Claim Jumper Original Red Ale
Maritime Pacific Brewing Company

 

What could I say. It was a beer. Poured a orangish red tint. Crystal Clear one finger head with almost no lace. Smell was almost non-existant, and taste was pretty boring as well. Very light bodied with some slight hopy tones with a clean finish. Felt clean and crisp, like I said very light, easy to drink but not a good beer in my opinion.

Tasted at thier Mission Viejo, Ca. location where they 'claim' it is made by Bayhawk (a local brewery).
Pours a clear orange amber...not really red...with a half finger white head that melted to fine, sticky lacing.
Aromas were lightly sweet malt with a fresh fruit scent and a touch of green hops.
Taste was lightly sweet malt with a little citrus peel and bubblegum finishing to a dry vinegar aftertaste.
The vinegar flavorings put me off and I couldn't even finish the single pint.

Tried this red ale out in Lombard, Illinois at a Claim Jumper restaurant. It wasn't very red, and looked relatively weak. The aroma was very nice, and it had a very nutty and fruity taste. The head was about 3/4 of an inch thick and remained that way for about five minutes or so. I really wasn't that impressed with it, it just wasn't to my liking I guess. If you are looking for a good red ale, try one of the Rock Bottom chains...their Radio Towers Red is great.

Went to Claim Jumper's with my wife and I did not even know that they had their own beer. Received a nice pint and the color was a nice redish amber color that was really nice. The smell was good, a malty floral aroma.

The taste was a tart malty flavor with a nice hoppy bite. The mouthfeel was nice, a good thickness for a red ale. Over all a pretty good beer and probably one of the best on tap at Claim Jumpers.

Appearance – Deep red in color with a holding head. I ordered this on-tap and it was filled almost to the top, but what head was there stuck around for five minutes or so.

Smell – This one smells like one of those nut-filled trail mixes with dried cranberries and oranges. It is very sharp and distinctive.

Taste – The nutty flavor came out from the nose. The tart cranberry taste was big as well. All this preceded a nice, hoppy, rind-flavored backbone that made this a unique, tasty brew.

Mouthfeel – Well-carbonated and very refreshing. This one was lively and entertaining.

Drinkability – This was a fun Red Ale. It was refreshing, went well with my order of giant steak-chili nachos, and was an all-around terrific find. It’s not what I’d expect from a restaurant’s house special.

Comments – I had this at the Claim Jumper in Redmond, WA, while watching the NLCS (sorry Cubbies, no clincher today). It all added up to a good time.

Claim jumper is a great restaurant. One rarely finds SO many choices on a menu! Combine that with a full bar and a wide selection of brews: paradise. They offer a sampler of various beers, and I will be reviewing them next visit. Their Red Ale has a lovely red color: little foam or lacing. And, as I often read other reviews, one question: what do "nuts" smell like? Peanuts? Brazil Nuts? Macadamia? I too search for a word to convey the illusory concept of an aroma, but here there was not much. Possibly: hazel nuts? I didn't find the flavor sweet or fruity, it just mildly caressed the tongue, followed by the sense of that a-little-too-much-carbonation mouthfeel. Drinkable, and great with food. Definitely worth a try.

This one is contract brewed for claim jumper restaurant chain. The smell was surprisingly good with nuts and fruit predominant. Flavor profile was a mix of sweet and nuts with a fair bit of fruit as well. Tried a schooner as I was unsure of how good a beer it would be, but I was pleasantly surprised. A very nice beer that you should definitely try if at one of the restaurants.