So, I chronicled my Home Brewing over the past month and promised a post on the pour. Sorry for the delays. Between traveling and other commitments, I haven't had much chance to sit down and fully savor the work of my hands. You can read what you missed in my posts about brewing the red ale:
Brew Day
Secondary Fermentation
Bottling Day
So, now to the pour. As you can see by my header, I took the time to make my own labels. I use Avery Sticker paper. I design the labels using Microsoft Publisher. I print them, cut them and then use the self adhesive to stick them to the bottles on bottling day. It is the last step in the process.
I named this one Marine O'Hara Redhead. I use pin up girls on all my labels. This one was a play on words. I wanted a redhead, since it was an Irish red. An Irish redhead was a bonus. But then, I was also a Marine. So I tweaked the name a bit.
The Pour
Appearance - The pour finished with a medium tan head atop a reddish-copper body. The beer was clear of any solids. The head dissipated slowly, but left thin to no lacing.
Smell - Bread and toffee with a light floral touch.
Taste - Malty caramel with a touch of bread. Although red ales don't typically have citrus notes, this one had a bit of citrus peel that left a mild bite on the back end. A bit of yeast on the palate afterwards.
Mouthfeel - Light bodied with a buttery mouthfeel. Nicely carbonated.
I was more than satisfied with this recipe. It will join the ranks of the few styles that will see a second run. And maybe a third. It is a pleasant, balanced beer that I would easily order at a bar. And of course, require a refill at some point. It is an easy to drink beer that would likely do well to quench thirst on a hot summer day. I will have to set a few aside for the dog days of summer.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience creating and finally enjoying this beer.