Bald Irishman
Center of the Universe Brewing Company

 

16 oz can from Total Wine and More in Short Pump, VA. The ale poured a reddish color with an off-white head that quickly dissipated. No lacing! The gariny aroma from several malts is detected. There are hints of Toffee and bread-like flavors. The ale has a light body and soft carbonation. It could be better with more hops.

Note: ABV 6.1% on the can

Clear, deep mahogany, thin but dense khaki head, good retention, thin rings of lace
Toffee, caramel, toasted bread aroma
Toffee and toasted bread, light dried fruit flavor
Medium light body, appropriate carbonation, a little watery
Nice easy drinker for spring

Big fan of Reds and the Bald Irishman does not disappoint! Great dark red color with moderate head. The smell delivers a pleasant toasty aroma. Tastes a well balanced nutty caramel with malt from start to finish. A very drinkable and tasty Red!

From the pint can, it pours a clear reddish amber color with a modest off-white head that soon diminishes to a thin layer. In the nose, it is lightly malty with only a touch of caramel (which, to me, is great!). In the mouth, it is the same, malty, with a hint of caramel and nuts. Good Red Ale!

2024 update: yum!

Nice amber color nice head. String then expected. Nice and smooth

 

Poured from a can with a briefly lived off-whiteish head with mild effervescence and a red to rusty crimson red coloration. Scent is on the maltier side, with nutty and caramel notes and minimal hoppy undertones. Taste is subdued, with a slightly bready sweetness from the malts and very little hops present. Feel is lighter bodied with a muted aftertaste. Enjoyable overall, but nothing that really excels for my tastes.

 

Beautiful dark amber color. Smells and tastes like hard cider on first note, nutty in the middle, and finishes with Myers’s Dark Rum ruddiness and flavor. Honestly, I kept drinking it to nail that finish and it really grew on me. First note and Yuengling like mouthfeel might be off-putting to some initially. Pour another. Scores points for distinction.

 

A fizzy off white head quickly disappears, leaving just a bit of fizz on top. Great color, somewhere between red and orange and a bit cloudy. Nose starts out with a little cherry before a lit grassiness pulls in. Taste opens up with a corny, hay thing before a hint of caramel appears. Upon exit there’s just a touch of tart. Finally, a hint of alcohol. Thin and watery with virtually no aftertaste to speak of.

 

A: A crimson red when held to the light, a light tan head on top that quickly dissipates into a small ring.

S: A light sweetness from malt, with a touch of toasted biscuit. Light caramel.

T: Caramel, and toffee, some sweetness. There is a certain sharpness in here I don't think I love.

M: Medium, with moderate and fine carbonation. A bit of a dry finish, but fairly lackluster. It's not flat but it kinda feels that way.

O: Overall not a bad beer, but not great either.

From the bottom of the can: "IN ORBIT ON 01/23/19"

Appearance: It has a beautiful dark copper-brown body with hints of auburn and red as light passes through. It has a short tobacco stained yellow-tan head that quickly fades to a glassy surface leaving no lacing. It has decent clarity with a slight opalescence. No head retention.

Aroma: It has a nutty aroma with a soft, mossy, herbal hop character. There is a very light bit of what smells like toasted caramel.

Taste: It has a very mild nut flavor and a bit of what tastes like chalk. There is a faint flavor of alcohol. There just isn't much going on here with the flavors. The beer gives an average flavor profile for an Irish Red Ale then it sharply tapers off towards the middle of the mouth. About half-way through the can some acetone came through.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation feels low and the beer just sits on the palate. The body feels too light as well.

Overall: The beer wasn't very enjoyable to drink. It had very little flavor and very little body. The carbonation felt very lacking and it just wasn't that great.

On a side note there is a mention on the can that this won a "WORLD BEER CUP 2018 GOLD AWARD." I am wondering if something happened with this batch because it isn't very good. Additionally there is a note that "10% of the proceeds from the brew goes to support ST. BALDRICK'S FOUNDATION" dedicated to curing childhood cancer, which is admirable. As far as this batch is concerned I wouldn't recommend it. I would recommend buying a different Irish Red Ale and throwing a few bucks to St. Baldrick's Foundation separately. I might try it again in the future but I won't be buying any more cans this year.