Laughing Skull Amber Ale - Red Brick Brewing Company

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.34/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

I poured the Laughing Skull into a tulip style glass. The initial pour left a couple fingers of foam. This dies down into a light scum with a decent halo. The lacing is very light with this beer. The coloring is spot-on. The description of "Amber" is very appropriate for coloring.

The nose on this one is decently malty. I pick up minimal grassy hop presence. The smell on this one does not really jump out at you.

Laughing Skull has some funk on the first sip. On the back-end you get some nuttiness from the malt and more of the grassiness. I also get some metallic feel on this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 19:13:55 | More by ummswimmin

FungusBrewer

Illinois

2.79/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Maybe they should have left this corpse buried. Bragging about resurrection and necromantic powers bottleside--Red Brick delivers a mediocre Amber Ale that is both pleasant and flawed.

Taste: Malt flavor comes through moderate leaving a slightly burnt, homebrew extract flavor. Hops are weaker but accessible. Most of the attention here revolves around the grain (as should be in an amber ale), tasting of burnt caramel corn and..I think..DMS. Sweet and slightly bitter. Unpleasant lingering roasted hop/leaf/biscuit aftertaste

Appearance: Looks like John Hammond's walking staff minus the prehistoric mosquito.

Mouthfeel: No sharp or bright notes, smooth with moderate carbonation. Foam exists along with very slight lacing. Nothing special.

Not great, albeit not horrible. Your middle of the road Amber Ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 07:17:06 | More by FungusBrewer

Lawl3ss

Texas

2.45/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Lightly chilled 12 oz. bottle into a shaker pint. No visible bottling date.

Look- Light Amber, almost a blonde. Hazy. Two fingers of dense foam that falls over a few minutes, nice lacing.

Smell- Strong toasted bread with an almost acrid feel. Weird, not really sure how to describe it.... burnt olive oil?

Taste- Similar to the nose, almost-ashy biscuit. Moderately bitter, vaguely tangerinelike. Lingering grassy flavor. Not much going on.

Mouthfeel- Moderate carbonation, medium-light body. Drinks and feels like mineral water.

Overall- Not terrible, but I'm glad I only got the one. Too much bittering without substance and not much flavor to be found anywhere.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 05:39:39 | More by Lawl3ss

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.38/5  rDev +28.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Laughing Skull has a medium, fluffy, off-white head, nice lacing rings, and a hazy, amber appearance, with lots of white and gray chunks floating throughout. The aroma is of sweet, brown bread, and the taste is of the same, with an initially strong hop bitterness, which subsides. Sugar and a touch of citrus can be picked up as well. Mouthfeel is light and watery (lager-like, really), and Laughing Skull finishes crisp, clean, refreshing, dry, and highly drinkable. Overall, this is an excellent beer. Check it out, y’all!

RJT

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 15:29:21 | More by RonaldTheriot

jadpsu

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy amber with a near white head but thin head that has decent side glass lacing but not much head retention.
Some mlild roasty biscuity malts and a tinge of citrus hops. Combines some bready maltiness with some citrus hops . All and all a fairly decent balance for for this ale. Has a dry and slightly bitter bite that stays through the finish for an all around pleasant brew.
Purchased at Nicko's.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 00:32:33 | More by jadpsu

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

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

When I poured this beer out, it has a nice copper color body with a nice thcik white head that hung around for a while till it layed down to a thin lace. The smell of carmel notes, with some sweetness to it. The taste has a strong malt presense here. It is well balanced with the hops. The mouth feel is ok no after taste. this is your average amber/red ale, but it is worth tasting.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 01:49:40 | More by chefhatt

acevenom

Louisiana

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

Poured into a pint glass. Pours pale clear copper with a tall, off-white head that sticks around during consumption. Plenty of bubbles can be seen rising from the bottom of the glass. Caramel malts dominate the aroma. It smells sweet. There is a nice malt backbone for this beer. Citrus and floral hop flavors provide balance. There is not a strong aftertaste. The body is light to medium with strong carbonation. The beer finishes clean and dry. The drinkability is high. This is a very good beer that hits the right notes.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 20:54:24 | More by acevenom

tjsmith910

Florida

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

Thin white 1/2 finger head with a honey-colored haze. The head remained through out the length it took me to finish this beer. descent lacing. Not an over whelming beer but a beer worth the taste . easy to drink and forget that you have this one in your hand. Does seem a bit lager ish to me as well as a bit heavy. ill have another though.

Overall, an average amber that I think I will keep around - just about everyone would enjoy a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 01:35:52 | More by tjsmith910

KnoxBrew1

Tennessee

2.68/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Dark copper color with minimal head and decent lacing

S- Metallic with hint of lemon and floral hops with a slight spoiled aroma

T- Metallic with a taste of lemon and malt sweetness that lingers in a good way for a while before the metal seeps in at the finish, slight hops at the end but still a little too metallic for my taste.

M- medium body, watery with a dry finish

D-Easy to drink

A decent beer but not one I would buy again. The middle malt balances nicely but only for a quick spell, finishes with way too much metallic overtones.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 21:15:51 | More by KnoxBrew1

joshpuck

3.38/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Mild taste making it very drinkable but not different than a lot of beers out there. It has a sort of earthy-malty aftertaste and low carbonation.
Cool looking bottle though!

Also it's 5.3% not 5.7% as listed on site, maybe it has changed recently.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 22:45:59 | More by joshpuck

Duff27

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Local extra from sommersb, thanks Brian!

A- Close to a half inch white head on a sediment filled light amber body. Head retention lasted well into the session and lacing aplenty throughout.

S- Not getting a lot from the nose, perhaps a slight citrus.

T- Taste follows the nose, or lack thereof. Hops are there albeit faint, adds the citrus element. Good malt backbone.

M- Medium to medium-thin bodied, good carbonation.

D/O- Very drinkable, only if because there isn't a lot going on with it. No off-flavors, just very mellow in the taste profile.Grew on me over time. Could drink about 8 of these at a summer cookout no problem.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 02:03:11 | More by Duff27

TMoney2591

Illinois

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

Served in a stemless globe.

Thanks to hannydawg for sharing this bottle!

Let's pack in another amber tonight, eh? It pours a mostly clear amber (damn, what a shock there) topped by a finger of dirty white foam. The nose comprises toffee, dark greens, bitter orange rind, and pine needles. The taste holds notes of orange zest, light caramel, light wheat, and very light lemon zest. The body is a rather light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry-ish finish. Overall, a nice little amber, nothing special, but something I could easily enjoy again.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 05:00:30 | More by TMoney2591

StayWounded

North Carolina

2.78/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Fairly standard for this style, slightly darker end of amber, some head that dissipated quickly.

S: Some sweetness, could smell the yeast and a maltiness that wasn't super strong.

T: Key components seemed to be there, but didn't taste like a whole lot. Not a bad beer, just not what I was entirely expecting. I can see drinking this for a session. Sort of a very mellow standard ale taste if that makes sense.

M: No surprises here.

O: Good, not great beer. Picked it up on sale at a local beer merchant for $5 a six pack, so no complaints.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 14:56:30 | More by StayWounded

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to G311 for leaving me one of these after his recent trip to Tampa, if it wasn't gifted to me, I'm not sure I'd ever have bought it. I have seen this beer so many times, but always assumed it too plebian for my tastes. I was wrong; it is quite nice, and just about spot-on for what I call easy-drinking. It pours a surprisingly turbid copper-amber hue, and is capped with some dense ecru head and a good deal of lace. Both the flavor and aroma are prevalently malty, although I would say this is not a malt-bomb by any stretch. It is, however, quite malty, tending towards biscuity, earthy and toffeeish notes. The hop contribution is good in terms of balancing the maltiness, but does not seem to lend any specifically discernible character. The feel is lighter-than-medium, and the brew has serious tooth... Overall, I am very happy with this beer, and will revisit often.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 16:31:38 | More by ktrillionaire

olimpia84

Florida

3.68/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured the 12oz bottle into a Pint glass.

A: rich dark amber color with a small head that went away pretty quickly. Some lacing present.

S: a balanced sweet malty aroma with tones of sugar and fruits. Hoppy presence is felt as well.

T: malts with sweet tones that end with a bitter hoppy presence.

M: very drinkable ale, a bit on the watery side but good still. Light to medium body, light to medium carbonation.

O: a solid choice for its style, this will probably suit better for those looking for lighter and more drinkable options.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 19:23:52 | More by olimpia84

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.93/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a pilsner glass.

A: A whole bunch (a full hand) of creamy head. Startlingly long retention. After minutes, it's as huge as ever. Cloudy-clear with tons of bubbles. Sticky lace.

S: Creamy and fruity. A bit biscuity dry?

T: Much better than I was expecting from the label and ratings. Yeasty-spicy fruit, clean and crisp with a touch of hops and a dry malt endtaste. Only the aftertaste has any drawback. It's light and somehow unpleasantly bitter. Fortunately this lasts only briefly and a mundane beeriness takes over. Maybe not huge on flavour, but what's here is good.

M: Sturdy, smooth, and quenching.

O: A pretty good amber ale. Not exceptional, but easy-drinking and pleasant. If I think it's boring, maybe that means it would appeal to lots of people. Not recommended, but I wouldn't every snub one.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 21:26:35 | More by AgentMunky

eggodoom

Tennessee

3.9/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured it into a pint glass. Poured a beautiful amber red color with wisps of carbonation and a small amount of head. Has a sweet caramel malt flavor that falls awy to a slight dry hop taste. Left some great lacing as I continued to sip. You can smell the caramel malts. This beer is a good amber ale and drinks nicely.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 03:13:03 | More by eggodoom

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.63/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Medium orange colored pour, with a light white head. Laces quite well.

Some caramel malts aroma, but more citrus sweetness than maltiness.

Caramel malts, and those citrus notes and light bitterness.

Light, but creamy. Nice for an amber.

Not bad at all in the end.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 06:33:38 | More by EgadBananas

richkrull

Wisconsin

3.15/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a darker amber color with a decent beige head on it.

Smell is very sweet and malty.

Taste is just ok. Nothing all that impressive. Sweet malt throughout with a bit of a dry finish.

Mouthfeel is light. Goes down easy.

Overall a pretty average amber. I probably won't look for this one again.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 02:24:37 | More by richkrull

sommersb

Tennessee

3.53/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 07-19-2011
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle
Glassware: Tulip pint
Purchased: Single from J. Barleycorn, Nashville

A: Light copper color with mostly clear clarity. Head is off-white and leaves only a little lacing after the 2 fingers of head go down. Lots of lively carbonation seen.

S: Not a lot in the aroma department - some floral hop aromas and a light malt sweetness.

T: Taste follows the nose, with caramel malts balanced out with a slight hop bitterness. Nice easy-drinking ale.

M: Smooth, medium body, with a finish of late bitterness. Crisp feel like a lager.

O: I thought this was a good, well-rounded beer, there's just not much that's remarkable about it. The sum of the parts is greater than the individual elements.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 01:57:36 | More by sommersb

SFrankBrew

South Carolina

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

Pours a hazy orange with an enormous foamy off white head (so much head that I had to let the glass sit for a bit to pour the rest of the bottle into the glass) that leaves plenty of lacing. Aroma of lemon, apricot, honey and caramel malt. Taste is apricot, honey and caramel malts. Very carbonated - medium body. Okay brew but nothing outstanding for sure. Average across the board.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 19:34:56 | More by SFrankBrew

kevo237

Louisiana

3.35/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle.

Initially, this beer revealed a lot of fruit in the nose. I kept getting strawberries. That quickly vanished as the beer warmed. The taste was also fruity at first, but again leaving once it warmed. As this happened, the smell was copper and penny-like.

I very much enjoyed the taste of this beer right out of the fridge, but it seemed to weaken as it warmed. The taste became too perfume-like and standard for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 20:31:20 | More by kevo237

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.65/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle courtesy of fthomasl, thanks Frank! Pours a hazed copper color with a modest, fine-bubbled tan head.

Toffee and caramel malts with a bread-dough yeast aroma. Low on fruit and hops, I am enjoying the smell of this one.

Sweet caramel and flashes some burning toast and biscuit bottoms. Pretty fair amount of bitterness on the finish. Nutty as it warms. Mouthfeel has a nice creamy/sharp interplay. Id say this is an above average amber with some complexity to it...would take this over any of my local ambers, that is fo sho.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 16:23:19 | More by twiggamortis420

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz brown glass prytop bottle. Purchased at Knightly Spirits OBT, Orlando, FL.

Medium amber ale. Clear, very little head. Nose has a faint aroma of toasted barley and faint hops. Palate is crisp but not a whole lot going on here. Decent but nothing to get too excited about. Label is better than the beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 21:40:17 | More by SFLpunk

katan

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz into a pint

A - Pours a light brown color. Very clear, not hazy. White head formation, breaking down to a film.

S - Very light nose. Not much there at all. Light amount of nutty and caramel malts.

T - LIght malty flavor, simply a sweet twang. Mid-stream gets more grainy, bready, slightly nutty. Hopping is nowhere to be found. Finishes very clean, a result of the very light overall taste of the beer.

M - Moderate to light beer body, light carbonation as well. Clean finish. No alcohol warmth.

O/D - Easy drinking beer. Flavors are very light, very easy on the palette. ABV is manageable.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 23:08:42 | More by katan