The dark, dusty beer is a lot less red than I would have expected, considering that this is a red ale. Instead, it's a very rusty brown more than anything. The off-white head is similarly reminiscent of the fringes of a rusted piece of fender from a 1950s Studebaker. We get a little bit of lacing, but I really didn't expect much from a red ale in the first place. The aroma is sweet, and it is lined with bread and spices. Usually, these red ales don't have a whole lot of personality going in, but this particular one seems to be putting on airs.First sip has a lot more going on than the aroma suggested in the first place. It has a little bit of citrus that seems to be casting a shade over the rest of the beer, but earth, caramel, toffee, and a very strong grain that reminds me most of sorghum. It's an interesting beer at a sip, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to sip this for the rest of the night. Fortunately, I don't have to.
Tip-in is extremely light carbonation tingle with earth, citrus, sweetness, and that interesting malt that is and is not sorghum. The middle gets very smooth as the carbonation turns things up a little and the caramel and toffee get mixed with some brown sugar to slip quietly down the gullet. The finish has a rise of that strange malt accented by wood as everything else quiets down.
Bottom Line: Not horrible but not their best.
2.0/5
