish style red (amber) beer'. While that might be confusing in terms of style, it's accurate in terms of color. The beer is a mixture of red and amber that results in dark orange with an infusion of brick red. The sand colored cap is attractive and graces the glass with an extensive lace display when it eventually fades.

The beer smells sweet and caramel malty with more hops than Irish reds usually deliver. A spicy-citric quality might have caused me to guess Chinook, even if the brewery's website hadn't told me so prior to crown cracking.

Too bad Erik the Red (the beer) doesn't take after Erik the Red (the legendary pillaging Viking) where the taste buds are concerned. Given the style and the ABV, I probably don't have a right to expect a huge amount of boldness. It would be great, though, because I like what I taste.

The flavor profile consists of moderately toasted malt, apple slices dipped in buttery caramel and citrus zest. Sweet blends into tart blends into bitter (none of them overbearing) as each mouthful progresses. Thankfully, warming turns up the flavor knob a click or two, making the taste score an easy call.

Although there's nothing really wrong with the mouthfeel, I'd like to see a bit more heft. That might be too much to ask of a 5.0% ale, but then I call 'em like I see 'em. With more malt (and more hops, of course), this would be outstanding beer.

Maybe it's because I haven't had an Irish red in a while, but I like this one more than I expected to. If Erik the Red (Irish Style Amber Ale) is representative of what Dragonmead has to offer, I'm looking forward to the handful of other singles that I was able to find on my recent trip through southern Michigan.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2007 14:05:12 | More by BuckeyeNation