Tell me your fave Irish Red

I love the style and would like to hear some of your favorites out there. Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

i honestly havent had many in the style but i have always thought Sam Adams Irish Red was tasty

This is a style i really havent had much of. I have had Brian Boru and i really enjoyed that however

Brian Boru is the best I've had.

Her name was Maureen. I met her at Temple Bar...

Oh wait. You mean beer. Never mind.

Im partial to Boulevard's Irish Ale...my favorite of their regular offerings. And, at $6.99 it's a steal!!

I haven't had many but I just had Great Lakes Conway for the first time and really liked it. It's mild but has great flavor.

Three Floyds' Brian Boru, no doubt about it.

Harpoon Celtic Red by far.

Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale and FFF Brian Boru are the only ones I've had that really hit the spot..

Best Irish Red I've ever had is Kilkenny's. Only ever had it while Ireland though and have never found a place that has imported it in the US, unfortunately. Smithwick's is the Irish Red that gets all the attention in Ireland when it comes to red ales, and is the only one that gets imported to the US from what I've seen, but Kilkenny's is the better beer if you ask me. Has a creamier body and is poured like a Guinness. Fantastic example of how the style should be done IMO.

Never found a beer quite like it in the US, but it isn't a style I really have ever saught out either.

I second the mention of Boulevard Irish Ale. Sam Adams Irish Red is also pretty good. Both of them are easy to get and won't break the bank.

O'hara's Irish Red is my favourite that I had so far. Sam Adams, Alpine McIlhenney's, and Moylan's Danny's are also solid.

Great Lakes Brewing Conway's Irish Ale.

O'Hara's and Boulevard. I wish Irish reds were released year-round instead of in the spring. When I'm in the mood for more hops, Odell Red is fantastic.

Dammit. You beat me to the same joke. (Mine was Colleen)

I will also say O'Hara's Irish Red. Smoky, tea-like, delicate and drinkable. The best example of the style I have come across and it's from Ireland!

Kilkenny's on Nitro in Ireland is unsurpassable. Otherwise Baxter Amber Road, though not classified as one. Of those that see wide distribution, Sam Adams Irish Red.

I did not enjoy my O'haras red, but that could've been a freshness issue.

Casco bay riptide
Great Lakes Conway's Irish

3 Floyds Brian Boru...tops

^^^ this is the answer

Agree 100%! As soon as I saw the title of the thread I thought of Kilkenny. I've only had it overseas in France and Italy during port visits while in the Navy (damn, over 11 yrs ago!). I've heard that it is the US in some select places like NYC and Seattle, but I've never seen it. I do enjoy Smithwick's, and it's my favorite Irish Red that's actually distributed here.

Yes, GL's Conways is the best. Also, Saranac's Irish Red is a solid example. The 6.99$ price tag is quite nice too!

What joke?
Red hair, big blue eyes ...

Cigar City Tocobaga

Kern River Dirty Hippy.

/Thread

Cheers!

I really would like to try that. Can't get it in Nebraska.

Does Red Rocket count?

Not the right style.

Per my ratings, I.R.A. from Mother Earth in San Diego.

Yeah I don't like reds but Brian brou was amazing

Watney's.

I go to San Antonio all the time and there is a pub on the riverwalk that has Kilkenny on draft and dear god is that good after some spicy Mexican food.

Diageo does export Kilkenny in kegs to the US thorough their US subsidiary Diageo-Guinness USA.

And they export both Smithwick's and Kilkenny in cans to Canada. http://www.thebeerstore.ca/beers/kilkenny-cream-ale http://www.thebeerstore.ca/beers/smithwicks-ale

There's lot of stories/rumors about Kilkenny: That Diageo choose to make their main ale in the US Smithwick's to avoid legal conflicts with the similarly named Killian's from Coors --- and that Smithwick's and Kilkenny started out the same basic product (the original Smithwick's was brewed IN Kilkenny, after all) and were just exported to different countries -i n part, because Smithwick's was thought to be too difficult for some to pronounce correctly. I think one of Michael Jackson books discusses the latter situation.

The Smithwick in the US has a higher abv than the Irish market stuff, which a Diageo brewmaster discussed when it first hit the US a few years back now. Also, the Canadian imports differ in ABV, as noted in the links above.

Another vote for Brian Boru. I forgot that I had it...thanks again, eggs, where ever you are.

I was going to recommend her as well.

Another Kilkenny rumor I've heard is that Kilkenny and Smithwick's are the exact same beer, except that Kilkenny is charged with nitrogen like a stout.

I could definitely see Coors getting butt-hurt over the Killian's vs. Kilkenny name similarity. Especially once people accidentally or mistakenly get a Kilkenny, get blown away, and never drink a Killian's again! Not that Killian's is bad, but it's not on the same level as Kilkenny.

IMHO, Killian's should have been kept as an Ale as it originally was but Coors had to mess around with it and make it a Lager. Still fairly decent but very inferior to what it once was as an Ale.

OK... the masses have spoken. Time to find me some Brian Boru! Wonder if it is available anywhere in CT? Hmmmm....

I thought Samuel Adams Irish Red was good last time I had it (probably the most accessible in my area also, if you don't count Killians).