Evil Dead Red | AleSmith Brewing Company
Brewed by:
AleSmith Brewing Company
California, United States
alesmith.com
Style: American Amber / Red Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.66%
Availability: Fall
Notes / Commercial Description:
Each Halloween we release this special concoction to celebrate one of our favorite holidays. Deep blood-red in color, an intense aroma of pine and citrus from an abundance of American hops balances the sweetness and rich, bready flavors of this beer's caramel malts. The result is a fiendishly smooth brew that will make your taste buds scream with delight.
This beer pairs excellently with toffee, caramel apples, or your favorite horror flick.
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 585 | Reviews: 150
Reviews by prototypic:
More User Reviews:
4/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 8/20/2014. Pours slightly hazy deep ruby red color with a 2 finger dense and fluffy light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, light nuttiness/chocolate, and floral/grassy earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; with good strength. Taste of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, light nuttiness/chocolate, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine/grassy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon/orange zest, pine, caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, light nuttiness/chocolate, and floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/piney hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; with a good malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice red ale. All around great robustness, complexity, and balance of citrus/pine hops and dark/bready malt sweetness; and very smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.
1,592 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 8/20/2014. Pours slightly hazy deep ruby red color with a 2 finger dense and fluffy light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, light nuttiness/chocolate, and floral/grassy earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; with good strength. Taste of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, light nuttiness/chocolate, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine/grassy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, lemon/orange zest, pine, caramel, toffee, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, light nuttiness/chocolate, and floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/piney hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; with a good malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice red ale. All around great robustness, complexity, and balance of citrus/pine hops and dark/bready malt sweetness; and very smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.
1,592 characters
4.47/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Dark ruby red with a one finger off-white head. Smells of sweet, sweet, Carmel malt. Malt taste for sure! Flower presence at mid mouth. Tastes the way a red should. A definite hop that certainly does not take away frm the smooth mouthfeel. Totally impressed whic I may have found my favorite red!
302 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Dark ruby red with a one finger off-white head. Smells of sweet, sweet, Carmel malt. Malt taste for sure! Flower presence at mid mouth. Tastes the way a red should. A definite hop that certainly does not take away frm the smooth mouthfeel. Totally impressed whic I may have found my favorite red!
302 characters
4.59/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had on draft at PC Pub in Pennsburg, PA. The color is super dark mahogany that you can barely see through. Very rich, chewy malt flavors with a west coast hoppy backbone. Medium bodied with well-suited carbonation. Tastes and smells kinda like Christmas.
254 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had on draft at PC Pub in Pennsburg, PA. The color is super dark mahogany that you can barely see through. Very rich, chewy malt flavors with a west coast hoppy backbone. Medium bodied with well-suited carbonation. Tastes and smells kinda like Christmas.
254 characters
4.35/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours into an impy pint glass a rich deep amber with a billowing one and a half finger beige head that has alot of craters spitting out foam,two broken rings of lace is left behind as it settles slowly into a frothy mass.Sharp grapefruit and English toffee play equal parts in the nose,just great.Leave it to the left coast to get the hoppy amber right again,sweet brown sugar with almost a butterscotch element to it,more caramel lends to the malty sweet side,then a big splash of grapefruit and pine jump out ya in the finish.The malty and hoppy sides of this beer intertwine almost perfectly and the feel is full but mellow at the same time.A damn fine hoppy American red here that has a great malt character as well.
720 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours into an impy pint glass a rich deep amber with a billowing one and a half finger beige head that has alot of craters spitting out foam,two broken rings of lace is left behind as it settles slowly into a frothy mass.Sharp grapefruit and English toffee play equal parts in the nose,just great.Leave it to the left coast to get the hoppy amber right again,sweet brown sugar with almost a butterscotch element to it,more caramel lends to the malty sweet side,then a big splash of grapefruit and pine jump out ya in the finish.The malty and hoppy sides of this beer intertwine almost perfectly and the feel is full but mellow at the same time.A damn fine hoppy American red here that has a great malt character as well.
720 characters
3.5/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle. Pours deep ruby red amber with a big fluffy light tan head that retains well and leaves some lacing.
The aroma is sweet nutty caramel malts with fruity piney hops.
The flavor is sweet nutty caramel malt with a lot of fruit and a piney resiny hop finish with a little alcohol. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall, a nice hoppy red.
382 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle. Pours deep ruby red amber with a big fluffy light tan head that retains well and leaves some lacing.
The aroma is sweet nutty caramel malts with fruity piney hops.
The flavor is sweet nutty caramel malt with a lot of fruit and a piney resiny hop finish with a little alcohol. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall, a nice hoppy red.
382 characters
3.91/5 rDev -3.2%
22 ozBomber.Smell of Hops and citrus.The taste is hops and grapefruit with a touch of sour.The sour to me was a little surprising.Nice blood red color and the ABV is 6.66.This is not a bad beer but not near as good as say Imperial red from Lagunitas or Hop head red from green flash.To much gimmick not enough stuff.
316 characters
22 ozBomber.Smell of Hops and citrus.The taste is hops and grapefruit with a touch of sour.The sour to me was a little surprising.Nice blood red color and the ABV is 6.66.This is not a bad beer but not near as good as say Imperial red from Lagunitas or Hop head red from green flash.To much gimmick not enough stuff.
316 characters
3.48/5 rDev -13.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
4/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tap @ Hamilton's. Pours clear auburn with a skimpy white head. Caramel, grapefruit, and pine dominate the nose. Full, tangy grapefruit and resin hop flavor tempered nicely by the malt. The caramel thankfully does not overwhelm. Velvet mouthfeel. I just can't get enough of the hops in this one. Its so good.
307 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tap @ Hamilton's. Pours clear auburn with a skimpy white head. Caramel, grapefruit, and pine dominate the nose. Full, tangy grapefruit and resin hop flavor tempered nicely by the malt. The caramel thankfully does not overwhelm. Velvet mouthfeel. I just can't get enough of the hops in this one. Its so good.
307 characters
3.81/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Amber to ruby in color. A fingernail of tan rests on top. Heavy lacing. I smell prominent citrus hops and amber malt. The taste is a well balanced blend of citrus hops and amber malt. The mouth is dry and creamy.
217 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Amber to ruby in color. A fingernail of tan rests on top. Heavy lacing. I smell prominent citrus hops and amber malt. The taste is a well balanced blend of citrus hops and amber malt. The mouth is dry and creamy.
217 characters
4.5/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had from a 22 oz. bottle in a craft beer glass. L: Pours brilliant amber to reddish brown under a finely bubbled, clingy 1” light tan foam collar. The collar takes about 4 minutes to descend to a thick film. Very lacy. S: Mild malt aromas with a light nuttiness and a faint hint of sulfur. T: Very nutty malt flavors but not a lot of caramel. Malt is moderate to moderately high but not exceptionally sweet – fairly dry overall. The hops are mild inflavor with a balancing hop bitterness. F: Medium body and carbonation, soft palate. O: Has an english brown ale vibe. Very drinkable.
587 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had from a 22 oz. bottle in a craft beer glass. L: Pours brilliant amber to reddish brown under a finely bubbled, clingy 1” light tan foam collar. The collar takes about 4 minutes to descend to a thick film. Very lacy. S: Mild malt aromas with a light nuttiness and a faint hint of sulfur. T: Very nutty malt flavors but not a lot of caramel. Malt is moderate to moderately high but not exceptionally sweet – fairly dry overall. The hops are mild inflavor with a balancing hop bitterness. F: Medium body and carbonation, soft palate. O: Has an english brown ale vibe. Very drinkable.
587 characters
4.03/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On Tap
Pizza Port
Carlsbad, CA
Dark but clear auburn and ruby with a thin light brown khaki head. Leaves the glass incredibly messy with sticky spiderweb lace.
Hoppy aroma with lots of grapefruit and orange citrus character pushing its way forward first, along with a well balanced amount of caramel and toffee sweetness and simple, rustic, freshly baked breads.
The taste follows the aroma pretty closely, though the sweet and bready malts are a bit more dominant than the citrus hop notes--moderately bitter as well.
Medium mouthfeel with ample carbonation. Appropriate.
A delicious, seasonal amber, which isn't a style I particularly find myself looking for too often, though I always have at least one of these every year.
733 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On Tap
Pizza Port
Carlsbad, CA
Dark but clear auburn and ruby with a thin light brown khaki head. Leaves the glass incredibly messy with sticky spiderweb lace.
Hoppy aroma with lots of grapefruit and orange citrus character pushing its way forward first, along with a well balanced amount of caramel and toffee sweetness and simple, rustic, freshly baked breads.
The taste follows the aroma pretty closely, though the sweet and bready malts are a bit more dominant than the citrus hop notes--moderately bitter as well.
Medium mouthfeel with ample carbonation. Appropriate.
A delicious, seasonal amber, which isn't a style I particularly find myself looking for too often, though I always have at least one of these every year.
733 characters
4.39/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.08/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Crimson red body with a big light khaki head, forms thick and dwindles slow with large sporadic patterned bubbles left clinging to the sides of my glass. Aroma is full of fresh citric hop notes, earthy pine like accents, and a big fruity malt backbone coming through. Even some pineapple citrus notes that play very well with the red malts. Every Halloween they release Evil Dead Red and every February they release My Bloody Valentine both weigh in at 6.66% abv. You would know right away if these were old, all of the aromas and flavors I'm tasting are popping with freshness, good thing each bottle is dated they just happened to rub off very easily. this was brewed 9/13 I couldn't read the date in the center. But that works drinking this on 10/22/13, I'm dealing with super fresh red ale. The flavor has a pleasant mild soapy hop character think pine and citrus with a pleasant phenolic sweetness, it's actually good and very easy to drink. They were going for a different segment of beer drinkers with this beer not so much the hopheads across the country more so the horror film buffs, who may not know about an Alesmith beer, sure as hell those fans want a taste of Evil Dead Red though. Still Alesmith, still hoppy as hell just not as bitter or as extreme as some of their other offerings, reminds me of the drinkability of their ESB. Overall a smooth taste, and flavor meant to be enjoyed with friends,
1,413 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Crimson red body with a big light khaki head, forms thick and dwindles slow with large sporadic patterned bubbles left clinging to the sides of my glass. Aroma is full of fresh citric hop notes, earthy pine like accents, and a big fruity malt backbone coming through. Even some pineapple citrus notes that play very well with the red malts. Every Halloween they release Evil Dead Red and every February they release My Bloody Valentine both weigh in at 6.66% abv. You would know right away if these were old, all of the aromas and flavors I'm tasting are popping with freshness, good thing each bottle is dated they just happened to rub off very easily. this was brewed 9/13 I couldn't read the date in the center. But that works drinking this on 10/22/13, I'm dealing with super fresh red ale. The flavor has a pleasant mild soapy hop character think pine and citrus with a pleasant phenolic sweetness, it's actually good and very easy to drink. They were going for a different segment of beer drinkers with this beer not so much the hopheads across the country more so the horror film buffs, who may not know about an Alesmith beer, sure as hell those fans want a taste of Evil Dead Red though. Still Alesmith, still hoppy as hell just not as bitter or as extreme as some of their other offerings, reminds me of the drinkability of their ESB. Overall a smooth taste, and flavor meant to be enjoyed with friends,
1,413 characters
4.15/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This beer pours a ruby red with a thin tan head. The head fades slowly leaving a good amount of laces. This beer has a malty sweet aroms. Also, it smells quite hoppy. This beer tastes quite hoppy for a red. I was not expecting it to be so hoppy. It tastes malty and sweet. As it gets warmer, the hops come out more. It also has a slightly nutty taste to it. This beer goes down smooth, leaving a hoppy aftertaste. This beer is carbonated very well. I think this beer would make a great session beer. It is hoppy, but not overly aggerssive. Also, the alcohol content is low enough to allow you to enjoy a few.
608 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This beer pours a ruby red with a thin tan head. The head fades slowly leaving a good amount of laces. This beer has a malty sweet aroms. Also, it smells quite hoppy. This beer tastes quite hoppy for a red. I was not expecting it to be so hoppy. It tastes malty and sweet. As it gets warmer, the hops come out more. It also has a slightly nutty taste to it. This beer goes down smooth, leaving a hoppy aftertaste. This beer is carbonated very well. I think this beer would make a great session beer. It is hoppy, but not overly aggerssive. Also, the alcohol content is low enough to allow you to enjoy a few.
608 characters
Evil Dead Red from AleSmith Brewing Company
Beer rating:
4.04 out of
5 with
585 ratings
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