Knuckle Head Red
The Knuckle Saloon & Grill

I like this red because it doesn't have a high IBU number. I love my reds with 20 IBUs or less. This one is still really good. Almost all the breweries like to do NW Reds which are high in IBUs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

12oz undated can stating "American Red Ale" & "5.6% ABV" poured into a perfect pint glass at fridge temp. The beer pours bright amber with short lived khaki head. The head recedes to a few bubbles and a pencil thin ring leaving a little lacing. The aroma is mild with honey and bread being most noticeable. The taste is semisweet caramel with a defined cardboard middle and a medium, yet harsh bitter finish. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied, adequately carbonated and mostly dry in the finish. Overall, very average. Age may have had a hand here or it could possibly be a very average beer.

This was given to us by the hotel manager when we stayed in Keystone, SD--I then picked up more!

A: Pours a rich, red hue with some amber highlights and topped with a sandy coloured head.

S + T: The aroma is quite unassuming, largely just caramel malts--the taste is where it really shines in that those same malts are quite rich and balanced very well with a grassy hop note; essentially, it is exactly as it is described. There is nothing explosive or incredibly heavy in terms of scent or taste... it's just a well-balanced, well-crafted beer, made by brewers who very clearly know what they are doing.

M + O: Medium-light body, with a nice and crisp carbonation which, again, provides excellent balance. This beer is an example of putting together a great ambassador for the style and Sturgis has performed very well--bravo!

 

 

 

 

 

a great amber ale right here. darker than a lot of them, past copper to deep bronze and mahogany, really pretty to look at, crystal clear and shiny, with just a short off white head on top. sweet and nutty in the nose, hints of molasses and then the hops, which are not too much, but definitely above average intensity for the usually malt driven style. it sort of reminds me of alaskan amber in that way. great depth to the grain base here, lots of nuttiness and even a hint of smoke to it, well caramelized, long boil i would imagine. the hops taste grassy to me, seemingly european, although its tough to tell, english type grassy bitterness, but somehow much fresher than i am used to in like a magnum or fuggles hop. smooth rounded medium body, and just enough carbonation. this is good all weather beer, easy drinking but interesting enough, and overall a really fantastic first impression of the knuckle. i hope to get up that way this week and possibly visit the brewery, at the very least get my lips on some more of their stuff, i was impressed with this.

On tap. Pour arrived a hazy red with an off-white, creamy head and plenty of carbonation.
Aroma is biscuit and toffee with a bit of spice.
Taste is malt-forward with biscuit, cracker, and toast notes, a hint of toffee and even a little bit of sweet milk chocolate. A slight finishing bitter is just right.
Mouthfeel is great, smooth and creamy.
Good beer.