The Craic: 3.5 – this certainly falls more onto the spectrum of an IPA instead of a proper red ale. It’s not awful as far as most IPAs go, but it’s still bitter and there’s no aspect of fruit or creaminess to help the IPA. Overall – just give us a red ale instead.
Price Average: $11 for 6-pack
Website: https://www.harpoonbrewery.com/
Wormtown Red: 3.0 – It’s watery and weak and I hate it. I was really hoping for a good red ale that’s local, but nope.
Price Average: $6 draft
Website: http://wormtownbrewery.com/
Petrus Aged Red Ale: 7.0 – There’s a special place in our hearts for things that are exactly what they say on the tin. Here we get something called an aged red, has cherries, and rates a ⅖ on the sour scale. Damn it to hell, but that’s exactly what you get, it does taste like a more mellowed red ale with cherry, and it’s a good combo of being sour without overpowering. It does suffer a bit by being akin to some old-timey medicine, but overall is quite tasty.
Price Average: $11
Website: http://petrussourbeer.com/en
Righteous Stave Red Ale: 4.0 – Not a huge fan as its really just a basic over hopped pale ale. It says red, but there’s a real lack of nice tartness here that is overshadowed via making it too hoppy. Likely a result of being an exclusive beer for a Boston-area bar chain.
Price Average: Righteous Stave Red Ale $9
Verhaeghe ‘Barbe’ Ruby Biere: 3.5 – If you had told.me this was juice I would believe you I get no beer or even alcohol or if you want that sure but no for me. I see that some places call this a fruit beer, and for me it was described as just a Red Ale – which I think is a basis for it; however that doesn’t change my score because even I get a fruit beer, I want a fruit beer.
Price Average: Verhaeghe ‘Barbe’ Ruby Biere $10
Oskar Blues Goodnight: 8.5 – This was listed for high octane and it’s a bit more alcoholic, but this solves the issues where some reds are a bit too tart. This though has gravitas, and quite frankly it’s fuckin delicious. I got this at a bar, and quite frankly I’m glad that we do this site. I feel like others would see the can, and dismiss it out of hand – which is sad for who great the beer is.
Price Average: Oskar Blues Goodnight $13 for 6-Pack
Website: https://www.oskarblues.com/
Editor’s Note: So this is not a challenge post. We are still doing the challenge, but having passed the halfway point the finds are now much harder.
Kindest Find: 4.5 – I’m personally starting to get annoyed with the usage of Imperial to define a beer being just slightly more potent. Regardless I do actually like this red ale, although it’s a bit too much on the hoppy side which takes over the other flavors.
Price Average: Kindest Find $7
Website: https://smuttynose.com/
American Red: 5.0 – It’s a fine red ale but it lacks a certain tartness that I would want more of from a red though.
Google Shop Average: Name $9 for 6-Pack
Website: http://www.rockartbrewery.com/
Wormtown Irish Red: 4.5 – A bland irish red.
Google Shop Average: Wormtown Irish Red $7
Website: http://wormtownbrewery.com/
Shiner Ruby Redbird: 5.0 – A really good wheat beer, but there’s a very large taste of ginger/grapefruit here that really kills this beer for me.
Google Shop Average: Shiner Ruby Redbird $8 for 6-Pack
Website: http://www.shiner.com/