Aran The Red
Church Brew Works

Appearance: Creamy texture a very pleasant caramel amber tone with big off white cream hued head, lacing is full and even good stuff. Aroma: Nice hop character very similar to the Troeg's Hopback, piney with a load of buttery caramel malts. Taste: Creamy mix of hops and caramel amber malts, leaves a biscuit flavor on the palate but very good balance of the pine edge and caramel sweet goodness of the malts, I'm guessing the added some extra hops to the cask version. Mouthfeel: Velvet like smoothness cask style always good for creating this, nice all around can't complain. Drinkability: I really enjoyed this red complemented their pepperoni pizza very well, I was in the mood for some hops and none of the Church's regular offerings do anything for me.

Served as a pint at the Church Brew Works. The color was amber, with a nice, foamy head. The smell was a malt sweetiness. The taste was a slight hoppiness over a great amber malt backing. Mouthfeel was fairly flat. As for drinkability, could have a few.

Well, sadly, I'd never made it to the Foundry, so I missed Aran's beers, but I'm glad to see that he got a chance to create something as the Assistant Brewer at CBW. Though a bit flat, it showed a real potential, and if the carbonation problems were fixed, I'd gladly have this one again.