Green Flash Ruby Red Ale

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

Not a bad beer overall, but a pretty sorry altbier. The pour was copper with a tannish type head that sustained itself well. Aroma was floral hops over top of caramel. This came across more like a standard red/amber ale than anything alt. Caramel malts in the flavor and lots of floral hops. Many fruity esters in the aroma and flavor. Mouthfeel was moderate, carbonation the feature there. An ok beer, but not a true altbier.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Fantastic pour--nice deep coppery color with substantial firm head. Exceptionally balanced and nutty firmness. Do detect notes of rye in this red ale? I'd like to try another!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Pours a dark amber with a decent head of fluff. Aroma is sweet and hoppy. Flavor is hoppy and fruity. Very nice. Wish it had a bit more body. Works well for summer though!

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Deep copper colored brew with a thick tight head of cream colored bubbles. Nice fruity, hop nose. Thin watery body. Sweet malty front with a little bitterness near the finish.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

I guess one reason that I've been somewhat generous with my scores of this particular breweries offerings is that I've met brewmaster John Stewart several times over the years (he has close ties to several of the Northern San Diego county homebrew clubs). Nice guy.

That having been said, that good will only goes so far in my book -- especially in light of this particualr beer. While I've gathered something of a known reputation for detesting many cloyingly sweet "red" beers, I like to think that I can at least be objectionable.

In short -- this is not bad, but definately edges a bit too close to "The Overally Cloying and Sugar Sweet Twilight Zone" for my liking.

I'll skip the obvious -- yep it's red, now move on -- and get the heart of the matter. Quite a few caramel notes, with a sticky sweet aftertaste that isn't all-that welcome, IMO. Maltier than it's Extra Pale Ale cousin, which I have to admit works for the short-term for me. But with my teeth aching from the sweetness, and little in the way of complexity to make this sort of thing worthwhile, I really can't give this a thumb's up.

A case where no amount of "personal interaction with the brewmaster"-type bias can save what I feel is a rather sub-par beer...
//TB

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Medium red-amber color. Small quickly dissipating head. Aroma is nutty, grainy and sweet. A medium bodied amber. Malts are nutty and not too sweet, which is kind of unusual for an amber. Hops are slightly grapefruity. It’s a touch watery and a little harsh tasting, but it’s still a very drinkable amber. It is nice to see that this beer is not your typical cookie cutter amber like so many of these beers are. It does have some characters (dryness and hoppiness) that makes it a little different than most. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 8

sampled cask conditioned, on draught at Pizza Port's real ale fest 2003. Reddish brown color, nice hoppy nose, easy drinking, a good session beer

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Isnt this named after a fucking kenny rogers song, or the first edition. Nice, solid with maltiness and a lurking hoppy bitterness that really made this seem like a malty red grapefruit. Very nice, very refreshing, very summer.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Poured perfectly in my Troubadour glass with a deep amber color and a nice tan head. Mellow malts and floral hopsaroma. Taste is more malty than hoppy with subtle hints of nuts, grapefruit and chocolate. Really clean and drinkable. Well done. The only real knocks are a quickly dissapearing head and a light aroma.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

This brew pours with an amber body topped by a thin head with little lacing. The aroma is sweet and citrusy with a nice hoppiness. The flavor is bitter and hoppy with slight citrusy notes and a bunch of pine. There are some odd flavors as well. Light bodied, smooth and dry.