Dawn Of The Red I.R.A. Ale
Ninkasi Brewing Company

Dawn Of The Red I.R.A. AleDawn Of The Red I.R.A. Ale
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From:
Ninkasi Brewing Company
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
Ranked #31
ABV:
7%
Score:
87
Ranked #16,930
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 9.56%
Reviews:
110
Ratings:
499
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 05, 2023
Added:
Jan 03, 2014
Wants:
  27
Gots:
  185
An IRA bursting with tropical notes, this beer finishes juicy with a subtle malty backbone. After one taste, it’ll leave you wanting more. It doesn’t take brains to know this IRA is a delicious choice any time of year!
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Ratings by UCLABrewN84:
Photo of UCLABrewN84
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California

3.37/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Pours a hazy orange-brown with a foamy beige head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Foamy swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, earth, pineapple, and citrus zest aromas. Taste is much the same with sweet malt, citrus zest, and pineapple flavors on the finish. There is a medium amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is an above average beer that is drinkable, but the smell is better on this one in my opinion.
Mar 30, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of grandpappyduplenty
Reviewed by grandpappyduplenty from Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Really love the color of this one, pours nicely with a pretty faint head on it.

Taste is good, lingers for a long time which I love. Mouth feel is great as well.

Only real downside here is the aroma for me. It smells weirdly bad to me and nothing like it tastes.

Not a bad beer, but I’ve tried better from Ninkasi. Would rather pick up a pack of Maiden the Shade next time.
Aug 05, 2023
Photo of LucidoMMA
Reviewed by LucidoMMA from California

3.57/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a brown golden color with a retentive head.
Smells of grains, and yeast.

Bitter hop taste right up front.dome yeasty notes and a bitter finish.
Dec 20, 2022
Photo of MaddDoGG5150
Reviewed by MaddDoGG5150 from California

3.82/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Appearance: pours a clear copper color, with an off-white, one finger foam head. Low carbonation. Leaves behind some sticky lacing.

Aroma: semi-sweet malt, and some piney and bready notes. Some slight citric fruit in the background.

Taste: Rich malts up front coupled with a hoppy bitterness bite and citrus fruit peel.

Overall: this one isn't very complex, but it is fairly balanced. This reminds me of a slightly hoppier version of an Amber Ale. Brings back nostalgic memories. Definitely good for a party.
Sep 13, 2022
 
Rated: 3.83 by peachy-tay from California

Dec 02, 2021
Photo of EmperorBevis
Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottled and poured into a good fashioned dimpled handled pint pot
pours a very slightly hazed cherry red body with solid off white head
aroma once possible skunking wore off is big carob
flavour is bitter rye
Oct 05, 2021
Photo of Iamaskier
Reviewed by Iamaskier from Idaho

3.54/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
On pour: brownish gold with moderate haze. Nice head, soapy and clingy. Smells of bread and very mild citrus hops. This follows on the taste— most of the hops are on the finish. Starts with malty dough, shifting to wheat, and then to light piney hops that strengthen as it goes down. Feel is on the wet side, and pretty foamy too. Overall I like it. It doesn’t do IPA or red ale good enough to be the next big thing, but I appreciate the experimentation and wouldn’t turn one down if I was offered it.
Apr 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.41 by RXUYDC from California

Dec 06, 2020
 
Rated: 3.48 by evergreen_machine from Washington

Nov 30, 2020
Photo of TheBricenator
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon

4.21/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Look: Opaque dark orange leaning red with a quick-forming head that recedes to a lid, leaving good lacing behind
Aroma: Grapefruit, fir needles, pine, some earthy notes, sweet malt, candied orange, and some dank
Taste: Citrus fruits, pine, and dank come out swinging and are quickly tethered by some nice rich malt sweetness. Orange-led citrus and more pine break back into the forefront and mingle before a nice bite leads to the finish
Mouthfeel: Full, a little slick, medium-high carbonation, and noticeable dryness on the finish
Overall: I dig it. A tasty, somewhat old-school hoppy red IPA that is well balanced and easy to drink. I find most of these folks’ hoppy offerings to hit all the right notes for me – pine, citrus, a little Cannabis (dank), and some degree of dryness on the finish – and this is no exception. Been drinking this since it first appeared as a seasonal many years ago (though it likely replaced another favorite of mine, Believer Double Red). Tasty and recommended
Nov 09, 2020
 
Rated: 3.59 by gefinley from California

Aug 23, 2020
 
Rated: 2.75 by TallGuyCM from California

Jun 26, 2020
 
Rated: 3.84 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Jun 19, 2020
Photo of milkshakebeersucks
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland

3.64/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Deep amber appearance with a large off white head and good lacing. Aroma of rye and resin. Spicy, herbal hop flavors up front followed by a dry, biscuit-like taste. Aftertaste showcases some tropical fruit. Medium bodied, decently carbonated mouthfeel with a lingering finish.
Jun 11, 2020
Photo of MaltsOfGlory
Reviewed by MaltsOfGlory from Oregon

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle

Pours a small half finger of just off-white head into my can-style glass. Retention is average and it fades within a minute. As with my last Ninkasi beer, there is a nice noticeable rim of foam around the edges, and initial lacing looks very good as a result. Body is a dark orange with some brown hues. Clarity is pretty high and there’s a decent amount of bubbles coming up. Looks pretty good, but not really like a red IPA at all.

The nose has some semi deep malts, but not nearly to the nutty, biscuity level that a solid red IPA would have. Some citrus, maybe a little alcohol. Extremely faint stone fruit. It smells ok, but there is a little to be desired for sure.

Yeah the flavor is quite bland. Drinks far more like a pale ale. No real distinct flavors coming through until a little bit of malt and maybe a nano second of fruit hit towards the end. This is quite unimpressive. Don’t put “red” or “IPA” and definitely not “red IPA” on the bottle just to sell it, because it’s not any of those things.

Mouthfeel is good. Carbonation is medium. Body is medium. Bitterness is moderate. Sugars do not come through too much and play only a supporting role, keeping it from being noticeably dry. This is clean and well put together.

Drinkabiltiy is fine. Nothing wrong with this, it’s just somewhat boring.

Appearance turned out very nice. Even after some pretty serious agitating, a little foam remained, leaving some pretty solid lacing.

Overall there are no off flavors here, but it’s not to style at all, and it’s pretty flavorless.
May 26, 2020
 
Rated: 3.64 by Sayb from Arizona

May 10, 2020
 
Rated: 4.24 by HabaJohn from Illinois

Feb 25, 2020
 
Rated: 3.98 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Jan 29, 2020
Photo of Mister_Faucher
Reviewed by Mister_Faucher from Washington

3.76/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Part of a IPA mix pack picked up at QFC in Bothell, Washington.
BEST BY 01/14/20. Poured in to a pint glass.

Look- Clear bright copper color, modest off-white head that recedes fairly quickly, decent lacing. Light carbonation streaming as it sits.

Smell- Sweet caramel malts, citrus (grapefruit and orange rind), a bit of orchard type fruits (pear and apple), pine, spicy tea/herbal notes.

Taste- Much like the nose. Starts out malty sweet, then the pithy citrus and pine kick in.

Feel- Medium bodied, smooth and crisp with a lightly bitter finish, nicely balanced. Average carbonation on the tongue.

O- Pretty good hybrid type beer, interesting if nothing else. Ninkasi has a habit of making good but not great beers imo. Easy to drink several of these over a couple football games.
Nov 23, 2019
 
Rated: 3.94 by MobBarley from Oregon

Nov 09, 2019
Dawn Of The Red I.R.A. Ale from Ninkasi Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 499 ratings