Rock Bottom Erik the Red Ale

Charlotte NC Randolph’s Ride Red Ale-on tap-pours a tan head that laces with red color. Aroma is sweet malt, hops. Taste is nicely balanced sweet malt & hops. Mild carbonation.

Sample, at the Chicago location. Nearly opaque maple-bronze...caramel-herbal nose, perhaps maple and sourdough...lots of dry bitter herbal qualities on the tongue, grapefruity Cascades, underlying pale malt gives just enough body...clean, dry finish that seemed, oddly, to show hints of amaretto. Compulsively drinkable.

At RB Chicago: Rusty orange/red with a sticky head. Sharp bitter hoppiness over the top of a tart caramel malt base. Nice.

Draft in Minneapolis. Dark red color with a thin head. Little bits of malt in the aroma and taste, but not enough for a dark lager. Simple, but nothing special.

Draft at the Chicago location. Ruddy amber. Nose is flowery hops, sweet malts and caramel. Typical for most reds. Taste is pretty much the same. More caramel, light nuttiness, sweet malts and floral hops. The mouthfeel on this was thinner than the two previous beers I’ve had but still not watery. Mild carbonation notes. Bordering on fizzy in spots. Ends with more caramel and floral hops, light citrus and malts. Not bad overall and complimented my food well.

More of a dark than a red. What IS a red anyway? Lots of Cascade hops assault the drinker like Erik the Red once did with his Norse Viking armies. A bit overwhelming and amber-ish.

Flavor like kids’ chewable vitamins. Light hop profile with decent malt balance. (at Minneapolis location)

Chicago location. This beer pours to a lightly hazy red/brown body with a white head and good lacing. The aroma is malty maple syrup and cascade hops. The flavor is a roasted/toasted malt with lemongrass and Centennial hops. Kina like lemoned iced tea. Lots of fresh hops. The palate is bitter yet refreshing. Nice!