Mulligan
Second Chance Beer Company
- From:
- Second Chance Beer Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Ale
Ranked #98 - ABV:
- 5.6%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #22,290 - Avg:
- 3.88 | pDev: 10.31%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 8
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 19, 2026
- Added:
- Jun 17, 2017
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 2
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
Second Chance is our ultimate expression of opportunity - we may not all get one, but when we do, seize it! Every day we're reminded of how lucky we are to breathe, live and love beer... after all, our co-founder and brewmaster has been brewing in San Diego, the epicenter of our craft, for over 18 years. If that isn't good fortune, we don't know what is. Share some with us.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.54/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
16oz can from Brewers Haven. Dark amber pour, thick off-white head. Malty aroma, caramel. Taste is malty and dry, mild sweetness, mouth feel, pleasant bitter bite at the finish.
Mar 19, 2026
Reviewed by laketang from Arizona
4/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Is the color amber? Yup and deep too!
Very nice pillowy head and great retention.
Malty caramel notes are offered.
Upfront roasty toasty caramel goodness
And nice bitterness and some mild fruitiness.
Medium feel and good carbonation.
Red ale but,
An English bitter comparison?
Mar 04, 2022Very nice pillowy head and great retention.
Malty caramel notes are offered.
Upfront roasty toasty caramel goodness
And nice bitterness and some mild fruitiness.
Medium feel and good carbonation.
Red ale but,
An English bitter comparison?
Reviewed by Gauchofreg from California
4.41/5 rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.41/5 rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
While not a novice when it comes to drinking beer, I am when it comes to providing reviews and parsing out just what it is that I like so much about this beer. Just the fact that I am here writing my first review is probably all you need to know as my enjoyment of this fine amber motivated me to share this with others. I have a strong preference for ambers and English bitters, neither of which are easy to come by hoppy-IPA mad San Diego. So happy to find one of the best ambers I've had right here in my back yard.
Jan 26, 2021
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona
3.99/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz. can - Canned on December 28, 2018:
Pours amber/red with a thin white head. Some lacing sticks.
The smell is of caramel with earthy notes. Toast comes through.
The taste is of caramel balanced by earthy toast. Nice, pleasant, malt-forward but not too sweet character. Long finish.
Very smooth.
Basic, but very pleasant. Great choice for a malty brew. Great example of the style.
Apr 11, 2019Pours amber/red with a thin white head. Some lacing sticks.
The smell is of caramel with earthy notes. Toast comes through.
The taste is of caramel balanced by earthy toast. Nice, pleasant, malt-forward but not too sweet character. Long finish.
Very smooth.
Basic, but very pleasant. Great choice for a malty brew. Great example of the style.
Reviewed by Karibourgeois from Texas
3.58/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Slightly cloudy dark amber/copper pour with an off-white head. Nice aroma of biscuit, toast and malt. Taste has flavors of bread, malt, mild earthy hop bitterness, toffee and caramel.
Jan 31, 2019
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington
3.28/5 rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
3.28/5 rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Intensely orange-red color with plenty of foam in the Tripel Karmeliet tulip. This one starts out with a robust and pleasantly malty and toasty flavor. At first you think this is a better than average Red Irish. They are usually so thin and metallic.
Then the aftertaste surprises with a kind of dirty bitterish brackish taste. And weirdly enough, it does get metallic and a bit astringent after some sipping. The whole benighted Irish clan does it to my taste buds every time. Still 'tis better than some. From the 16 oz can purchased at Barons Market on West Point Loma.
Apr 07, 2018Then the aftertaste surprises with a kind of dirty bitterish brackish taste. And weirdly enough, it does get metallic and a bit astringent after some sipping. The whole benighted Irish clan does it to my taste buds every time. Still 'tis better than some. From the 16 oz can purchased at Barons Market on West Point Loma.
Reviewed by BucannonXC5 from California
4/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Type: 16-oz. can
Glass: Clear 14.75-oz. porter/stout tulip
From: Bine & Vine Bottle Shop in Normal Heights (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $2.24 with 10 percent off for a variety 6-pack
Purchased: Aug. 4, 2017
Consumed: Aug. 20, 2017
Reviewed as: Irish Red Ale
Misc.: Canned on June 7, 2017
Picked this up along with a bunch of others at Bine & Vine. Have had four beers from Second Chance and have liked them all for the most part, averaging a 3.94 (admittedly a 4.49 for Tabula Rasa Toasted Porter bumped that rating up a bit). Had tried this one once before, only giving it a 3.5 on Untapped on July 7, 2017 for a taster. Hoping I can at least bump it up to a 3.75 here with a full review.
Poured a copper/garnet-to-light brown semi-clear color with 2-to-3 fingers of off-white frothy-to-rocky head. Slow bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. Excellent layered foamy lacing. World-class retention. (Sight - 4.50)
Smelled toasted caramel and toffee, rich toasty malts, rye, unsweetened iced tea, herbal and cherry wood. (Smell - 3.75)
Taste followed the nose, maybe even better. Got those same toasty malts, including caramel, toffee, rye, unsweetened iced tea, herbal, dark cherry wood, menthol and toasted grain. (Taste - 4.00)
Medium body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.25)
Wow, much better than the taster I had awhile back. This was just an outstanding red ale. (Overall - 4.00)
4.00 | 90 | A-
Sep 14, 2017Glass: Clear 14.75-oz. porter/stout tulip
From: Bine & Vine Bottle Shop in Normal Heights (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $2.24 with 10 percent off for a variety 6-pack
Purchased: Aug. 4, 2017
Consumed: Aug. 20, 2017
Reviewed as: Irish Red Ale
Misc.: Canned on June 7, 2017
Picked this up along with a bunch of others at Bine & Vine. Have had four beers from Second Chance and have liked them all for the most part, averaging a 3.94 (admittedly a 4.49 for Tabula Rasa Toasted Porter bumped that rating up a bit). Had tried this one once before, only giving it a 3.5 on Untapped on July 7, 2017 for a taster. Hoping I can at least bump it up to a 3.75 here with a full review.
Poured a copper/garnet-to-light brown semi-clear color with 2-to-3 fingers of off-white frothy-to-rocky head. Slow bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. Excellent layered foamy lacing. World-class retention. (Sight - 4.50)
Smelled toasted caramel and toffee, rich toasty malts, rye, unsweetened iced tea, herbal and cherry wood. (Smell - 3.75)
Taste followed the nose, maybe even better. Got those same toasty malts, including caramel, toffee, rye, unsweetened iced tea, herbal, dark cherry wood, menthol and toasted grain. (Taste - 4.00)
Medium body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.25)
Wow, much better than the taster I had awhile back. This was just an outstanding red ale. (Overall - 4.00)
4.00 | 90 | A-
Reviewed by Red5StandingBy from Maryland
3.84/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from 16oz into standard pint glass. Canned on June 7th 2017.
L: Deep dark mahogany that is quite clear. Half-finger khaki head has moderate retention.
S: Rich roasted malt, some herbal hops, faint toffee and tea notes. Typical Red aroma.
T: Again rich toasted grainy malts with a toffee character, there is some herbal teal-like hop profile here and its well balanced and tasty.
F: Medium body, crisp and dry.
O: A very good Irish Red, possibly my favorite for the style, and it is not often that you see this style in the craft industry.
Jun 19, 2017L: Deep dark mahogany that is quite clear. Half-finger khaki head has moderate retention.
S: Rich roasted malt, some herbal hops, faint toffee and tea notes. Typical Red aroma.
T: Again rich toasted grainy malts with a toffee character, there is some herbal teal-like hop profile here and its well balanced and tasty.
F: Medium body, crisp and dry.
O: A very good Irish Red, possibly my favorite for the style, and it is not often that you see this style in the craft industry.
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