Emmetts McCarthy American Red

Brewed by Emmetts Tavern and Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
West Dundee, Illinois USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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Sample at the Palatine brewpub. The beer pours a hazy reddish-brown color with a medium thin beige head that dissipates steadily. Clingy patches of lacing. Sweet caramel malt aroma with a bit of hops. Light body with flavors of bready malt, caramel and citrusy hops. The finish is sweet malt and does not last long. Slightly above average overall.

On tap at brew pub DG, pours a bright clear amber with a medium khaki head. Aroma is very hoppy with citrus, pine, and caramel malt, nice freshness. Taste of earth grain and caramel malts followed by bright bitter pine and citrus. Very enjoyable!

This came in trade from my next-door neighbor. I’d call this a red American Pale Ale. 12 oz bottle pours an almost clear red/orange with a white head and good lacing. Aroma is full of citrus and floral hops. Taste is a little on the bitter side with a clean finish. Not too much carbonation, but an excellent clean mouthfeel. Much better than expected and no complaints at all.

Paddle sampler on tap at the brewpub (Downers Grove, IL). My first visit to Emmett’s. Pours a rich copper pour, a bit darker with a reddish glow. No haze and moderate offwhite head sits atop. A thicker ring sits around and laces ok. Aromas are biscuity and toasty off the bat, some mellow sweet bread, faint caramel, and a distinct nuttiness grow with some decent American floral, grass, and mellow touches of citrusy hops worked into the fold. Grows on me. Initial is medium bodied, offering some toastiness, caramel, and biscuits. Toast moves into a healthy earthy hopping in the middle, offering healthy florals and earth, weeds and some touches of grapefruit. Not lively but a sufficient bitterness grows into the finish. More earthiness, peanuts, and dry floral hops mix with lingering toastiness, faint sweetness into the finish. Better than I though it would be, staying away from the sweeter side of the style.

12oz bottle from Armanetti’s. Pours a cloudy, red-amber colored body with an inch thick, dense and foamy, off-white head that dissipates slowly and leaves a moderate lacing. Aroma has a bit of a spiced caramel maltiness with some crystal sweetness and a touch of toast. Floral hops with a light citrus. Flavor is similar. Floral citrus up front before some crystal malt sweetness and a bit of a bready caramel comes in. A touch of toast towards the end along with a slightly increased toffee malt and a solid herbal hopping that dries this with a medium-light bitterness. Fairly lengthy aftertaste following a medium-light body and soft, moderately foamy carbonation. Overall, not a bad beer. The dry finish is nice and the slightly toasty, crystal sweet maltiness is balanced well with a somewhat citrusy, floral and herbal hopping.

Tap at Emmett’s in Downers Grove on Dec. 27, 2011. Clear reddish pour. Aroma and taste of caramel malt and mild floral elements. Smooth palate. Decent amber.

Date: December 27, 2011 Mode: Tap Source: Emmetts DG Description: Translucent reddish brown with some head and lacing. Floral hop and caramel malt aroma and taste. Aroma was much better than taste/palate, but I am not a huge fan of the style.

This is one of those amber ales that’s pretty much an APA with some extra color. I much prefer this to the ones with the insipid blandness that some brewers will try to pass off as malty simply due to lack of hops. This is a pleasant amber colored brew with a fine head of toght whited bubbles. Pine hops in the nose are punctuated by a slightly exagerated caramel malt flavor. There is a touch of sweetness but it’s well balanced by earthy bitterness. The texture here is full but light an, in general, this is just a really well put together brew. Nice job, Emmet’s. This is one of the better Chicago area brews I’ve had in a while.

Tap at the brewery. Best in show with only the robust porter to go. This is a tasty beer with only one shortcoming. Red ale in the glass with an offwhite head. Pretty nice lacing. Aroma is caramel chews and citrus floral hops. Taste is sweet caramel but with a big hop punch that lingers without being too bitter. Very good. The one shirtcoming is that it could have used a little more body. Very good though.

Tap in Palatine. Pours clear tawny with a medium, fizzy white head, medium retention with good lacing. Aroma is average malt (caramel, toast, bread), medium hops (citrus, pine, floral), and light fruity esters. Flavor is malt with moderate hop flavor, finishes bitter. Medium body and carbonation, low warmth and a dry finish.

Had at the downers grove location. This is a nicely malted slightly roasted Red Ale. Rather drinkable. Serving: Tap