ABOUT THE IRISH RED BEER

Style Studies

Bigger isn't always better. This is true of waistlines, personal debt, egos and, in the case of the Spring Issue's style selections, beer. While some craft beer fanatics tend to inevitably gravitate toward big, high-alcohol hop or malt bombs, a few styles continue to be admired by discerning imbibers for their balance and subtlety, While suppose these attributes aren't as sexy as ABV's in the double digits or IBU's in the triple digits, they certainly have an allure all their own, The Irish Red style has been brewed in a myriad of ways in many places since its earliest days on the Emerald Isle.
The common denominator has been the style's appeal as a reliable, session-worthy beer with ample flavor, but without excessive attitude or embellishment. Likewise, the style known as California Common is a scrappy upstart of a beer with plenty of flavor to go around and even a hint of swagger. It's one of the few truly American originais and can rightly claim to have put the "steam" in the engine that drove the Gold Rush and helped tame the Wild WesL So next time Vou belly up to the bar, call for one of these easy-drinkers and toast the good things in life, big and small. ( By Shawn Connelly)

Irish Red Beer

According to Irish legend, a great king known as Conn Célchathach was served red ale from a silver bowl by a mysterious woman, who allowed him lo know the years of his reign as well as the names of his successors. While it must have been exceedingly helpful for lhe king to have been made privy lo this information, it would have been nice for lhe rest of us if the woman had also offered a definitive recipe for her libation.
The Irish red style remains somewhat amorphous; it points more to a general calegory of beers that became popular in lhe U.S. than to a narrowly defined, traditional Irish ale style. Hence, many beers carrying the red title are subject to loose interpretation and can include an array of session-worthy, ruddy ales and even lagers. The most ubiquilous is Killian's lrish Red, a lager produced by the Coors Brewing Company. While this beer was said to have been based on an early 18th Century recipe oul of County Wexford, Ireland, the extant version is considered a true Irish Red in name only. The American craft brewing industry has embraced the red ale style as well, but lhe Brewers Association and others note enough distinction in these beers to give them their own slyle category - American-Style Amber/Red Ale - to differentiate them from the traditional red beers of Ireland.
While it may be lhe case that lhe moniker Irish red exists only outside of Ireland, we can narrow down something of the character of red ales as they've been historically brewed both within and without the country - yet still in the Irish tradition. lrish-style red ales are noted for their distinctive ruddy color and malty, caramel-like sweetness, above all else. Modern examples achieve this by employing the use of various caramel malts as well as a judicious dose of highly kilned roasted barley, or occasionally chocolate malt to add the tell-tale red color and a touch of roasted flavor. Otherwise, the beer is ralher unremarkable by design - a simple base of American or English pale malt and just enough low alpha acid English hops like East Kent Goldings lo balance the sweetness but avoid imparting any significant hop flavor or aroma.

A Traditional Ale

When lhe beer is brewed as an ale, as would have been traditionally done with all beers coming out of Ireland back in the day, a yeast strain that leaves some residual sweetness and produces low fruit esters would be utilized to produce a clean, medium-bodied ale with immense drinkability and ample flavor without any single attribute out of balance. On the nose, expect a malty aroma with hints of caramel and toast.
Hop aroma should be virtually non-existent in the more traditional examples. Little or no fruitiness should be apparent, particularly in lagered versions. The color can range from ruddy amber to nearly a medium brown with a moderate off-white head of foam that should typically retain well. The palate ought lo be dominated by a somewhat sweet, caramel malt profile up front with subtle suggestions of toffee and toast leading to a reasonably dry finish. Again, hops only offset the sweet malt enough lo provide balance. Hop bitterness is minimal and hop flavor should not be detectable in the style.
Generally, expect a medium-bodied beer with average carbonation and a high level of smoothness throughout. Ales may occasionally be perceived as having some additional body due to the presence of low levels of diacetyl, a natural byproduct of fermentation that can create slickness in the mouth and also impart some lingering buttered toffee-like flavors. This is acceptable in very low levels for the style, but not in lagered versions, which should be clean. Since Irish-style red ales (and lagers) are defined by their balance and subtlety, they make for a versatile companion to food. Try one with Irish fare, of course, like corned beef and cabbage or lamb stew. But these user-friendly beers will be equally at home with a burger, pizza or even spicy cuisine - the beer's sweetness will provide an excellent counter balance to the heat. While modern Irish-Style Red Ale may not be able lo give you supernatural foreknowledge, it will give you a reliable and tasty choice for nearly any occasion.


Sláinte!

Excerpts from the "The Beer Connoisseur Magazine", Issue 10, Spring 2012, Atlanta, U.S.A. Compiled, typed and adapted to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.