McNeills Ruby Ale

Brewed by McNeills Brewery
Style: Amber Ale
Brattleboro, Vermont USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

Pours a dark golden ruby color with bright red edges and a two finger frothy light beige head. Very good retention, only slowly fading into a lasting cap that coats the glass with streaks of soapy lacing. Floral hop aroma with earthy notes that are countered by a sweet malt backbone. Hints of earthy pine needle and subtle citrus balanced by hints of sweet rye and caramel as well as some biscuit and toast. Medium bodied and similar to the aroma with a slightly stronger hop presence. Earthy and floral up front while only being slightly bitter. Kind of dry with the hop flavor lingering over the sweet malt backbone into a slight dry finish. Subtle earthy pine flavor followed by caramel, rye and biscuit. Session able but kind of bland.

Red - I’m gonna ahead and call it ruby - with a rocky, dense head. Smells like caramel and pine - simple but pleasant aroma. Flavor is crisp, with some pine and caramel, just like the aroma. As it warms, I rather unpleasant sour note emerges.

22 oz. Hazy copper with a lasting sponge of foam. Sweet, luscious nose of caramel, juicy orange, and spicy florals. Flavor is similar, but thankfully has more resin bitterness for a nice balance. Also some toasted nut, chocolate, and more citrus zest. Medium body is well-balanced, soft, and lightly tingly.

Bomber from Carl. Pours hazy dark ruddy amber with 4 finger foamy creamy beige head. Aroma of roasted malt and mixed fruit - mostly citrus? Med body. Flavor is very smooth dark roast malt, much like an American Strong Ale. Hop is mixed fruit. The malt is too intense for me to imagine concord grape, but maybe that’s in the mix. This is a beer that deserves to go Imperial! While there’s a lot of malt, there’s certainly enough bitter to render this very, very drinkable.

Pony with brend and streetsie. Pour is dark ruby brown. Sweet and lackluster... Malty and finishes quick. Not good for summer but probably better in winter

On tap at Pony with Andy and Streets. Deep red pour with minimal head. Almost non-existant aroma (some sweetness) and sugary, lame palate. Not offensive but not good.

From a bottle poured an amber color with a fair amount of head. Nice malty lightly toasted flavor with a quick finish.

22 oz bomber from Canals Hainesport. Poured a reddish body under a bubbly/foamy off white head. Aroma had some juicy orange notes mixed in with dusty grains and some wet cereal. Flavor of dirty earth and some raw malts. Thin mouthfeel with bubbly carbonation and thankfully a quick fading aftertaste.