139 Engine
Firewhistle Brewing

 

 

my first from these guys, a mostly solid irish red type, basic but flavorful in the right ways for the style, if just slightly unvarnished compared to the finest examples of it. muted looking mid copper color, bubbly but not holding a lot of head. it smells nutty and toasted rather than rich and caramelized which is where i generally like the irish style reds to be, still some nice depth to it, crusty bread and an almost almond note, along with some real old world character from the yeast, a faint ester suggests it was fermented a tad warm, but i think overall the elements come together well in the nose, quite light on the hops but still balanced, earthy more than anything else, and with a lightness despite its red color. the flavor is similar, a little wet concrete and falling rain thing to the ferment, unique and autumnal, toasty grain character with a cereal depth to it, fairly dry overall, lightly herbal, trace toffee to it but still drier than many, faintly amateurish overall but in an endearing way, a basic style but with some personality, drinkable and not messy, just a little refinement away from being at its full potential. a little old school, but thats the style isnt it? aroma and flavor are good for a beer that needs a slight lift in overall quality. happy to have tried this, you see less and less of the style in the states these days...

 

On draught, amber pour, decent clarity, poor head retention. Intermittent slippery lacing between sips.
Nice and malty, caramel notes, hint of vanilla lurking under the pleasant bitterness.
On the finish, nicely carbonated, a little fizz on the tongue that fades to a caramel bitterness.