Carlow OHaras Irish Red

Bottle (500ml). As Molings Traditional Celtic Beer. I like the look of it - clear dark ruby with an average foamy beige head - 3+. Weak aroma of lemony tea and mild caramel malt, somewhat bitter drily floral. I acutally quite like the taste - medium roast sweet caramel malt, a whisper of iodine and hessian, nice tangy, minerally finish - reminds me of a lighter Wee Heavy. Lightly carbonated body, crisp, quick finish, a slight sticky afterpresence. I may have to buy some more of this, it’s a solid malty session fall brew.

Bottle from the LCBO as Carlow Molings Traditional Red Ale. Ruby tinged brown body with moderate beige head. Earthy not quite smokey note to the malty aroma. Earthy malty flavour with just enough balancing bitterness throughout. Bit thin at times but its a quaffable moderately flavoured brew. Decent example of the style.

Amber-brown in colour, thin off-white coloured head, some light lacing. The aroma is grainy, some light sweetness, light caramel malts. The flavour is thin and watery, lightly grainy and toasty, some caramel sweetness. Thin bitter mouthfeel, medium/light body, medium carbonation. Finishes grainy, bitter, very light sweetness. Not great, too thin. The grains take over at times.

500ml bottle shared by <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=2966 target=blank> DougShoemaker, thanks Doug.
Opened on October 19, 2007.
Best before June 28, 2008.

Bottle. Labelled ’Carlow Molings Traditional Red Ale’. Pours a clear very deep ruby with lots of bubbles and a large mostly-lasting off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramel malt, fruit, light spices, buttery toffee (diacytil?) and a hint of hops -- not bad. Flavour of caramel malt, some fruit and mild hops -- could stand to be more flavourful and I’m not getting any of the "distinctive smokey like finish". Medium bodied. Not very exciting but it’s not bad, I’d have it again.

500ml bottle. Pours a deep ruby red, with a very small rocky beige cap. Aromas are of caramalt, with some nice hops, but it’s pretty faint. The taste is huge on the caramalts, with a slight metallic edge. I really don’t pick up much hops at all in this. Mouthfeel is a little rough, but not anything too harsh. It’s a tad unbalanced. There’s a small hop bite in the finish, followed by a metallic aftertaste, and I definitely didn’t detect any of the advertised smokiness. Not totally undrinkable, but nothing spectacular. I wish I could find a truly great Irish Ale.

Had as Moling’s Traditional celtic Beer... Deep red with off white head. The head retains well and things out to ring the glasses edge. Aroma is malty and has a bread and butter thing going on with it. Flavour has something artificial in it... like a burnt plastic, very very faint though. There is a sweet malt flavour with nice lingering bitters. Body is moderate. Decent beer.

Bottle. Pours a dark copper-auburn body with a bubbly white head. The aroma has light DMS, bread, and some caramel. Tastes toasty with caramel malts and faint vegetal notes.

500 ml bottle as “Moling’s Trad. Celtic Beer”, served cold in a tulip.

App.: Fairly deep copper, clear with a small tan head. Aroma: Dark bread crust, some sweeter malts (treacle and toffee), light dank, earthy hops; gets earthier as it warms. Palate: Medium body, fairly lively carbonation. Flav.: Earthy, woody, stern malts, some dank green hops, dry and a wee smidge of bitterness.

I won’t have trouble drinking the second bottle in the fridge, but I won’t be stocking the cellar with it either.