Midwest Red IPA
Masthead Brewing Co.
- From:
- Masthead Brewing Co.
- Ohio, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Ale
Ranked #14 - ABV:
- 6.3%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #10,671 - Avg:
- 4.09 | pDev: 5.38%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 18
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 20, 2026
- Added:
- Nov 07, 2017
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 7
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding
Our definition of balance. This beer is red in color with notes of tangerine, stone fruit, and hoppy dankness all supported by hefty malt backbone.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by doulos31 from Delaware
4.14/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.14/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Copper color, nice head and lacing. Simple beer. Caramel/bready malts. Moderate to high bitterness from resinous/pine hops. Dry mouthfeel, super crisp. Excellent red ale.
Feb 08, 2026
Reviewed by schoolboy from Ohio
4.32/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.32/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Wow, what a great brew. I'm afraid I've under-rated it and I will come back and fix that.
It pours a pretty red with nice head. This style usually is pretty, but this one nailed it. The aroma is a bit skunky and that gives you a bit of warning of the really well balanced big bitter IPA to come. Delicious, and it goes down with you wanting more. Lately I want to horde all these great brews and then share them with all my friends. Of course I end up drinking most of them.
Highly recommended. Few of this style will come close to the fullness and smoothness of this brew.
Nov 16, 2025It pours a pretty red with nice head. This style usually is pretty, but this one nailed it. The aroma is a bit skunky and that gives you a bit of warning of the really well balanced big bitter IPA to come. Delicious, and it goes down with you wanting more. Lately I want to horde all these great brews and then share them with all my friends. Of course I end up drinking most of them.
Highly recommended. Few of this style will come close to the fullness and smoothness of this brew.
Reviewed by argock from Virginia
4.44/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
08/27/25 LEFT ON RED. Poured into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint.
A: Clear medium amber with 2-finger frothy off-white head with excellent retention and copious thick bands of lacing.
S: Caramel malt with dank pine and pineapple-tangerine citrus - old school red ale aroma.
T: Flavor is a throwback to 2015 with great balance of light and medium caramel malts and dank pine resin and fruity tangerine, pineapple, and orange citrus. Bitterness is medium-high, tongue-coating.
M: Light-medium body despite 7.1% ABV with even carbonation and dry finish. Delicious.
O: Masthead Midwest Red IPA is an exceptional treat that harkens back to the 2010’s where caramel malt wasn’t a sin. I will be buying a lot of this beer for its balance and drinkability.
Oct 04, 2025A: Clear medium amber with 2-finger frothy off-white head with excellent retention and copious thick bands of lacing.
S: Caramel malt with dank pine and pineapple-tangerine citrus - old school red ale aroma.
T: Flavor is a throwback to 2015 with great balance of light and medium caramel malts and dank pine resin and fruity tangerine, pineapple, and orange citrus. Bitterness is medium-high, tongue-coating.
M: Light-medium body despite 7.1% ABV with even carbonation and dry finish. Delicious.
O: Masthead Midwest Red IPA is an exceptional treat that harkens back to the 2010’s where caramel malt wasn’t a sin. I will be buying a lot of this beer for its balance and drinkability.
Reviewed by Fieceheart from Connecticut
4.14/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.14/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Immediate grapefruit upon popping. I was surprised by this beer. It’s red and clear and has a palpable minerality and maltiness but it has a great aromatic grapefruit note that contradicts that caramel malt. Its an unexpected combo. Definitely not like any red ale i’ve had… but one of the best ive had.
Mar 04, 2025
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania
4.42/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Downtown Cleveland, January, 2024, on our annual after-Christmas getaway!
Aroma is amazing! Stone fruit, tropical, peach and coconut.
Nice and bitey, not sweet at all. Stone fruit and fresh orange, grapefruit rind.
Jan 03, 2025Aroma is amazing! Stone fruit, tropical, peach and coconut.
Nice and bitey, not sweet at all. Stone fruit and fresh orange, grapefruit rind.
Reviewed by Beers-es from Virginia
4.25/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From a three-week-old can, pours a very clear deep red, as advertised. Smell features some sweet malt offset by resinous pine. Taste starts with a wonderful malt flavor before an onslaught of piney hops takes over. Finishes with a little sweetness and a fair amount of good-old-fashioned bitterness. This is a fantastic beer.
Oct 11, 2024
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio
4.23/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I got a 4pck of tall boy cans of this beer from my local Giant Eagle store. It poured a clear amber with eggshell white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had pine and subtle bitter citrus notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with bright semi sweet malt base with pine resin presence and Bitter citrus highlights. The mouthfeel was medium in body and had good carbonation. Overall it is a solid beer.
Feb 04, 2024
Reviewed by SmoothOverEverything from Ohio
4/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A little bit more of a barrel aged bourbon beer taste than a true woody red IPA I was looking for. but still quality beer. unique smoky campfire taste at start that differentiates
Aug 13, 2021
Reviewed by buschbeer from Ohio
3.83/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
1 PINT can
Served in a stemless wine glass
This beer pours a deep copper hue. It is topped with a couple inches of tan head that leaves nice lacing.
Citrus and pine in the aroma. Smells like an old school IPA.
Earthy with citrus. Grapefruit pith. Pine. Resin. Bitter flavor on the back end. Bitterness lingers into the finish.
Medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel
This is a smooth IPA. Good old school bitterness. Reminds me of drinking in 2008.
Jun 21, 2021Served in a stemless wine glass
This beer pours a deep copper hue. It is topped with a couple inches of tan head that leaves nice lacing.
Citrus and pine in the aroma. Smells like an old school IPA.
Earthy with citrus. Grapefruit pith. Pine. Resin. Bitter flavor on the back end. Bitterness lingers into the finish.
Medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel
This is a smooth IPA. Good old school bitterness. Reminds me of drinking in 2008.
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