Irish Red
Owen O'Leary's

 

On tap at O’Leary’s. Pours dark red with fluffy white head. Aroma is of caramel malt and raspberries. Body is medium and slightly crisp. Caramel malt, herbal hops and raspberries fill the mouth. Finish is long, herbal. Enjoyable brew.

On tap at the Framingham location. Irish Red Ale poured a light copper-auburn. Aroma indicated a stronger dosage of hops than most Irish Reds can boast. Again, one of two or three beers on tap that have any kind of aroma character at all. There was a great malt tang similar to the one achieved by Guinness, though I doubt O'Leary's went to the trouble of pasturizing sour beer and adding it to the finished product. The finish was soft and sweet. While somewhat unremarkable, this is yet another solid brew from the brewmaster's pot. I will enjoy this again in the future.

According to the bartender, this is the fan favorite of the place. For my tastes, I think the IPA is better, but the Red isn't bad either. The beer has a smallish head but compensates with a big malt taste. The beer is made with roast malts and chocolate malts, but there isn't a chocolately feel to this beer. It has the coppery, caramelly flavor of a marzan but with more carbonation. There is a slightly dryishness to this beer in the finish. It's a pretty typical Red Ale otherwise.

addendum: The beer doesn't have chocolate malts according to the brewer. I was led astray by the bartender who told me this. Perhaps the crystal malts took on some chocolatey and roasted qualities.

Enjoyed on-tap. Presented in an imperial pint glass.

Thick 3/4" beige head above the crystal clear reddish amber brew. Head lasts and lasts. Aroma is somewhat generic but exhibits some nice maltiness. Taste starts with a biscuity maltiness, which quickly gives way to a rounded bitterness that hangs around. Mouthfeel is crisp and clean, and this one is quite drinkable.

Tried this at the Brockton location, not the Natick one. I am not sure if that presents any issues with the serving, but I just thought I would be as fair as possible with this review.

A normal amber color with tints of red. the head was small but frothy. The smell was light but I could detect traces of malt and hops, as well as a bit of sweetness.

The taste was just a normal Irish Red taste. A pretty good balance between the malt and hops, that gave way to a mild sweet flavor, but there just wasn't alot there. I did not get that toasted malt character, or even a hint tanic flavour. Somewhat bland.

Still, nothing was overly offensive, so it's drinkabilty was good. Very easy to slug down on a Thursday night.