CorkBillyBeers #16: Craft with Red Ale by Ballykilcavan, 9 White Deer, O'Hara's and Rascals

CorkBillyBeers #16

Craft with Red Ale by Ballykilcavan,  9 White Deer, O'Hara's and Rascals

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Ballykilcavan Brick Yard Red Ale, 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can, 

A fine introduction to red ales and bound to please anyone who is a fan of the style! That’s how Ballykilcavan introduce their Brick Yard Red Ale. And it is indeed a very fair representation.

Colour is an attractive mid red, bright, with a light off-white head that doesn't linger too long. Not too much in the aromas; aside from the malt influence, you may note perhaps a hint of mint and honey. The body is medium sweet, the rich malt doing the business. The hops, Fuggle and Golding, aren’t exactly there just for the ride and they, with their woody and grassy contributions, come on more towards the dry lip-licking finalé. The finish itself has a moderate bitterness (IBU number is 25)

This traditional Irish red ale is brewed by Ballykilcavan using malts and water from their own farm in County Laois.

Ballykilcavan is a 440 hectare block of beautifully landscaped farmland and forestry in the heart of Ireland. We are very fortunate that our ancestors loved the look of the farm and left in almost all the landscape features, particularly the hedgerows and trees in the fields. We also still have our original 18th century stone farmyard, 19th century stable yard, walled garden and gardener's tunnel as well as the champion black walnut tree of Ireland.

Its barley is renowned: “We have won a Boortmalt barley grower award, and won the first ever Best Barley Cup for Waterford Distillery growers. With the opening of a brewery at Ballykilcavan, we are now able to use our award-winning barley to produce our own beers.”

Highly Recommended

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9 White Deer Stag Rua 4.2% ABV, 500ml bottle

“Easy going malt focussed beer, using a mix of ale, crystal ad chocolate malts resulting in a deep ruby red colour.” 

A very deep ruby with an off white head. Indeed at first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a glass of stout was on the way to you.

Darker but with the same ABV as the Ballykilcavan. Chocolate and crystal malts have been used liberally here and there is quite a presence of chocolate, caramel and toffee on the palate (though some fruit notes reveal themselves too). But nothing drastic, nothing too extreme, the balance is good. The beer is a good one with a fine finish.

Stag Rua is a beer with big malt flavours and it’s our impression of a perfect Irish Red Ale. Can’t argue too much with that.

Very Highly Recommended.

Is Red Ale an Irish style? In the 1970s, beer writer Michael Jackson is credited with giving the tag to Smithwicks. According to World Atlas of Beer, American beer competitions started awarding prizes for the category and smaller Irish breweries started to “launch highly-hopped higher strength or even barrel aged versions”

The recent Brew Dog books mention only the American Red, in fact they barely mention the Irish scene at all. Sláinte (2014) acknowledges that there is some “dissent” about Red being an Irish style but say some local breweries have “evolved the style”.

Looks like the style is still evolving.

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O’Hara’s Nitro Irish Red 4.3% ABV, 440ml can CraftCentral

Smooth and creamy says the label and that is accurate, after a good pour by yours truly. 

Colour is one of the deepest ruby reds you are likely to see and the head is white and steady. Aromas come from the malt including a hint of biscuit. The late addition of Mt. Hood hops is credited with adding an “unmistakable fruity and almost herbal quality” to the aromas. And the flavours come mostly from the same source as the aromas, the malt bringing its sweet caramel and that biscuit again. Really smooth in the mouth on the way to a comforting finish.

Not too much experience of Nitro but I’m thinking it adds more to a red ale than to a stout. 

Highly Recommended.

The brewers note: The wonderful malty caramel notes and flavours found in our Irish Red come from a healthy addition of caramalt to the mashing process.The sweetness generated is balanced with dryness of the crystal malts. Visually the Red colour is intensified by the finest roast barley, while subtle hop additions in the kettle give just the right bitterness and aroma to craft this distinctive Irish Red Ale. The nitrogenation process subtly mellows the flavours together and compliments with a smooth creamy texture.

Pairs well with baked and roasted main courses from the oven such as beef hotpot. Also excellent with winter soups. Delicious accompaniment to mature cheddar or soft goats cheeses.

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Rascals Big Hop Red, 5% ABV, 330 ml can CraftCentral

Lively. Piney. Zesty.Malty.

That’s how Rascals introduce this big hop red, an American Amber Ale, so an outlier in this quartet.

Colour is as much amber as red and the white head is gone as I start this sentence. Big Hop Red has been dry hopped to give it an extra kick of zesty hop flavour and piney aroma. 

Aromas are indeed piney and zesty from the hops and a whiff of sweetness from the malts. So pine and resin in the aromas and they continue their engagement with the malt in the mouth. It is an lively arena with the hops also offering citrus flavours, less of the exotic than might be expected (suits me fine!), and quite a balancing act being performed by the caramel and biscuit notes from the malts.

Hoppy and malty they say. Hoppy and malty, I agree. I admit I thought this might be a lightweight bit of fun. But it is more than than, quite enjoyable and something new in the red ale style.

Highly Recommended.

GEEKS!

Style: American Amber Ale
Malts: Pale, Munich, Caramalt, Crystal
Hops: Cascade, Citra, Ekuanot, Magnum, Chinook (all USA except for the German Magnum).
Bitterness: Low – medium
ABV: 5%

Available: All Year Round