Portsmouth Murphy's Law Red Ale - Portsmouth Brewery

Florida9

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Very dark brown-tinted red in color. Forms a rather smallish, creamy, tannish colored head that reduces to just the faintest of surface coatings and leaves just a trace of lacing.

S: Aroma is very creamy, with notes of sweet caramel, bread, and just a touch of toast, along with a very faint hint of green apple.

T: Taste is very malty. Lots of caramel. Moderately sweet. A little toast or roasted malt. There is a slight bit of citrus on the finish, but the hops are quite restrained on this one.

M: Malty with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel to it. Mild to moderate bitterness, though there is a slight soapiness on the finish. Lower carbonation.

O: A fairly standard - and fairly unexciting - Irish ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 01:03:53 | More by Florida9

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

04-23-2013 05:48:56 | More by Kelp

kangarooAdam59

Connecticut

3.39/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Best by July 2013:

Into a Boston pint glass:

A: dark red body with a one finger white foamy head that quickly dies, some lacing but quickly slides down the sides

S: sweet through deep caramel malts

T: sweet through the malts, slight nuttiness

M: light to medium, sessionable, adequately carbonated

O: its good for an Irish Red ale, and good to me

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 19:35:00 | More by kangarooAdam59

Thorpe429

Illinois

1.88/5  rDev -47%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Bottle shared by TurdFurgison. Thanks, Eric! Pours a reddish-amber color with a short off-white head and a bit of lacing. The nose carries some amber malt and faint hops along with a pretty decent amount of diacetyl, which carries over into the flavor. Very disappointing. Buttered bread. I would not have this one again. Hopefully it was just an off bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 18:44:23 | More by Thorpe429

anewlanguage

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

11-27-2012 17:26:13 | More by anewlanguage

seplo

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

10-30-2012 18:47:47 | More by seplo

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into a perfect pint glass.

Pours dark brown with hints of red throughout. Sharp caramel smell that really jumps out. light sweet taste with very low carbonation. Smooth. Some toffee taste with a falvorful hop. Id like a little more carbonation and bite, but a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 13:39:22 | More by KTCamm

ahbaggins

New Jersey

2/5  rDev -43.7%

07-26-2012 01:13:21 | More by ahbaggins

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-cask w/Magnum, served in a pint glass

Pours a chilled mahogany color with a creamy tan head that was a little over two fingers. Good retention as the head fell to about half a finger and never fully disappeared.

The aroma is of toasted biscuits, toffee/caramel, tea leaves, and some grassy hops.

The magnum hops really come out in the flavor profile, adding a pleasing bitterness. Toasted malt up front with toffee and earthy tones through the middle. Dry tea leaves show up in the finish before a sweeping mild bitterness from the magnum hops.

Medium body, clean, good carbonation. The addition of magnum really boosts the overall profile of this beer. Adding a solid layer of hop bitterness.

This is a fine Irish Red. Clean, malty, with a manageable abv---borderline sessionable. The magnum addition does wonders for this beer.

Serving type: cask

07-21-2012 14:34:53 | More by ColForbinBC

farrago

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

You get about a finger of light eggshell white foam, island of larger bubbles in the middle, fades away at a steady clip, a few splotches of lacing but that’s it. Coppery orange brown color of average clarity, turns a yellow hue around the rims, broadly scattered large bubbles, nothing close to beads. Molasses, milk chocolate, honey and sweet bread dough fill the nose, some cola and then pine sap, not a great deal of hoppiness happening here, conversely truly not as sweet as the various elements make it sound, has pretty good length. Medium-bodied, creamy mouth feel with a lot of carbonation which tends to diffuse the flavors and contributes to a drying finish, where a metallic side comes through. Otherwise, it’s a basic array of cocoa, caramel, malt, butterscotch and toffee with a touch of café au lait. The grains are sweet with a light toasted quality, again the hops remain in the background. Moment of peach or apricot pit or fig. Whisper of earthiness and matted straw. Overall, on the sweetish side for its type but friendly enough.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 19:02:03 | More by farrago

ms11781

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%

07-13-2012 00:38:22 | More by ms11781

jmarsh123

Indiana

2.38/5  rDev -33%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours brown with a reddish hue and a small bubbly head leaving moderate lacing.

Aroma consists of sweet toffee notes along with an almost rye like spiciness. Not many hops.

Holy malt bomb. Starts out sweet and finishes even sweeter with an almost sickly sweet brown sugar aftertaste. Not many hops at all to be found.

Mouthfeel is too light the lower carbonation enhances the sweetness.

This was pretty awful. One note and that note isn't even good. Way too sweet and nothing at all remotely interesting going on here.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 18:06:16 | More by jmarsh123

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.45/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a two finger khaki head that fades very slowly to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Nice clear red/amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Light malt nose and flavor is toasted malt and a hint of caramel. $5.95 for a 22oz bottle from the brewery in Portsmouth, NH.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 22:03:52 | More by jdhilt

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bomber
A) Pours with a very thin head. Hazy amber colored body.
S) Robust malty nose - caramel, buttered toast.
T) Malt bomb! A delicious malt bomb at that. Caramel. Toasted grains. Hints of butterscotch. Dry grainy notes in the finish along with some hop bitterness.
M) Crisp. Clean. Medium body.
O) Delicious. Initial appearance had me a bit worried by the aroma and taste turned that around. I would definitely drink another one of these!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 00:38:05 | More by u2carew

wildcat29

4.25/5  rDev +19.7%

03-12-2012 17:08:56 | More by wildcat29

deltatauhobbit

Maine

3.65/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle bought 2/18/12

Pours a dark amber color with a good sized fluffy off-white head, fades at a slow rate and leaves a cap on top for a good while, only bits of lacing on the glass.

Smell is malty, slightly toasted, bit of a breadiness to it.

Taste is fairly one note but that's not necessarily bad in this case, toasted malt up front, hops are muted, balanced flavor with a decent creaminess, carbonation spot on.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 23:55:41 | More by deltatauhobbit

smutty33

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

02-20-2012 15:58:59 | More by smutty33

phingdong

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +12.7%

02-01-2012 23:27:55 | More by phingdong

rab53

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -15.5%

12-02-2011 05:41:27 | More by rab53

randomdanger

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +12.7%

11-15-2011 15:53:51 | More by randomdanger

cosmicevan

New York

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big thank you again to CooperEllis for nabbing me some bottles at the brewery.

a - i always love the brown bag no frills vibe to portsmouth brews, but this one seems to actually have it's own label, but with the brown bag vibe. opened the bottle and filled my portsmouth tulipy snifter. poured a nice maroon orange. transparent with a bit of a brownish tint. not much head and semi slick lacing. swirling the glass rebuilds a bit.

s - nice soft toasted malt. nutmeg. nicely balanced, but as you'd expect for the style rather subdued.

t - much like the nose...toasted malts. green tea. malt bomb.

m - medium bodied good carbonation. malt bomb.

o - overall, not my favorite style, but this beer is true to style. it didn't blow me away, but wasn't bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 00:57:56 | More by cosmicevan

Sean9689

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the brewpub.

A - Pours a clear crimson red, white head, thin collar, thin cap.

S - Toasted malts, slight malty sweetness, touch of hops.

T - Similar to the nose. Nice malts, hops, and bready rye notes. The sweetness isn't there as much as the nose. Pretty straight-forward to the style, enjoyable.

M - Light, good carbonation, semi dry finish.

O - One of my favorites while at the brewpub. Very straight forward and to style, which I enjoy.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2011 16:33:59 | More by Sean9689

sethmeister

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a growler filled at the bar 2 days ago.

Clear mahogany body with a creamy tan head. Well laced.

Scent is caramel, bread and toasted notes.

Taste is dense sweet chewy caramel. Toffee. Rich sweet malts. Toasted flavors. Hops are mild here - just a touch of bittering and a slightly earthy / spicy flavor. Fruity esters.

Mouth is a creamy and substantial medium.

A very satisfying example of the style.

Serving type: growler

07-11-2011 19:11:51 | More by sethmeister

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.13/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewpub.
Pours a deep reddish brown color with a thinnish white head that dissipates quickly to a ring on the top. Smells of toffee and brown sugar with an herbal earthy edge. Taste is sweet bready malts with lots of toffee, and sweet sugar and a hint of butterscotch. Just enough earthy hops to cut through the sweet malts. Finish is kind of dry with a lingering toffee sweetness. Medium body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet almost sticky mouthfeel. Nice simple English style ale, I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2011 05:22:27 | More by johnnnniee

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at the Brewpub.

Creamy 1 finger head fades slowly lacing, reddish copper brown almost auburn crystal clear.

Nose toasty reddish malts, light sweet crystal malts, light earthy touch herbal grassy hops.

Taste starts with plenty of malts, toasted, chewy, almost straw farmhouse rustic malts, again lighter earthy slight grassy herbal hops, bit of bitterness, pretty dry overall. Finishes still dry but not too much, light lingering toasty malts and herbal grassy hops.

Moth is med bodied, dec carb.

Overall pretty good, nice rustic toasty malt profile, nice earthy herbal hops and not too bitter, maybe a touch more sweetness would have helped.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2011 00:30:03 | More by jlindros