Blue & Gray Fred Red Ale

Brewed by Blue & Gray Brewing Co.
Style: Irish Ale
Fredericksburg, Virginia USA

Serve in English pint

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Very dark pour. Breast and all malted up. A little bitter on the finish. Not my favorite style, but still drinkable ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

22 oz. bottle. Dark, hazy orange with a big, persistent, tan head. Strong notes of pears, molasses, cherries, red wine, and a metallic twang. The flavor is very sour and bitter. The body is medium to heavy, with a sticky, very acidic feel. Overall, this is a funky and interesting, but not that tasty.

Draft. Ruby color, thin tan edge head. Aroma of caramel, butterscotch, cherries, subtle chocolate. Taste is very malty but balanced. Sweet but not overly so. Best of the bunch at the brewpub that day.

22oz bottle pours a mostly transparent, deep, brick red with a thin, creamy, off white head. Nose is malty, a touch sour, apples, metallic, a little acidic. Flavor is malty, lightly hoppy, apples, sour mash, crackers. Watery finish, a touch sour. I’m not allegding infection, I think perhaps this sat too long on a shelf.

Billed as the best beer I will ever have, in which case I am worried. This 6.8% Irish Red pours a very dark amber, topped with a thin head. The nose is dominated by caramel sweetness, with hops barely noticeable. Taste again dominated by caramel sweetness, with a light grassy bite in the background. Meh.

Thanks to Amyliz4 for grabbing this growler on her way home. Pours a moderate amber with an off white head and not too much lacing. Smell is amber malt with a bit of biscuit as well as a slight diacetyl presence. The buttered popcorn makes its way into the taste as well, but isn’t too bad, especially in this style where it almost tastes like a British amber or some other style where a small amount of diacetyl would be acceptable. A bit of biscuit malt and some slight sweetness, though mostly a bit dry. Feel is of a medium body with decent carbonation, although the taste lowers it a bit. Same with the drinkability. I really would like to love this place, although the APA is all I’ve had so far that really worked. Serving type: growler Reviewed on: 10-15-2010

Tap. Pours clear amber with an average, creamy beige head, medium retention with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (cookie, caramel, toasted, nutty), and average esters (apple/pear) with notes of dates. Flavor is heavy malt (cookie, caramel, toasted), average hops (earthy, herbal, grassy), and average esters (apple/pear) with notes of peaches. Medium body and carbonation, low warmth and creaminess with a dry and biting finish.

Bomber thanks to billab914. I felt an instant connection with this beer. It’s from an unassuming Civil War-themed brewery not far from where I spent much of my childhood, made with local ingredients. I love the commercial description - "Fred Red is the best beer you’ve ever tried." Is it, now? I’ll say one thing - it’s a pretty unique beer, and a very tough rate. Why? Well, it’s sour. But here’s the catch: it’s not that bad. Anyway, on to the review... The color is indeed a stunning garnet red, and a two-finger creamy tan head leaves a half-finger of foam for a long while. The aroma is...uh oh...infection. Definitely some lacto/pedio stuff going on here. A definitive metallicity complements the soured caramel malt base. The flavor is tart and slightly metallic, although the metallicity is nowhere near as strong as on the aroma. Sweet caramel malt transitions into a vinegary red berry tartness reminiscent of a Flanders oud bruin. The palate is not bad. It’s very dry and rather tart, and the finish is clean. Medium-bodied. I honestly think that if you put this beer in, say, the bottle of an Allagash sour, and didn’t tell people what it actually was, you’d get some high ratings. This definitely isn’t great, but it’s one of the better unintentional wild ales I’ve ever had.

22oz. Bottle. No head when poured. Aroma of caramel malts. You taste the strong caramel malt with a chocolate hint in the background. Alright beer prolly wouldn’t get again