Fire Engine Red
E9 Brewing Co.

 

Tastes and looks more like a bitter than a red though it’s easy to allow that the style lends itself to interpretation. It’s also a bit dark at the bar and hard to make out the precise shade of color, though I’m inclined to go with bronze. A flourish of lemon peel and yeast tang contribute zest, but the bittering is scintillating, engaging, and none too shy. Hop flavor is otherwise relatively suppressed and the aroma is restrained and vaguely fruity.

A funny thing about this beer is that as it warms it changes character like a drunk chameleon. An odd yet welcome bloom of strawberry fruitiness erupts from both the smell and the taste, and the beer is transformed into a sturdy red ale with juicyfruit character.