Casco Bay Riptide Red Ale
Casco Bay Brewing Co.

Casco Bay Riptide Red AleCasco Bay Riptide Red Ale
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From:
Casco Bay Brewing Co.
 
Maine, United States
Style:
Irish Red Ale
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 13.49%
Reviews:
114
Ratings:
201
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 29, 2017
Added:
Dec 31, 2000
Wants:
  32
Gots:
  28
Our flagship, this Irish-Style Red Ale proudly won a gold medal at the 2000 World Beer Cup. A combination of 5 different malts and 3 hop varietals, carefully blended, results in a perfect balance. Full-flavored and medium-bodied, the Riptide Red provides surprising complexity for such an easy-drinking brew.
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Ratings by BuckeyeNation:
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

4.3/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Orangutan orange with a healthy reddish glow, just as it should be for the style. The cap is an attractive shade of pale golden caramel and fills half the glass after an aggressive pour. It has a nicely firm, sticky texture and is leaving a copious amount of lace in ripped sheets.

The nose is classic Irish red and is a corker. It's equal parts toasted-earthy malty and fruity-herbal hoppy. There's plenty of power; something that one doesn't run into very often in beer of this style. I'd like to know the specifics of the malt and hop bills, but all the brewery will say is that '5 different malts and 3 hop varietals' have been used.

Riptide Red Ale is good beer (make that 'very good beer'), largely because it's chock full of ingredients; especially hops. In fact, it might be one of the best Irish reds that I've had yet. The malt backbone is firmly caramel-like and toasted nutty with a lucious sweetness that stops short of being too sweet.

It's impossible to tell what hops have been used, but I'm guessing that English varieties are dominant. Riptide has that herbal, tea leaf-like flavor and bitterness that I usually associate with hops from that country. East Kent Goldings are in there, I'll bet. Sweetness and bitterness play off one another beautifully. I could drink this stuff by the growler.

The mouthfeel is medium-full for the style thanks to all the malt. It's supremely smooth and soft without being the least bit sticky or heavy. In short, it's a near perfect match for the flavor profile and is a boon to drinkability.

Casco Bay Riptide Red Ale has to be classified as a pleasant surprise. I had no idea what to expect from this brewery or this beer. What I got was a delicious Irish red that favors the bold end of the style spectrum rather than the wimpy one. Thanks to jrdegriselles for the opportunity.
Jan 12, 2007
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.91 by JustCamIt from Virginia

Oct 29, 2017
Photo of Rocketbird
Reviewed by Rocketbird from Virginia

2.4/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
Dark brown color with a reddish tint. Thick, dense head. Smells balanced between hoppy and malty. Medium bodied. Very malty flavor, almost tastes like syrup. Blech. Awful aftertaste. Tastes like brown sugar.
Jun 25, 2016
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. best before Feb 2016, so a little age on this one.

looks very nice, strong deep red color with initial good head which quickly dissipates to a thin ring. no lacing to speak of.

aroma is very strong and malty with a little sweetness.

the bready malts come through strong, with a slight sourness to the finish. mouth is below medium.

overall, not my cup of tea. does remind me of some Scottish ales I've had in the past.
Apr 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.3 by rderedin from Maine

Feb 26, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by bb-magic from Florida

Feb 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by Mojo from Alabama

Feb 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by VABA from Virginia

Jan 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Dec 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by dsshuck from Delaware

Dec 05, 2015
Photo of tillmac62
Reviewed by tillmac62 from South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
BBD 11/30/15. Pours a beautiful clear dark ruby. Outstanding head volume, world class lacing and retention.

Outstanding nose of toasted biscuit over a touch of caramel. Underneath is a subtle sweetness that hints of molasses. Very little earthy hop presence.

Light medium body that is smooth and has a touch of creamy texture. Perfect carbonation with a nice effervescent burst in the middle and a prickly rollicking finish.

The outstanding flavor profile is balanced, very complex and somewhat intense. It begins with toasted malt that flows into a light caramel that has a burned sugar quality. While never really sweet, the middle becomes mildly bitter and rather herbal. The finish is a slow slightly bitter and dry fade of charred grain and herbal hops.
Oct 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.45 by JohnnyR305 from Florida

Sep 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.86 by Runbad from Delaware

Sep 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.92 by DevWand from Oregon

Sep 03, 2015
Photo of HattedClassic
Reviewed by HattedClassic from Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The beer pours a nice creamy off-white head that dissipates quickly. The beer itself is a nice deep amber with very strong red tones to it. The look is very nice and very appealing.

The beer smell is fairly light but still has recognizable notes. The notes vary from a nice herbal tea to various malt notes. The malt notes are a light nutty note and a toasty malt note with a bit of caramel. The mixture of the herbal note and the malty notes leads to a pretty good nose once the floral hops make an appearance.

The taste is very good. The tea note is much stronger while the hop note is weaker. The malt notes more or less stay the same. The notes are the same as the smell.

The feel is pretty good. The beer feels light bodied but on the heavier side with a moderate carbonation presence.

Overall, a pretty good IRA and with good reason. Definitely recommend.
Aug 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.71 by 6thstreetbrewpub from District of Columbia

Aug 05, 2015
Photo of Nate4288
Reviewed by Nate4288 from Maryland

3.58/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
This beer has a bit of a unique taste. Kind of like very burnt caramel with little sweetness. Not too strong though, so it is very drinkable. I think would go good with a bonfire in the back yard when you are making smores or something sweet. Without something sweet going with it, it is a very dry tasting beer. Goes down well though.
Aug 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.89 by gautch726 from Virginia

Aug 01, 2015
Photo of ppvora
Reviewed by ppvora from Pennsylvania

2.64/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Poured from a chilled 12 oz. bottle into an ale glass.

Appearance: Reddish brown color, 1 finger head which dissipates pretty quickly.
Aroma: Malty, with a little bit of an orange aroma, mash, sugar.
Taste: Malt with burnt sugar and a slice of toast that was somewhat burnt.
Mouthfeel: some bitterness, but not unpleasant.

This was a most unusual beer; some "unusual" beers are unpleasant -- this one wasn't but I wouldn't buy again. [Sorry]
Jul 04, 2015
Photo of UTPharm2012
Rated by UTPharm2012 from Florida

3.25/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Took it down slightly bc it was so carbonated but pretty good smell and taste combination
Jun 19, 2015
Casco Bay Riptide Red Ale from Casco Bay Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 201 ratings