Thursday 26 January 2012

Brew Brunswick-Picaroons Irish Red

Fredericton's Picaroons Traditional Ales makes some seriously delicious beer. They have a stable of brews worthy of a much larger brewery. To date, their wares are only available in New Brunswick, which frequently leaves me, a displaced New Brunswicker living in Toronto, thirsty for home.

One of Picaroons most popular offerings is their Irish Red.  In my opinion, the I.R. isn't their finest beer (that honour is reserved for the exceptional Best Bitter, which will be reviewed shortly), but it is a damn good one nonetheless. It is a rich, brownish red ale, sold in 500mL bottles. It is topped with a thinnish white head, leaves behind just a little lace, and weighs in at 4.8% alcohol.
The Irish Red has a malty aroma that features elements of brown sugar and molasses. The flavour is a toasty blend of bitter and malt--truly well balanced.  It is sweet without being overly saccharine, and is both warming and full-bodied. The aftertaste is fairly bitter, but not enough to be unpleasant to easily offended palates.  This is a fine example of a red ale and definitely worth a try.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

1 comment:

  1. Mmmm... Picaroons. I am excited for the Best Bitter and the Pumphouse Blueberry reviews.

    Your poetic words make me want to lick my screen to see if I can taste the sweet nectars.

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