Red Ale
FOK Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a very unique red ale, brewed with local honey and some orange peel, and hopped far beyond the normal limits for the style. its one of the few offerings that they bottle, and its quite well done. deep brick red in color, less amber, and not super clear, it has a raw and rugged look to it under the several inches of fluffy tan soapy head. it smells like hops first, pine and citrus, i get some bitter citrus from the orange peel too, the two work well together. the malt isnt as sweet as expected, and the honey sweetness is largely fermented out it seems, but there is a nice bright floral mild sweetness to it, which also helps carry the hops along. the grain is fresh and interesting, but not as heavy on the caramel and richness as these sometimes can be. dont come into this one expecting something familiar, its totally out of the ordinary. nice big sturdy body on it too, and as much bitterness as their ipa on the back end, its robust to say the least. the addition of honey and orange peel are subtle, but make this really distinct beer. i was impressed with these guys across the board, and look forward to seeing how they evolve moving forward. this was one of the best local beers i had in puerto rico.