Brian Boru Old Irish Red - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

Brenden

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Let me preface this by saying it's pretty much exactly what I'd expect from FFF. It's a tough call between style guidelines and what these guys do it, but I suppose I'd just call it an amplification of sorts. If Nugget Nectar can be an "imperial" red, why not?

From the tap, this High King is a ruddy, sturdy, beastly-looking beer. It's got a red-orange color with some deep hues to it. The head, just off-white, reaches a finger and doesn't drop far, holding steady at about half a finger for the duration. It leaves sturdy lacing in thick patches as well.
This is a big, malty beer as expected and of course is countered by a strong hops presence, as expected. The bitterness offers lots of citrus fruits and bitter rind with a slightly leafy edge and some floral notes as well. It counters a big, bready backbone that gives off lots of caramel and toffee sweetness for quite a balance in such a big red. Underneath it's got a hint of spicy hops and some crust/dry biscuit. All of this ends up pulling through into a nicely lingering finish. Deep and complex? As much as I'd expect from FFF by now. This one's got power but isn't afraid to show its sweeter side; an iron fist in a velvet glove, if you will.
There's enough bulk to this beer to support the strength and depth of flavors, but it doesn't drop off under the weight. It actually has a nice creaminess to it right up front along with the crispness that remains strong to the end.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2013 21:06:06 | More by Brenden

DocJitsu

California

3.45/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear golden color with just the slightest copper hue. The white head attenuates very quickly to a thin cap and, then, to nothing but a few bubbles.  Very light notes of Amarillo hops in the nearly absent bouquet. The mouthfeel is very pleasant with a thin, oily, moistness that would make nearly anything taste better. Clean Amarillo comes through with a little more grain depth than Gumballhead or Pride and Joy. There is a discernible flavor of peat in this beer that seems to define it's overall character. Not a bad effort. Not stellar either. 

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2012 16:18:30 | More by DocJitsu

b3shine

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft to imperial pint. Looks good; red and pretty translucent, especially for a FFF beer (probably to adhere to the style). Smells good too; like a hoppy amber. Conjures up an image of a lighter Nugget Nectar. Tastes good, but much more like an IPA than an Irish Red (and it loses 1/2 point because of this, even though the taste itself doesn't warrant it). Mouthfeel is good too. Overall, a good beer that is miscategotized.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2012 01:01:53 | More by b3shine

Pjhuppenthal

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is Gumballheads big redheaded brother. Big on the roasted malt and well balanced with 3 Floyd's heavy hop hands. Smells of Creme Brulee with Citrus Essence. Nice average head. This is how one should celebrate St. Pattys day! Cant wait till next spring!!

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2011 02:14:02 | More by Pjhuppenthal

betsona

Indiana

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had on-tap at Fiddler's. Served in an imperial pint glass.

A- Clear dark amber. Came to me with a finger worth of white head, which dissipated into a decent full covering. Plenty of lacing on the glass. No visible carbonation. A nice looking treat that screams to be considered for St. Patty's Day and any other time.

S- Hops, which take the guise of dark fruit. Not quite a fruit punch but plenty of tropical fruit. Possibly a good way to avoid scurvy. There is a hint of a caramel backbone, but the tropics have beat it behind all conceivable cover.

T- The malt comes off as a bit of caramel covering biscuit, though the biscuit is predominant. Grassy hops converge with tropical fruit to produce a good combination of forward hops to malt. Not smooth, but a pleasant approach to a traditional style.

M- Medium body. The only fault I have with it is the carbonation. There is simply too much. It becomes too biting. Bitterness linger on the back of the palate.

D- Yes. I can and do drink this when given the opportunity. The taste profile lends itself to easy drinking and the abv concludes the ease of drink. Simply put, Three Floyds has made a nice American Irish Red.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2011 01:35:43 | More by betsona

DAllspaw

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep amber color, more like a long aged scotch. White head which dissipated pretty quickly.

Smell is what you expect from FFF very hop forward and inviting, this likey won't suck.

Imagine that - doesn't suck at all, nice malt profile and creamy mouthfeel of pale ale, without same level of bitternesss. A bit sweet, but not too much with a slighly astringent finish where you notice the alcohol, but not too much. ALso leaves a tannin taste similar to tea, which might keep me from drinking more than a couple, but nonetheless a very solid beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2011 22:16:03 | More by DAllspaw

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had this beer many times, can't believe I never reviewed it!
Ontap at Three Floyds.

Served in an imperial pint glass.

A deep auburn color, some orange hues and some hints of light brown. Nearly white head of 2 fluffy fingers has amazing retention and leaves some nice sticky lacing behind.

Huge caramel and toffee notes from the malt and grapefruit and pineapple notes from the hops. The nose is quite busy, almost too much so-- I usually see this style as being a "simple beer" that anyone could dive into-- naturally, FFF has pushed the boundaries again! This beer is crammed with as much flavor as they could possibly fit... It is amazingly flavorful to a fanatic, but might overpower those new to craft (and certainly those new to FFF's take on styles!).

A coffee-like bitterness hits towards the back and lingers with notes of burnt/caramelized sugar. The sweetness up front really dries out by time the sip is done. The body has a slight syrupy feel with hop oiliness on the finish.

Overall-- quite drinkable. A very hoppy take on the style that impresses me. Three Floyds motto is "it's not normal," and this beer certainly fits in that line of thinking... Sometimes, not being normal is a very good thing!

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2011 18:48:26 | More by AleWatcher

SeasonalBrew

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on-tap back in early April at The Heorot in Muncie, IN.. review from my iPod notes.. served in standard pint glass.

A: Pours a nice copper and reddish hue with a small white head that doesn't last too long. No lacing or anything. Bummer.

S: Strong scent from the Amarillo hops immediately. Some roasted malts are in there, as well, along with a layer of citrus.

T: Wow, follows the nose right off. Hops are strong for an Irish red ale.. Toasted malts come through nicely, with some citrus notes. I actually pick up some pineapple! ..hmm, very interesting.

M: Medium body and pretty smooth. Somewhat dry finish from the hops.

D: Fairly low abv so it goes down easy. Definitely very drinkable and an enjoyable Spring-time option. Also, the flavors come together much more smoothly from on-tap then from the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2010 02:41:21 | More by SeasonalBrew

robwestcott

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

first glass in a FFF flight.

poured from the tap to a 4oz taster a nice light caramel reddish brown with a good size head leaving a ton of lace all the way to the rim of the glass.

nice hoppy aroma, not much else.

mild grassy, piney hops dominates, though the malt follows nicely.

mild carbonation and very drinkable .

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2010 17:40:43 | More by robwestcott

thedrewski86

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this on tap at 3Fs. Nice reddish amber color w/ an off-white head. Good lacing. Smell is much hoppier than a typical red. Taste is also. Nice citrus bite, biscuity malt character in the finish. Wonderful oakey aftertaste. Slick, medium bodied mouthfeel, medium carbonation. Nice!

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2010 15:42:39 | More by thedrewski86

dukedevil0

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Map Room in Chicago

A: Pours a reddish amber with white head and some lacing.

S: Smells surprisingly like hops

T: More hoppy in the taste than I expected with a well balanced slight maltiness in there too.

M: very nice and full bodied

D: totally easy to drink with good flavor profile.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2009 02:40:52 | More by dukedevil0

beerfairy

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Stopped into the brewpub for a pint and a sandwich

A: Deep amber with a cream colored head.

S: Hit of hops, caramel malts are very present.

T: Very smooth, good carbination and a hearty flavor.

D: This is a better example of a Red Ale than most that I've tried. Can definitely drink a bunch of these.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2009 21:35:38 | More by beerfairy

baos

Indiana

4.58/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served in a pint glass

A: Looks just like sun tea, film atop the reddish brown body and everything.

S: Nice clover smell along with beeswax. Carmally malts.

T: Just as refreshing as iced tea as well. i just got home from a really warm car ride. This hit the spot. Orange-zest-beeswax-with-a-touch-of-caramel. Ends nice and bitter and a bit dry.

M: Very nice.

D: Perfect. I'm proud to live in a state where this is made.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2008 20:34:08 | More by baos

MMAJYK

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Quick review from the bar at FFF

A- Transparent nut brown color and a head of roughly 1.5".

S- Kinda smokey and whiskey like. Roasted malts and sweet aromas of brown sugar too.

T- Same smokey tastes carrying over from the nose and a somewhat tangy taste too. Malty and sweet and leaves the mouth semi-dry.

M- Medium in the mouth and high on carbonation.

D- Decent. It is a little too malty for me to session.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2008 20:55:28 | More by MMAJYK

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on-tap at the brewpub.
Served as a deep mahogony colored beer with and inch high off-white head.

Smell shows some nice caramel and toffee notes.

Taste is very refreshing. A nice nice caramel maltiness at the beginning slowly develops into enough of a hop finish to keep it interesting.

The malt and hops blend nicely at the finish.

The perfect beer to have with lunch. Tasty, yet not overdone. Great job.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2008 00:41:53 | More by tgbljb

oberon

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Cole's.poured from the tap a deep bronze with a thinner but well sustained slight off white head,mixed aromas of sweet caramel and spicey/leafy hop made it very appetizing.A big lightly sweet toffee presence really showed itself along with a hint of caramel melding into a big spicey hop finish with notes of of leafy mint lingering.A solid and somewaht complex red ale a good combination of malt and hops,another winner from FFF.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2007 23:22:34 | More by oberon

aaronh

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Deep ruby body topped by a bright, creamy head. Head retention is good, as is lacing. Aroma is sweet malt with hints of fruit and herbal hops. Flavor has some malt initially, but a strong woodiness enters which is then followed by an ashy bitterness on the finish. A soapy hop note continues to build as I consume the glass. Mouthfeel is thin enough to get out of the way, but enough to savor. Drinkability is much better than it should be. I think the hoppiness makes you thirsty so you keep drinking more of it. Whatever the reason, I drank this one quickly, even though I didn’t completely enjoy it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2007 02:34:15 | More by aaronh

GbVDave

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a 16oz pint glass at Hopleaf 3/5/07.

A: Reddish tinted brown in color. Creamy 1/4 finger head that leaves large sheets of lace on the glass.

S: Clean aromas of toasted malt and a fragrant scent of fresh cut grass.

T: Toasted malt, green hops, and a mild lemony citrus quality.

M: Creamy, oily, with a dry finish.

D: Surprisingly vivid hop flavors for such low ibu's. Low abv coupled with interesting flavors and aromas make for a beer that can be enjoyed all day.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2007 01:31:59 | More by GbVDave

beergynt

Illinois

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

Had two pints at FFF on 2/18/07

A: Wonderful color... Somewhere between copper and crimson. Barely transluscent when held up to light. Brownish/red head to about an inch.

S: I didn't expect to get the typical FFF's hop aroma and was pleasantly surprised to whiff the wonderful grapefruit of the Amarillo. Also got a lot of toffee/caramel.

T: Excellent. I went in purely for Dreadnaught enjoyment but started with this red. (wanted to save my tastebuds for lunch!!) Wound up having the opener and one with my food. Grapefruit, caramel, toffee, and a little hint of nuttiness...

M: Very smooth throughout... Once again FFF's has perfectly matched aroma and flavor with body.

D: Amazingly drinkable, great session beer. I could have easily had a few more. (But I had to save room for the Dreadnaught and the Black Sun...) Man, I love Three Floyds!!

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2007 01:44:49 | More by beergynt

westweasel

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served on tap at the brewpub on 2/17/07.

Appearance - a beautiful, clear, dark copper/amber color with a nice 1/2 inch head. The Belgian lace covered the entire glass as it went down.

Smell - Excellent - Pineapple and grapefruit dominate the senses.

Taste - I'm getting a combination of pineapple, grapefruit, caramel, and toffee.

Mouthfeel - Medium with a bright carbonation level that fizzes in the mouth. Medium finish (not dry, not sweet).

Drinkability - Great - I could really drink a lot of this beer. It is very well balanced, has a great interesting aroma, and a nice appearance.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2007 23:18:29 | More by westweasel

Billolick

New York

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

on tap @ Track 84 in warwick, R.I., poured clear almond Amber, with a standard tan head, and leaving minimal to minor lacing, bland malty nose. This a pretty tame, malty Red Ale, notes of vanilla and honey picked up amoungst the decent malty crest of this brew.Very minor hop character. Looks like this beer in bottles is quite hoppy....interesting cuz the tap version pint that had, was malt and more malt. Nothing special, but a decent sessioner, if your thing is middle of the road malty brew.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2006 21:28:18 | More by Billolick

StAnthony

Illinois

2.3/5  rDev -43.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I'm pretty amazed at how high this Floydian has been rated by other BAs. I really didn't care for it.

Looked real perty-- a nice, deep mahogany red with great clarity.

Nothing to complain about on the nose, though it wasn't impressive.

But the taste and mouthfeel...in one word: harsh. Dominant soap characteristic (and this bar's glasses are usually spotless) with the rough bite of super-high carbonation that fades into a grapefruit-like citrus twang with a 3-second finish that wasn't quite clean...Mr. Clean, maybe. It's a red that hopheads might enjoy, but for fans of say...Leinie Red, you're going to miss the smooth malt profile.

The best thing I can say about this beer is that it got smoother with every sip...but I definitely wouldn't get it again. Sorry Floyds.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2006 18:34:21 | More by StAnthony

EvilKeith

Alabama

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours deep amber almost ruby in color. Nice frothy biege head.
People were asking what I was drinking after seeing lacing from top to bottom on my glass.

Smell is light spicy florals with a hint of citrusy grapefruit.

Taste is with a dry mildly bitter hoppy finish.

Medium-light body. Very well done. I truly enjoyed the pints I had.
I will drink this again, for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2006 11:09:26 | More by EvilKeith

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is just outstanding on tap, way better than I remember it being in the bottle. Wow! Brian Boru blends biting pine and orange zest hop flavors with robust caramel and brown sugar malts. It’s full of body and spunk. It looks good with a red amber body and thick tan cream head. The malts and hops are balanced beautifully in the aromas of mandarin, pineapple, toffee, and caramel. Carbonation is minimal. MF is creamy initially, becomes dry and biting halfway through, and then goes back to the malts. I can’t say that it really fits the style, but it obviously isn’t meant too. It’s a great beer that just happens to cost way too much in the bottle these days. All the more reason to seek it out on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2006 18:34:53 | More by DaPeculierDane

schenked

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I am not typically an Irish red ale fan, but I have great faith in Three Floyds, so I gave it a shot. Deep, satisfying red color. The overly malty-sweet quality that drives me away from Irish reds was not there. It had a grapefruit-esque smell similar to what you find in Alpha King. The front end had a surprisingly crisp, citrus hop quality with nice subtle malty undertones. Clean mouthfeel. I will definately drink this again if I encounter it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2006 20:32:32 | More by schenked