Back in the 90s when I was a student in living in London, an Irish friend of mine got me into drinking Caffrey’s and Kilkenny’s. I know, I know, people diss them now, but they were a pretty decent step away from the watery lagers and Snake Bites & Black we were used to. I was an instant convert to the creamy nitro goodness. And I certainly wasn’t alone because they were really popular. You see, there’s much to like about an Irish Red. It’s certainly an easy drinker: the silky mouthfeel of a stout - without the bossy coffee notes - the seductive colour of a brown ale, minus the full-on roasted profiles. With around 3% roasted malt being just enough to bring out those deep red highlights and add some complexity and dryness without impacting too much on flavour. You might expect a soft toffee/caramel sweetness and a hint of grainy-biscuity flavour. But then again you might not because there are an awful lot of variations of the Irish Red Ale. Non-traditional twists are likely to have a higher ABV or IBU and are sweeter. And some can sway into the territory of an Amber Lager. 

We’ve got a little selection of various Red Ales in this issue. Give them a try and let us know what you think. You might even add your own twists or tweaks. In which case, let us know!  

Here are the vital stats of a traditional Irish Red Ale, according to BJCP.

ABV: 3.8% - 5%    IBU: 18 - 28

OG: 1.036 - 1.046  SRM: 9 - 14 

FG: 1.010 - 1.014

APPEARANCE: Colour ranges from medium amber to medium reddish-copper. It should be a clear brew with a low off-white to tan coloured head.

AROMA: The malt aroma of a Red Ale will lie between low and moderate. The aroma is quite clean with either neutral-grainy or a lightly caramel, toast, or toffee character. Optional aromas are: very light buttery character; low earthy or floral hop.  

MOUTHFEEL: Medium-light to medium body.

FLAVOUR: Moderate to very little caramel malt flavour and sweetness.

Food Pairings

Thanks to their smooth, rounded and relatively clean flavours, Red Ales pair really well with lots of different foods. Which is good news as whatever your tastes, and whatever the season, you’ll have plenty of excuses to serve up a nice Red (ale, not wine!) with your meals. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Robust dishes like Shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, burgers  

Roasted veggies

Chicken dishes

Grilled meats - try using Red Ale in your marinade too

BBQ sauces - their smoky sweetness pairing perfectly with the caramels of a Red Ale

Tangy cheeses, like Port Salut or Cheddar. 

Smoked fish

Spicy foods - Thai Curry, Tacos etc

Fried foods  

Desserts - if you want something sweet then pecan cookies elevate the roasted malts in a Red. And the light, buttery and toasty caramel profiles of a Red Ale go very nicely with desserts containing caramel - like caramel cheesecake - or Dulce de Leche (add to crepes or use as a creamy, sweet layer inside a sponge cake).