Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale - Guinness Ltd.

dansmcd

Australia

3.45/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A - A clear cut head that is the softest, creamiest imaginable. The body is creamy to deep red in colour and darkens as the head settles. Consistent layer of lace envelopes the glass. Gorgeous.

S - Malt, caramel, grain.

T - Disappointingly plain and diluted. Not unpleasant but lacking in flavour. No hop bitterness at all and faint biscuit and caramel in the malt.

M - Beautifully velvety smooth and creamy.

O - Nothing big or complex about this but a real looker and ice-cream smooth for what that's worth and perfectly sessionable.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-27-2011 13:11:44 | More by dansmcd

NatalBrewingCo

South Africa

3.75/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Purchased in Durban South Africa. Tall nitro-can poured into a Guinness glass.

a - Pours a dark ruby/brown color with a lovely cream head.

s - Very muted smell but with hints of roasted malt and caramel.

t - Roasted malts and caramel. Mellow and creamy finish. Earthy notes but with a slightly metallic tinge that may be attributed to the can.

m - Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Very smooth.

o - Very pleasant and drinkable macro-beer. Definitely one of the best imports available in South Africa, and worth the price. This is the first time I've had it in the nitro-can, although it still came off rather well I would still prefer draught.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-18-2011 23:42:15 | More by NatalBrewingCo

jsprain1

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Pours a solidly red color with slightly brown note. Head is that nice nitro fine bubbled three finger froth.
S- Smell is pleasant, but virtually nonexistant. Earthy with a lightly caramalized presence.
T- The taste is lightly caramel, some earthyness nad a faint toast character.
M- The mouthfeel is that nice smooth creamyness that comes from a nitro tap. Light in body, smooth all the way.
O- It's easy drinking, but the depth and volume of flavor is not there.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-16-2011 01:04:32 | More by jsprain1

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

440 mL Nitro Can with an indecipherable canning date poured into a flared pint glass.

A: There is not too much better than a nitro'ed beer to look at. Thick, rich creamy white head with tons of lacing. The body is brownish red and clear, though without much carbonation left.
S: Fairly subdued nose, though with a bit of vegetal on it. This is the bane of nitro'ed beers. The thick head releases next to no aroma...
T: Surprisingly good. Light caramel notes with a hint of sweetness coupled with light earthy hop flavours that are well paired. A well balanced beer.
M: Creamy and smooth. Incredibly low carbonation. Light lingering sweetness.
O: Save the missing and vegetal nose a winner for what it is. I wasn't expecting much and it delivered above expectations.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-11-2011 01:17:36 | More by kjyost

Preismj

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

beautiful pour on this...nice brown amber body with minimal bubbles popping from the floor of the glass, but the head is rich and creamy. Looks like a frother took hold of some good heaving whipping cream and laid it on the top. Sits throughout the entire drink and even when it's gone. Beautiful look to it.

Smell is blocked slightly by the heavy head, but there are hints of mild roasted malt. Taste is low key. Barley, wheat, roasted smokey flavors pop hear and there. Hints remind of guiness...slightly coffee flavoring. The feel is what does it for this brew. Incredibly rich and creamy thick feel in the mouth. Little to no carb from the base of the beer, but my goodness every sip captures some of the huge head on top and it is like a nice iced coffee that has been frothed. Overall, a nice cream ale. Really lives up to in on the feel, but could certainly use a bit more in the flavor and smell department...especially with the lack of carbonation in the beer itself.

Serving type: can

09-10-2011 21:02:21 | More by Preismj

gtermi

Texas

3.58/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Had it in San Antonio and fell in love with it. It's not the greatest beer ever, but very smooth, has a Guinness type feel drinking it. It is very hard to find so when I find it again, I will def get it. I enjoyed this beer and wish they had it in cans or bottles around me.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2011 06:57:08 | More by gtermi

gskitt

New York

3.5/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This was a pleasant surprise. In Montreal sampling as many as I could find and stumbled along this Irish red. Pours a reddish amber, some lacing along the sides of the glass. Smell is faint but smells malty, even spicy. Taste is of malty sweetness, drinkable and mouthfeel is creamy enough. There was nothing really spectacular about this beer but it was a solid drinkable brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2011 17:56:11 | More by gskitt

rcfunk

Texas

3.85/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

This beer has a special place in my heart. I am looking at it through rose colored glasses so I don't think this review is objective.

When I was an exchange student as a teenager, my friends and I would sit around and drink this beer in an Irish Pub in Madrid. This is the beer that made me love beer. I spent years searching for it in the US and they just started to import it recently into Texas. I have one whenever I see it on draft.

I believe this beer is the purest example of the distinction between a red ale and an amber ale. This distinction is the use of roasted malted barley in the mash but no crystal malt. As a result the beer is very dry.

Yeah, so have a Kilkenny.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-19-2011 16:39:05 | More by rcfunk

clayrock81

Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a lovely two-finger frothy head that died ever so slow on top of a brownish body. Very mild aroma of citric, bitter hops and sweet malts, but almost non-existent. While it is somewhat smooth and creamy, it can also be said to be almost watery. Very little hop or sweet malt tastes; just kinda goes over the tongue w/ a little noise and finishes easy. It was an alright beer to sip on at the pub while playing darts w/ my buddies but nothing else to say other than an average beer at best.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2011 16:42:04 | More by clayrock81

rvdoorn

Netherlands

3.8/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Look: The beer pours a brown-orange color with a nice light-brown head
Smell: Malts, toffee, caramel and some nuts
Taste: malts, caramel, toffee, butter and toast. Dry and nutty aftertaste
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, full bodied
Overall: Nice drink for pubquiz

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 14:38:08 | More by rvdoorn

Macca

Australia

3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This pours a dark mahogany red with a dense slightly off white head. Clear.

The nose is malty but certainly not as strong as I expected. I'm getting a confectionary note as well.

The malts are there on the palate but again lighter than expected. Slight sweetness but bitterness kicks in to balance it out.

Quite thin mouthfeel for what it is.

How disappointing. I drank a bit of this years ago and thought it was good but not anymore.

Serving type: nitro-can

07-22-2011 10:45:29 | More by Macca

alleykatking

Indiana

2.7/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured off nitro-tap.

A- Poured a coppery amber color. Nitro pour gives a nice 2 finger cream colored head that shows good retention. The overall head looks a little fake like most nitro pours. There was a ton of sheet style lacing.

S- Light aroma of roasted malts in the front with hints of nuts as well. Caramel malts also play a part toward the middle to ending. Light alcohol aroma lingers with a very light hopping of Euro hops.

T- Roasted malts in the front of the beer gives way to light caramel malts right behind it. Middle of the beer shows off a darker fruit flavor that is light overall. The ending of the beer is more or less caramel malts blending with a nutty flavor. Ending of the beer shows a bitter hop bite and almost no alcohol at all.

M- Light mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. Roasted malts and caramel malts are left on the palate. Aftertaste is caramel and roasted malts with light nutty flavors that blend with alcohol. Flavors overall were balanced well for the style. No off flavors were present while drinking this one. Light alcohol drying on the palate.

O- This beer is light everywhere except in the appearance. A interesting beer for the fact that I didn't expect much of this and it delivered a little more than I thought it would.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-28-2011 06:52:34 | More by alleykatking

DCon

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on-tap @ Johnny Haran's in Chicago, IL for $5. Tapped into a Miller Lite Pint Glass from a Kilkenny Tap Handle and enjoyed this only because I had to charge my phone and we were parked next to this venue! :)

Aroma- Huge malt aroma, fresh, and can smell the creamy attributes that will be taking place in the drink. Very mild and faint.

Appearance- Received with a 2 finger, creamy head that stays for a good time. The body is a reddish/amber color wit huge lace that coats the sides.

Flavor- Has a very sweet malt taste and is creamy all the way through the drink. A low bitterness finishes this drink off.

Mouthfeel- Medium-Full Bodied, Medium Carbonation, and leaves a sharp bite of malt on the palate.

Overall Impression- I wasn't ready for this Irish Red Ale to be so good! It was an easy drinking beer and almost felt like there should have been some futbol game in front of me while drinking it. Had good attributes all-around and since I had everything else on-tap, this was a fun one to go.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 20:51:48 | More by DCon

fountainofyouth

District of Columbia

2.73/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

On nitro-tap at a pub in Alexandria, VA.

A: Not great. Darkish amber. Two-finger head that leaves some lacing.

S: Light malty aroma with no hops.

T: Disappointingly little malt flavor. Hints of toffee and not much else. Light hops taste, and balanced overall.

M: Head is creamy and smooth, like nitro-poured stout should be. Medium-bodied with little carbonation.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-25-2011 01:50:46 | More by fountainofyouth

kojevergas

California

3.75/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

.33cl bottle into an An Brainblasta goblet in Belfort, France. It's a bit strange reviewing here since Ireland's me home, but I never saw her out of the bottle back in the auld country. She was always nitro-can or draught. Reviewed live.

A: A biteen over two fingers of head, with light cream, fair thickness, and fair retention. Semitransparent gold colour. She's different than she is in the auld country.

Sm: Cream, caramel, amber hops, and even slight dark fringe esters I never quite picked up before. Doth mine broken nose deceive me?

T: Heavy creamed caramel, cream, amber hops, slight toffee (even!), and curbed dark fringe esters that are very subtle. Hard to place their particular nature, anyway. Complex for the style (WHICH IS IRISH CREAM ALE, YE BASTARDS!), and very well balanced and built.

Mf: Delightfully silky creamy smooth and wet. Extremely refreshing. Gloriously refreshing. Very complementary of the flavours of the body. Sadly, it does begin to approach the beginning of the realm of overly thick. Got to keep that in check, lads.

Dr: Average or below average ABV depending on your perspective, extremely drinkable, and a great price in France. You won't find it out of the bottle back home. Tastes a bit different (especially those damned esters!), but still of course a welcome beer anytime. You owe it to yourself to give it a go, especially if she's off the draught.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 23:17:36 | More by kojevergas

lespaulrocker

Tennessee

2.6/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served on tap at a Scottish style pub in Victoria, BC.

A: Amber, two fingers of white, creamy head. Very nice and inviting. Very heavy lacing.

S: Lots of malts. Not a lot else.

T: Watery. Malty. A little sweetness. Not impressed.

M: Creamy, light carbonation, light body.

It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either. I wish I'd gone with one of the local brews also served on-tap but I felt like I needed to try something from across the pond at a Scottish pub. I won't seek this out again.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-20-2011 16:43:31 | More by lespaulrocker

beertunes

Washington

3.18/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in bubble pint. The cascade took a good long while to settle, leaving over an inch of white head that had the expected retention and lacing of a nitro brew.

The aroma was a subdued grain malt scent and just a hint of yeast. The flavor was the same, pleasantly neutral. The body was nice, full and smooth. Drinkabilty was good, the went nicely enough. Overall, a decent, if unspectacular, beer. Worth trying if you see it, probably not worth seeking out.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-05-2011 22:11:57 | More by beertunes

Otterburn

Quebec (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

440ml nitrocan
The serving opération is similar to a guinness
After a few minutes, we have the big white head that stick to the glass. The color is rousse/amber just like Maple sirup. No carbonation in the brew. All in the head.

It smell caramal and barley, but not very present and not that inviting.

Taste is good theres elements of caramal and Some cereals but its a bit weak.

This beer is watery flat and not that creamy like a guinness
It feels an average irish cream ale.

Overall its not bad, very easy to drink but not the most exciting!

Serving type: nitro-can

05-13-2011 01:19:13 | More by Otterburn

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Looks like a red Guinness. The color was a very nice looking clear amber. The head was creamy thick and white from the nitro. The aroma had some sweet malts in there not a whole lot else going on in the way of smell. The taste was very smooth and had some hearty malts in there. The mouthfeel was light and had no carbonation. This beer went down like water to me. I could have drank several of these without any issue for sure. A very nice Irish Red here. Enjoyed it fully.

Serving type: nitro-tap

05-07-2011 23:16:02 | More by Knapp85

redsonja

Netherlands

2.75/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A; red brown nice white head

S; malt

T; bitter,malty,some caramel

M; the bitter stays in your mouth

O; malty ale not that exciting but a nice beer after work. a tipical irish red ale with low alocohol. i like the american styls better more taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 08:25:31 | More by redsonja

ghetto90007

California

3.55/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on nitro-tap at a mediocre "Irish pub" in Long Beach. Served in a Kilkenny pint glass.

Pours a copper to red-brown color. I just love the look of the nitrogen working through a beer like this. Beautiful, silky off-white head, a finger and a half thick. Spectacular lacing on the glass. This beer looks so good.

Scents of malt, dry save a slight caramel aroma, mild bitterness. Fairly subdued aromas.

A malty sweetness mixed with caramel, which gives it a little bit of depth, but very soft flavors here. Some balancing from the bitter finish of the hops, but it's really gentle. The sweetness gently rises back to the surface in the follow.

Super-soft mouth feel, body is moderate, carbonation is there but gentle due to the nitro.

Fairly gentle, drinkable beer. I'm a sucker for just about anything decent on nitro-tap.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-10-2011 01:32:19 | More by ghetto90007

marty21

Manitoba (Canada)

2.65/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A: Pours a clear amber with golden hints with two fingers worth of white creamy head. Settles to a thick head and covers the whole glass with foam.

S: Not much for the aroma. A bit of malt but otherwise there's nothing there.

T: A light malty taste. The taste is quite watery. I find drinking faster you get a bit more taste otherwise there's not much there.

M: Light carbonation with a light watery body.

O: I just don't enjoy these nitro cans. Not that the nitro can had anything to do with the lack of aroma and taste. But they just seem to watery for me. Not something I'd recommend. The appearance is the only good part.

Serving type: nitro-can

04-04-2011 02:39:32 | More by marty21

tjsdomer2

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Cool color. Red in the light, dark brown out of it. Good foam.

Smell: Burnt caramel malt. Not sure if that is intentional...

Taste/Mouthfeel: This tastes too burnt. It has potential with the brown sugar and caramel flavor, but it's too much. Mouthfeel is good overall. Creamy!

Drinkability: Average by Irish standards.

Overall: I guess I just don't like this style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2011 05:51:22 | More by tjsdomer2

Dawkfan

Alberta (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this one on St Patty's day.

I'll admit that I'm a fan of the nitro widget can, this is alright on tap as well and was one of the beers that got me into craft brews.

A- After the cascading effect clears I'm left with an amber colored ale with really good clarity. No carbonation visible. Extremly thick and creamy looking white head that never goes away.

S- Hard to get much aroma through the dense head. Some bready malt and faint hops. It smells kind of sweet too.

T- Muted flavors as well. Again bready malt and some sweetness, bit of spicy hops in the backend.

M- It feels exactly how it looks, CREAMY!! Medium bodied & low carbonation.

O- It is what it is, alright! It's St Patricks day afterall! Great appearance & mouthfeel is what this beer is all about, there's nothing off putting. I've got a soft spot for this one.

Serving type: nitro-can

03-19-2011 21:20:20 | More by Dawkfan

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a nice copper/amber colour to it. It has a nice creamy off-white head that dies down slowly and has nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitly give out hints of roasted malts, caramely notes and a bit of hops.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a roasted malt taste to it with slight caramely notes and some fruity notes. The hops also add a bit of bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel: It has a low carbonation and has a slight watery taste.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavours and aromas. It's an overall worthy beer.

Happy St. Patty's Day everyone!

Serving type: nitro-can

03-18-2011 02:28:58 | More by SebD