George Killian's Irish Red - Coors Brewing Company

iSip

Colorado

3.3/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Killians Irish Red: It has been a while since I have had a Killians. I had a glass recently on tap meeting with a friend. Now that my beer knowledge and tastes have expanded, I wondered how the Killians would fare. The Killians is leather brown in color, which most people would call red. A nice head forms on top. There is a pleasing malty aroma. The flavor is very much in the English Ale style, lots of malt and very mild in the hop department. My memories were correct, and I have not been completely jaded by big “statement” beers I have tasted lately. The Killians was easy drinking and quite flavorful. One of the better Molson Coors products.

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2012 23:11:10 | More by iSip

jsisko01

Michigan

2.98/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a very dark amber color with a half inch thick, light brown head that dissipates instantly. Has nice lacing.

Smell - Toasted malts, a nutty character, a light sweetness, and a little bit of alcohol.

Taste - I love the caramel creaminess.. Toasted malts is the dominant flavor here. Has a pretty sweet aftertaste but is quite dry.

Mouthfeel - A medium, creamy type body with medium carbonation. Very dry though.

Overall - Not a bad beer but definitely not something I'd pick out on my own. I got this for free lol..

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 00:19:47 | More by jsisko01

shand

Florida

3.18/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint.

This isn't something I'd pick out myself, but a guest for New Years brought over a twelve-pack, so might as well tick it before the festivities begin. It pours a deep red with orange tinges. Head drops down very fast. Aroma is just a little bit offensive, it's got some metallic caramel malt thing going on here. The taste is alright though, it goes down fairly watery with a bit of a caramel malt finish that's rather pleasant. The mouthfeel is smooth, and the drinkability is pretty good. Overall, it's not a great brew, but I've had worse for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 00:51:50 | More by shand

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: light copper body, finger head, light lacing

S: light malt, caramel, nuts, malt

T: sweet malt, caramel, nutty, dry crisp finish

M: light body, semi-dry crisp
hint of smooth mouth

O: Ok brew for a macro.
Needs more body and flavor.

OK, NOT MUST HAVE!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 20:34:25 | More by BeerLover99

RossPeterson

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Amber color with a poor, one-finger head that dies quickly.

S: Roasted malt is prominent.

T: Very smooth, a slight creamy taste and aftertaste with no bitter aftertaste. Slightly roasty which is a good thing for an amber.

M: Smooth taste, no water feel with a clean finish.

O: Not a bad beer. One of the better ambers, and I'm a guy who only prefers Belgium whites. Very satisfying with a clean enough finish but just enough flavor to make you want to drink more.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 22:17:53 | More by RossPeterson

hdf561

Virginia

3.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

My wife has a friend that works for the Coors Brewery in Virginia and he got me some Killians for free

It has been a looong time since I had this beer in college (probably 10 years ago) and I remember it being decent on draft.

Smells ok nothing special

Decent taste do not taste anythign special, very dry mouth feel with a heavy after taste.

Bottom line it was a case (20 bottles) of free beer so I drank them all and it wasnt terrible...wouldnt spend my own money on it but if it was at a party, or my wifes buddy wants to get them for me again I wount turn it down.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 01:59:48 | More by hdf561

RepMichigan

Michigan

3.23/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Red, transparent lively head that dissipates within a few minutes

S: smells just like an average beer, a little bit of roasted malt might be detectable, not too much going on

T: smooth and refreshing slightly creamy. not very complex but it is enjoyably for the style that it is

M: not much carbonation, smooth finish. definitely a beer you could quaff down with ease no bite at all

O: overall a good cheap beer when not much else is readily available, Coors does this brew much better than their counterparts. Something that i will drink from time to time

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 05:03:42 | More by RepMichigan

kangarooAdam59

Maine

2.63/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

In a pint glass:

A: dark red body with hints of copper, white creamy looking head and lacing that sticks to the glass

S: malty with light bland apples

T: malty, apples come back but in a bland way

M: light, sessionable, bland aftertaste and finish

O: I used to really like this beer, but am not sure if they changed the recipe. I don't think I would buy this again

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 17:20:42 | More by kangarooAdam59

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours an amber color with a small head that fizzles away fairly quickly

S: Nice malts and caramel, along with some backing hops. Not really complex by any means, but is far from offensive

T: Again, caramel and bready malts dominate. Not much else, aside from some light hops

M: Medium bodied with moderate-full carbonation

O: This is a good amber lager. I'd definitely put it with the likes of Yuengling, or something in that realm. Easy to drink, would certainly be a beer to put down some burgers or hot dogs with at a BBQ

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 03:08:42 | More by BEERMILER12

greenborn

California

2.08/5  rDev -31.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I saw this beer in a six pack at the grocery store on sale for right around six bucks. The first thing that went through my mind was, “An Irish red in a six pack for 6 bucks, may as well give it a try!” The beer really has no smell to speak of maybe a small hint of malt. The taste isn’t bad because there really is no taste. It’s very light and slightly fruity and crisp almost like a very, very light Wee Heavy. Feel in the mouth was like water. I later found out that the name Killian was purchased by Coors back in the 1980’s. I’m not sure how close this beer is to the original Lett’s Irish Red it’s based off of but it really isn’t a very good beer, not worthy of the title Irish Red anyway.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 22:43:53 | More by greenborn

rodney45

New York

3.1/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A:Dark red, hints of copper. White cream lace, that lingers ever so slightly. Like a whisp of sqalled ocean on a hurricane eve.

S: A deep smell of malt and macintosh apples, with a hint of strawberry jam.

T: A burnt crystal malt is what dominates the first flavor notes. Lingering flavors of grain, apple, mango.

D: Easy going down. Not much complexity to keep you interested.

O: One and done, if you bought 6, keep the other 5 in the fridge to lure your friends away from your other good beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 10:27:36 | More by rodney45

bsp77

Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Serving glass: Poured from tap into mug.

Appearance: Somewhat dark amber with moderate white head.

Smell: Very light caramel and metallic hops. Extremely faint.

Taste: Caramel and bready malts with very light spicy hops. Not much going on, but I guess it tastes fine. A little sweet.

Feel: Moderately high carbonation, light body. Could be a little drier.

Overall: I remember thinking this was a high quality brew in college. How the times have changed.

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2011 04:13:14 | More by bsp77

travisnd

Virginia

3/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Of all the Irish Red Ale's I have had in my area, this is the easiest to get. I might prefer Saranac or even Sam Adams over Killian's but it is still a good drinking Irish Red. It does pour darker than other Irish Red's I have had but the taste is still there and is not overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 20:43:28 | More by travisnd

gtermi

Texas

2.68/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer is one of those average beers you get at a bar after you have had 10 drinks. It is cheap and easy to drink. The taste is not really there at all. You get a little bit decent flavors, but it is pretty bland for the most part. The smell is just like a basic beer and the mouthfeel is that of a lot of carbonation. Overall this is just an average beer. I would never seek this out just to have it, but I have had worse.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2011 06:29:54 | More by gtermi

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

2.98/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Had this on tap tonight at Scotty's Brewhouse, West Lafayette.

Overall, I was not impressed. Had the typical "Irish Red" muted smell and taste. To me any Irish beer always has a thicker mouthfeel with a more muted, subtle taste. Killian's had this, but you can definitely tell it is a macro product. Little taste profile overall, but what it does have is mostly malt profile and little to no hops.

The appearance although wasn't too bad. A darker reddish color that you could see through. Also, only an average head at best. Mostly fizzy and dissipated very quickly.

Overall, a good change-up from a light lager, but not something I'm going to seek out again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2011 02:47:34 | More by boilermakerbrew

tdm168

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a clear, pale amber with 1/4" of light, bubbly head that quickly fades. The nose has notes of faint caramel malts. The taste has a caramel sweetness and a faint hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is light, crisp, and a little heavily carbonated.

This ones a little one dimensional, a little sweet, and a little too carbonated. It's drinkable and sessionable though.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 00:28:35 | More by tdm168

Flux

Michigan

2.8/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass 20 minutes after being out of the fridge.

Light amber, clear. Head and lacing don't last.

smell is sweet and nutty. little to no hop aroma. very mild sour apple notes.

taste is...eh. picking up more malts than hops.

very light/watery mouthfeel. medium carbonation. A lot of the flavors just seem so muted and i'm not sure if it's the beer or because it's from a bottle...

overall a fairly light beer. Not exactly something i'd want to session unless it came from tap...then maybe.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 04:18:53 | More by Flux

bluHatter

Michigan

2.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Best by: Dec 05, 2011

A: Pours deep clear red/copper brown. Nice thick head that fades slowly. It looks a lot better than you'd expect from such a common amber.

S: Subtle floral notes, some malt and nuts

T: Roasted nuts, malts

M: Thin, a bit watery from the bottle. I'll note that I've had this on tap and it's quite a bit more interesting that way.

O: One of my favorite cheap beers. This is what I always depend on if I'm low on cash but still want something I'll really enjoy. Killian's is a classic simple delicious amber.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 04:09:08 | More by bluHatter

BeerBuggy

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The best by date(Dec 5 2011) was placed at the base of the neck of the brown twist off top bottle. I poured it into a mug.The head was less then a finger and did not maintain itself. There was virtually no lacing. The color was redish amber. It was translucent. It smelled malty. It tasted yeasty, malty, and nutty. I did not detect much in the way of hops. The mouthfeel was close to that of carbonated water. The whole roof of my mouth felt the carbonation. There was a mildly sweet finish with a metalic hint and a lingering mild bitterness. This was the only Irish Red I've had and so can't compare with others of the style. I wasn't repelled by it and for the price(under 6 dollars for a six) it's an ok beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 17:53:38 | More by BeerBuggy

CaptJackHarkness

New York

3.9/5  rDev +27.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out amber/red very clear and bubbly with nice white head.Taste has a slight nutlike flavor,no bitterness,no cloying aftertaste.

This was the first amber beer I ever tried, back in the day; this is a revisitation tasting.

Judge it on it's own, it does not really compare to actual Irish Red's.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 15:48:51 | More by CaptJackHarkness

scootny

New York

2.95/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Truly res with an off white head. Aromas of bread and earth with a touch of yeast based fruitiness. Some light notes of buttered multigrain toast. Taste is smooth with a nice toasted malt flavor and light nuttiness. Finish is dry and clean with mild bitterness. Somewhat fizzy feel detracts from a overall crispness. Just enough body to keep it from being watery. Not a great beer but certainly not the worst either. A beer you can have more than one of and not feel bad about.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 04:25:35 | More by scootny

isualum12

Idaho

4/5  rDev +31.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Color- Red with a nice head that last for a while
Smell- You can smell the malt layored ontop of the hops.
taste- hazelnut shows through to me. It is taste very nice on the tounge.
mouthfeel- smooth with a creamy finish. There is no real bite on it.
Overall- I feel like I grew up on this beer. I drank this beer in college when we didnt drink bud light...Now as a craft beer lover it still has a nice taste that changes with food pairings. Yes I understand they fall under coors but it is still a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 02:16:46 | More by isualum12

ChadQuest

Illinois

2/5  rDev -34.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Got a pitcher for cheap with a pizza in Dekalb, it was a near free deal, win.
Color is a pale redish color that is translucent and shows carbination.
The aroma and flavors are lacking any strong notes but some caramel in the distance is most noticable. any other notes of hops or others are so faint as to be undetectable under the minor malt presence.
Body is light and carbinatied and clean and refreshing. ok to drink with pizza and you dont want to interfere with the other flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2011 04:08:34 | More by ChadQuest

jbakajust1

Oregon

4/5  rDev +31.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into beveled pint glass

A - Nice clear copper with a 1 finger tan head, fades to a thin cap and leaves good lacing

S - Lots of malt character in the nose, toasted biscuits, sweet toffee, salt, pecans. No real hop aromas.

T - Much the same as the nose, toasted biscuits, berad dough, toffee, pecans, and a earthy hop flavor as well.

M - Nice and dry with an acid bite from the carbonation, medium body, nice carbonation.

O - Good beer, I enjoy a Killian's Irish Red (regardless of who owns it). Nice and malty, touch of bitterness to balance, light hop flavor dancing with in lots of great maltiness. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 16:49:25 | More by jbakajust1

mdfb79

New York

2.78/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

From 08/26/11 notes. Had on tap in Holmes Beach, Florida at some random restaurant built out on a pier. Served in a pint glass.

a - Pours a reddish amber color with high carbonation evident and one inch of off white head.

s - Smells of roasted malts, nuts, caramel and toasted malts. Not bad at all.

t - Tastes of roasted malts, light bready malts, light nuts, and toasted malts, but seems a bit watered down. Small step down from the nose.

m - Medium body and high carbonation. Easy to drink but way overcarbonated.

o - Overall an average beer but way better than something like Coors Lite. Would have it again at a bar with macro beers.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2011 23:41:29 | More by mdfb79