Samuel Adams Irish Red

I took a couple nights off from my reviews, but now I'm back at it.

B / 3.7
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5
Bottle
Cold--to cool

Appearance: the ale has a very nice rose red amberish color which appropriately fits the name well. There was a 1 finger boney white medium to heavy density head which faded to a nice consistent layer, unfortunately there was little to no lacing on the glass. The red brew was very clear and showed little signs of carbonation. This brew looks good, and compared to the other Irish Ale that I've sampled (Smithwick's) it actually looked better in that the Smithwick's looked more like a watered down cola than a red, the color combination was very appealing to me.

Smell: There is a definite hop spiciness in this brew that runs over the softer lighter malts, I also frequently caught citrus notes closer to the orange variety, and as I continued to drink I found some caramel sweetness mixed in.

Taste: This is not as hoppy as the smell might have indicated instead there seems to be more malts than I expected at first, this however does not mean that the hops are absent for in fact they are quite prevalent, and they leave the typical lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue. This is a medium bodied brew with a level of complexity that is well balanced. The citrus tastes more like orange zest with the sweet caramel wrapped around it. As the brew warmed I noticed that the hoppiness and the bitterness began to lessen giving a more even balance to the brew that left it quite pleasant.

Mouthfeel: There is some light carbonation which would match what I expected from the appearance although the carbonation that is present helps with the mouth a creaminess that I wasn't necessarily expecting in a lighter ale, although there was no hint of any diacetyl and no buttery film, instead this ale leaves the mouth very dry. The Irish Red is not as smooth at the Smithwick's but it certainly isn't as crisp as a light beer.

Drinkability: As I've come to expect from Samuel Adam's this brew explores the various flavors of beer without going to the extremes that are found in some of the more exotic craft brews, this doesn't mean that Jim Koch is playing it safe but instead what he's presented here is a well balance brew that is approachable and drinkable by those who are looking for a break from the ordinary. For those who like a bit more bite in their brew I could see this being a moderate session brew and it would probably go well with a nice dinner or a Bar-B-Q, and with the light carbonation I wasn't left bloated at all.

I tried this brew about a month ago when I first started drinking beers and the hops were way above what I could handle, however I am really glad that I didn't pour this one out because I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor in this brew. I can only imagine that this new appreciation of the brew has come with drinking some other beers that push the limits a bit more thus training my palate and giving me some more tolerance in my tasting. In the end after finishing this brew I am left saying, "Thanks Jim for yet another well balanced and enjoyable brew."

Left Hand Brewing Co.: Milk Stout

B+ / 3.95
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 3.5
Bottle to glass
Room temp

Appearance: Pours a smooth extremely dark amber brew that is not quite opaque, typically I like the look of a brew that is completely black with no light showing, but this one looks good. A ½ inch dark almond head built but quickly faded to a thin ring around the glass, the carbonation streams feed the foam ring throughout the drink. As most stouts are to me this one has a definite appeal and fits the category well. There is however no lacing on the glass at all as it slides off with the smooth thin syrup brew.

Smell: I was struck by just how heavy the dark rich malts are in this brew they smelled very good to me, and to balance there was also a medium intensity hop spice as well as another spice that I couldn't quite identify. There is also a sweet syrup smell that is released when the beer is swirled. I can catch hints of toffees, and caramel but there was no burnt or astringent smell.

Taste: As with the smell the rich malts take the lead and layered with them is the sweetness that floats evenly with the hop spice, I was surprised at just how rich the malts are in this brew and while there is a spice it almost comes as a follow up rather than the main show. I would say that the malts are 50%, while the sweetness and the spice make up 25% each which for me balances very well on the tongue and provides a nice complexity that keeps my tongue working. The creaminess of this brew was also pleasant and apparently in keeping with the milk stout style guide. In the end this brew is a full bodied stout with a very rich sweet malt flavor that sometimes reminds me of a cola drink finished as one would expect a stout to do with a bite of bitterness on the back of the tongue.

Mouthfeel: Thick and heavy are the rule here, this is one smooth and creamy brew that is offset well with the moderate carbonation that sharpens the feel up a bit. This stout left a buttery coating in my mouth that I would attribute to the lactose or some diacetyl. On the glass it looked like a thin syrup in the mouth it feels thinner than that but still plenty of body to this brew.

Drinkability: This is a well balanced beer and the malts are by far the most prominent feature, it is rich in flavor and has an appealing spice that seems to dissipate as the brew warms a bit. The carbonation fills you up a bit, but the way this beer slides down really make it a pleasure to drink. This is a nice evening brew around a filet mignon or while sitting with friends for an nice evening, very drinkable and a shame when the glass is empty.