Red Sea Amber Ale
Swashbuckler Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

On tap at T.J. Rockwell's... Wasn't away that this brewery even existed or was so close to me...

A - Served with slightly more than a fingers worthy of whipped fluffy creamy wheat head... Solid retention gives way to a full veil of lacing... The color is light brown with a very distinct bright red hue... Sluggish carbonation can be seen towards the top of the glass... A bit of lacing clings to the glass...

S - The nose is loaded with an array of bready malts... Toasted malts... Slighty nutty... A touch of caramel...

T - Loaded with bready malts... Light cherry juice... Some faint caramel... Just the slightest of subtle hop presence that provide a bit of a twang... Actually very reminiscent of a Marzen...

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied... Smooth... Moderately creamy... Light carbonation... Consistent sip after sip...

D - A pretty nice brew all around... Simple and striaght forward... Both sessionable and quaffable... I would have no problem putting down a couple of these in a sitting... I will gladly opt for again in the future if given the opportunity...

Poured from a freshly filled growler gotten at the PA RF. Poured into a tulip glass.

A: A very cloudy dark orange with red and brown tints. A two finger off white head leaves nice lacing.

S: Bready, doughy sweetness with a touch of yeast and some caramel sweetness. Some earthy English style hops detected.

T: Follow the nose. Bready malts with some doughy rye flavors coupled with the caramel malt. Nice earthy English style hops with a bit of bitterness that stands out and finishes up. I am picking up some yeastiness in there also. Not a bad beer.

M: Creamy, smooth with a bitter finish. No alcohol.

D: Pretty good. This is a session style beer that drinks very much like a lager.

Overall a decent beer but not any award winner. Glad I tried it, drink it if you ever get to the RF.

This was handed to me with a finger of reddish-brown head with low retention. The nose was very sweet with caramel. Color was a deep reddish-brown with NE-quality clarity. Mouthfeel was medium. I was a bit surprised by its hoppy quality up front until Brewer Mark Braunwirth explained that he brewed it as a pseudo-ESB. Indeed, especially given the malty sweetness on the finish. Not bad, but just not my style.

On tap at the PA RF...
Appears a dark copper toned amber with a frothy, off-white head that slowly fades away. Tons of lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is sweet, malty, grainy, with caramel, & toffee notes.
Taste is of the aromas with a light cocoa dusting that makes the brew a bit more interesting.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, sweet, and balanced.

Red Sea Amber Ale
Available at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire

Amber in color. Lager style of beer. Very smooth with a bit of noticeable yeast and (that certain redness). Extremely easy drinking beer. My favorite of Swashbuckler line, to drink all day. They are working on getting a bottling operation started but at the moment it is available at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. I have already gotten season tickets to the Faire for their beers, they are excellent! I will be re-reviewing these beers as soon as the 2006 season opens. I highly recommend stopping in to check it out.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!