McCarthy Red - Emmett's Brewing Company

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got this as part of an M&M 6pk from Binny’s in Downer’s Grove, IL in spring 2012.

It pours a reddish brown color with only a slight head. The scent is mild with bitter hops with some toasted malts lingering behind. The taste is very true to the red ale characteristics. It is very smooth with a good toasted malt flavor that finishes with a good crisp after taste. Very well made indeed.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 05:55:02 | More by Lemke10

BRD14

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2%

12-16-2012 18:32:09 | More by BRD14

ironwill54

4/5  rDev +2%

11-28-2012 20:19:27 | More by ironwill54

Kubrickx

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%

09-03-2012 23:55:33 | More by Kubrickx

robthepenguin

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2%

08-25-2012 06:48:22 | More by robthepenguin

Piotr_Rasputin

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%

08-11-2012 17:30:09 | More by Piotr_Rasputin

bperry65

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nice appearance, slightly cloudy red/orange color, lots of head with good retention. Very good taste, you can taste the hops up front and there is a mild bitter aftertaste. Smooth and easy drinking. Overall an above average example of a fairly unexciting style.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 02:23:12 | More by bperry65

PrvoPivo

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%

04-29-2012 23:13:53 | More by PrvoPivo

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%

04-27-2012 01:00:08 | More by Molson2000

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice reddish/gold color that is transparent. There is an inch of cream colored head. Spotty lacing.

The nose has a very bold hop presence. Grapefruit and pineapple are dominating the hoppy nose with some bready malt as it's sidkick.

The taste also has a great fruit forward hop bill. There is a fresh and fragrent amount of fruity yumminess. There is a counter amount of sweet malt that keeps balance for this brew.

The mouthfeel is light-medium and has a semi-dry finish. Juicy and a bit viscous transitions into a crispy end.

Overall, this red ale is bomb as hell fresh outta the growler (driven 5 minutes from brewery for consumption). Awesome hop profile.

Serving type: growler

12-17-2011 06:24:35 | More by ChugginOil

jenray

Texas

3/5  rDev -23.5%

11-23-2011 23:45:39 | More by jenray

Preismj

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a nice brown red coloring that is fairly easy to see through. aroma is hop forward with a barley presence in the background. Taste is very floral in the front. Picking up a touch of light citrus, but primarily a strong pine flavor with a dankness to it. mouthfeel is nice and creamy with a touch of fizz in the back end. A very solid red..a style I'm not typically fond of. This was quite good.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2011 15:07:16 | More by Preismj

matjack85

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I found this single 12oz brown bottle at the Binny's store in Plainfield, IL for $1.49. My label looks nothing like the label in the BA picture above, but I noticed that they have 2 brewery locations - one in Downers Grove, IL and one in Palatine, IL. Maybe each place has its own label design. My bottle is from the Palatine location. One thing that didn't make sense though is that both the company website and the BA listing give this beer a 5.2% alcohol content, yet my bottle lists the abv at a slightly higher level of 5.6%. I don't know what's up with that. No freshness date.

The beer poured a nice dark copper/reddish color but only left a thin off-white rim for a head. Retention was OK but it only left some slippery spotted lacing ( meaning the lace didn't stick to the sides of the glass, but instead slid back into the beer rather quickly).

The smell was really hoppy for a red ale. Big piny hop aroma with some toasted malt and caramel underneath.

Wow, this is really hoppy, yet not overpowering. There's plenty of pale malt and caramel in here for balance, but the main flavor is a mix of pine and grapefruit hops. I really like this.

Light to medium body with pretty high carbonation so it's very crisp on the palate.

This is not your ordinary boring red ale. This one gets your attention right away and keeps it throughout the bitter and semi dry finish. Very well made and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 18:06:50 | More by matjack85

jwinship83

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle picked up at the naperville binnys on the singles rack. i think it cost $1.49 or something. drank from my samuel adams perfect pint glass.

A- this one pours out a beautiful dark ruby red colored body with a small beige head on top. the head fades disappointingly fast and leaves behind small spots of lacing.

S- toasted bready malts are the first thing that i can pick out after my initial whiff. after that i get some some sweet caramel malts and just a hint of grassy and floral hops at the end.

T- the taste starts out with more of the sweet caramel malts that i could smell, along with the lightly toasted bread. there is a small amount of floral, grassy, and earthy hops at the end. not the most complex beer, but tasty nonetheless.

M- the body is on the fuller side of light. the carbonation is just about right.

O- a nice local beer that everyone can enjoy in a strength that allows the drinker to have a coupe of them. i think ill make it a point to try this one on tap at the brewery sooner rather than later.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 03:18:19 | More by jwinship83

Brunite

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: A deep copper with a 3 finger tan head that leaves a nice cap.

S: Caramel and hop notes.

T: Some caramel sweetness along with toasted grains. There is a strong hop presence that was unexpected. Not bad....unexpected. Citrus/grapefruit shows it's hand.

M: Medium body with decent carbonation.

O: A decent beer. More hoppy than I anticipated but a nice brew overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 01:48:41 | More by Brunite

weatherdog

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Emmett's in Downers Grove IL

It pours a crystal clear deep crimson with a soapy bone colored head, minimal lacing.

The aroma is of medium crystal malt and toast. Just a little bit of a grassy and floral hops are there. I would really pin this as an American Red off the nose, much closer to an Irish version.

Taste wise once again mirrors the nose in a lot of ways. A firm bitterness is there with a low to medium grass hop taste. The sweet caramel malts then come through and finish off the taste. Once again it's not screaming AMERICAN red to me as described on the beer menu.

The mouthfeel finishes dry and crisp which is really nice. It help the drinkability a lot. While not what I consider a great American style red, it's not a bad example as an Irish red.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2011 21:13:24 | More by weatherdog

Redrover

Illinois

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

Served in an imperial pint at the brewery, the beer is a dark garnet with a tan head and sticky lacing.

The aroma is of lightly roasted malts, caramel and apples.

The taste tracks the smell. It is slightly sweet but balanced by some nice hop induced bitterness. There is caramel, toasted crackers and light doses of citrus. This red is balanced, easy drinking and very sessionable.

This is a nice effort and it went great with our appetizers.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2009 01:29:36 | More by Redrover

emerge077

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a borderline session ale with a good dose of toasted malt character, and light floral and bittering hops. Fairly mild and easy drinking, with a slight bite from the hop element. Deep reddish color with a lasting head. Give it a try when it's on tap. Sampled at the West Dundee pub.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2008 16:10:33 | More by emerge077

tmitch75

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a growler at the brewery. Darker color than most reds with a frothy tan head.

Resinous hoppy smell hits first and dominates the nose.

Slightly sweet malt up front followed by oily resinous hop flavor. Good balance.

Light to medium body, would benefit from a bit more body.

Awesome. I could drink a whole growler so I am glad I got one!

Tasted on 4/29/08.

Serving type: growler

06-12-2008 02:21:13 | More by tmitch75