Red IPA
Blue Spruce Brewing Company

July 7th, 2015 - Blue Spruce's Red Irish Ale is one of my favorite local brews, so is the other red beer from their brewery just as good? The Red IPA actually looks typically colored with maybe a slightly darker tint, but certainly not red. But the aroma is distinctly different, with a heavy, deep honeyed scent with light hops and lacquered wood. Also some premium maple syrup, and just a touch of smoke. Intriguing! It is very sweet at first sip, with a steady and weighted body. Later in the flavor I get a hint of apple sauce, cinnamon and white grape. It's good, but a hair too sweet, and with too little hop character. For those reasons I don't think it stands up to its similarly colored Irish ale a few tap handles over.