Irish Red Style Ale
Gray Brewing Company

Irish Red Style AleIrish Red Style Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Gray Brewing Company
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Irish Red Ale
ABV:
5.8%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 10.05%
Reviews:
17
Ratings:
21
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 18, 2013
Added:
May 16, 2002
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by KellyScottMad:
Photo of KellyScottMad
Rated by KellyScottMad from Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

Oct 03, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by Mdodge8837 from Minnesota

Oct 18, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by Hoploaf from Wisconsin

Sep 09, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by cliff1066 from Virginia

Dec 16, 2012
Photo of MikeInIowa
Reviewed by MikeInIowa from Iowa

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hey, beer geeks out there! The Gray's company is also offering an Irish Style Ale packaged as "Busted Knuckle...," which is what I purchased. My question to anyone who knows is: Are these two the same beer? But while you ponder that possibility...

"Busted Knuckle Irish Style Ale" was experienced as follows:

Look: Medium amber and transparent brew with an ecru' or off-white foam that recedes fairly quickly and laces just a bit as it descends the glass.

Nose: Fairly fragrant caramel malts.

Taste: Sweet caramel malts roll over the receptor site in fore-palate without activating the bitter sensors in the rear, thus allowing the caramel to predominate this imibing experience.

Mouth: Full-bodied mouthfeel.

Drink: This easily drinkable brew would be a nice item to offer guests at a St. Pat's Bash next week. And so, Erin go braugh and treat your friends to a "Busted Knuckle," ...er...the ale, that is. Fighting is for amateurs.
Mar 10, 2010
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had received this one in a trade a few weeks or so ago and put it in the fridge, and while cleaning out the fridge last night stumbled upon it. I was thirsty, so off we went. Served cold, right out of the fridge and poured into a pint glass. This one was consumed on 11/04/2008.

The pour was pretty darn good I have to admit with a rich reddish tinted brown coming through quite nicely. Good clarity here allowed me to see the subtle carbonation that came bubbling up to the surface rather easily, forming a nice head of about two inches that laid on top for a good minute or so before finally settling down back into the glass.

The aroma was a nice mix of light cereal grains and a good touch of bready and caramel filled malts. Light hoppiness rounding it you, but nothing terribly extraordinary about it at all, rather it was just enough to provide a hint of balance. The flavor was as you would expect for the style. Steeped in sweet caramel malts, with a nice musky flavor creeping up on the back end of it. Interesting mid palate was almost a touch sour, with a hint of a fig like fruit in it, but then quickly dried out with an earthy like hop presence that rolled the flavor together quite well. Nice medium bodied feel with a more then impressive drinkability. I had no issue at all with throwing this one down right away.

Overall not bad. I really did not have many expectations for this one, but I was very pleased that I was able to try it. A very solid red ale that really stands up well in the category. I definitely would not have an issue with having this one again.
Nov 07, 2008
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.51/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Dark coppery orange with enough of a ruby red blush to make it perfect for the style. The orangish ecru cap looks fabulous after a vigorous pour. It's thick and rich and packed with features, including an impressive amount of honeycomb-like lace. Let's hope the beer can maintain this degree of quality when it comes to the other senses.

The nose is less impressive. Although my first few sniffs were overly metallic, I'm hoping that time and warming will allow it to open up and show off its grain and hops. Caramel malt, with an assist from earthy hops, appears eventually. However, this still isn't a nose that deserves even the slightest praise.

Irish Style Ale is a different beast on the palate. It has all of the characteristics that I look for in beer of this style, I just haven't decided how good it is yet. I'm not sure that I'll make up my mind for certain until the final ounce. I know one thing, there's a lot of flavor to be had.

Caramel malt leads the way and provides an underlying sweetness that isn't allowed to get out of hand. Modestly bitter (probably English) hops make their entrance at mid-mouthful and keep the reins tight all the way to the wire. There's also an unripe fruity sourness that isn't typical, but is such a minor contributor that it's easily managed.

The mouthfeel doesn't stand out in either a positive or a negative direction. It's light-medium and is gently carbonated, making rapid drinking a breeze. All it all, it matches the flavor profile very well.

In looking back at my Gray's Brewing Company reviews, I was surprised at how much I like their beer. Bower City Pale Ale, Oatmeal Stout and Fauerbach Export Beer are all good. Even a so-called macro lager named Hausman Brewing Co. Pale Beer is impressive in its own way. It's too bad that Irish Red Ale isn't quite up to snuff. It's far from bad, though, and is probably worth a look for fans of the style.
May 01, 2007
Photo of BeerBelcher
Reviewed by BeerBelcher from Ohio

2.79/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
This beer is not dry like the Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale I had recently; instead it is lightly sweet (but somehow unsatisfying) and very thin feeling. Not a huge fan...

This beer pours a dark ruby red with good white head formation. Aroma is a lightly sweet malt smell, with perhaps some honey flavors? It smells a bit like a honey brown to me. Flavor is lightly sweet, with a very thin mouthfeel. This beer is rather drinkable.
Feb 20, 2007
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured a deep scehtnut-red color with moderate off-white puffy head.
Smell is firmly malty with nice notes of summer fruit.
Taste is also highly malty with only a mild hop bitterness in the background.
Leaves a nice feeling in the mouth with good taste retention.
A nice easy drinking beer.
Feb 13, 2007
Photo of uwmgdman
Reviewed by uwmgdman from Wisconsin

3.96/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
The Irish Ale pours brilliant deep copper color with a moderate white head, diminishing to a thin skim with some lacing evident. The color of the beer is very striking. The aroma of the beer is well balanced, malty sweetness, caramel tones with a little bit of roastyness and there also is a low amount of earthy hop aroma. The taste is pleasant and pretty much like the smell. It begins a bit caramel sweet, has a well balanced hop bitterness toward the swallow, and finishes with a faint amount of roasted grain. The beer is medium bodied, has moderate carbonation, and is fairly smooth. Overall I enjoyed this beer. Nothing really swept me off my feet, but at the same time there wasn’t anything that disappointed in the least; good flavor and a very nice color. I could drink a good amount of these.
Feb 08, 2007
Photo of dirtylou
Reviewed by dirtylou from Oklahoma

3.77/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12oz single, left in my fridge by blackie i think

go wolfpack, fuck tarholes

appearance: poured into a pint glass...watery amber body, clear, bubbly beige head with no lacing really

smell: grainy, light caramel malt structure, a touch woody, light hopping

taste: sweet apple, caramel malts, a touch woody...pretty good actually with a light booze warming

mouthfeel: medium-light

drinkability: good
Feb 03, 2007
Photo of DaPeculierDane
Reviewed by DaPeculierDane from Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A: Clear, dark copper with a frothy off-white head.

N: Sweet caramel and chocolate, toast, a pinch of leafy hops.

T: Boat loads of sweet malts but not entirely unbalanced. Caramel and toffee flavors. Earthen/woody finish.

MF. Sweet and crisp. Warming ABV. Medium bodied.

D: Sessionable.
Jul 21, 2006
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured a clear, deep copper body with an orange cast beneath a frothy head of off-white. The head retention was fair, and it left tiny spots and fingers of lace at the outset of the glass.

The nose was malty and mineralish with a smear of grassy and leafy hops.

In the mouth it was quite smooth with a dextrinous medium body and low level carbonation.

The flavor offered a lightly sweet, bready maltiness with caramel notes smeared with leafy, mildly grassy, tea-like and subtly spicy hop flavors. It was very well-rounded with a display of maltiness upfront and hops across the middle and into the finish. The bitterness was perfectly balanced against its 'just right' maltiness, and it was remarkably drinkable.

A great example of the style, and an excellent session ale.
May 13, 2006
Photo of GeoffRizzo
Reviewed by GeoffRizzo from Texas

4.22/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Dull copper; nill head, zilch. Sweet caramel rolls, malts and some hints of peach on the nose. Huge malts, combined with a near zesty hop bite, similar to an APA. The body is medium, and the flavors are rather nice. Some citrus like offerings in the body; hidden toffee notes and mild coffee bean tastings. A near metallic finish, the palate is left satisfied. A superb offering, and a great Irish!
Feb 22, 2006
Photo of karst
Reviewed by karst from Missouri

3.38/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
My hand glows red from the morning light passing threw the clear deep red amber. Lacing remains on the brim but the butter from cornbread and baked potato has diminished the righteous head of this seasonal single brewed by 5th generation descendants of Joshua C. Gray, an Irish immigrant, starting his brewing business in 1856 Janesville, Wisconsin based on the simple principle of making the very best tasting ales (and soft drinks) possible using the finest ingredients available, and brew with craftsmen who really cared.

Alas, as I inhaled the aroma I detected not only the toasted, sweet, caramel malts, and light fruit but something amiss. Metallic taste that blewout any chances of enjoyment. Each sip finished with a extreme dose of bitter metal.
Until I can find a fresh bottle (no readable date only a bar code on neck label) I will never know its true taste. Not bad enough to throw out but close.

The chance you take when you grab from the bargan bin!
Mar 02, 2005
Photo of maxpower
Reviewed by maxpower from Missouri

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear deep amber with a nice off white head that leaves some lacing in my glass. Sweet malty bready aroma, nutty, fruity flavors, well balanced. Medium bodied with a crisp mouthfeel, finishes on the sweet side.The best I have had from this brewery so far, well done.
Feb 27, 2005
Photo of donnyw
Reviewed by donnyw from Wisconsin

3.52/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The color is an orangie-dark amber color. Nothing to the smell. The taste was surprisingly good, as I'm not a fan of Grey's other offerings. Caramel, Coffee, Malt flavors, sort of sweet, really, in a good way. Very light bitternes in the aftertast-nice complement to the sweetness.
Oct 28, 2004
Photo of ALESwhatCURESya
Reviewed by ALESwhatCURESya from Wisconsin

3.44/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nice cloudy orange color with a decent head. There was nothing great about the aroma. Not saying that it smelt bad, I just couldn't pick up anything at all from it. A pretty strong coffee and nutty flavor came first and ended with a malt taste. I was suprised that this was not a dry tasting brew. If this is considered an amber ale, there are many more that I would take before choosing this one, but none the less, a decent local beer.
Feb 10, 2004
Photo of Winter
Reviewed by Winter from Wisconsin

4.12/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a clear copper in color with a light tan head that disappeared shortly after the first few sips. Intriguing aroma consists of sweet malt, biscuit and caramel. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and crisp. Toasted malt and buttery flavor upfront. Mild caramel sweetness to the finish. Nice overall balance between the sweet malt and spiciness of the hops that are utilized. Finish leans toward the dry side. Overall taste is good but not overly complex. Very good Irish Red Ale.
Mar 29, 2003
Photo of cokes
Reviewed by cokes from Wisconsin

3.97/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bronzed body with just a momentary apparition of a off-white head.
Loads of sweet caramel on the nose along with a sense of brisk flowing, clean water.
Caramel hues dominate throughout, with interjections from like-minded butter toffee. Some cracker-like dryness midway, offsetting the partially hidden plummy tones. Traces of bitter cocoa powder. Earthen hops at the closure.
Glassy smooth, and perhaps thin, yet seems about right.
Nicely done, if not a favorite.
Feb 24, 2003
Irish Red Style Ale from Gray Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 21 ratings