222. Moat Mountain Matildas Red Rage

My quest to find an amber/red ale that stands out continued at Moat Mountain in North Conway however I did not find what I was looking for. I really need to ask a brewer what makes red ales so similar. In almost any other style of beer there are huge variants in the taste however I am not sure I could tell one Amber/Red ale from another if you set them side by side. There must be something about the style that causes this. Generally I like this style of beer but I keep hoping to find "the one" and I have not. If you have recommendations please share.


This one pours a nice red color (big surprise there) with single finger white head that left decent lacing on the glass. Not a lot of aroma but some caramel notes. Taste follows with some caramel flavors and a bit of pine hoppiness in the end. Nothing too exciting with this one but not a bad beer overall. My favorite option from Moat was probably the Tripel.

Pros: 

Cons: Same as all the other reds :( 

Alcohol Content: ??% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Moat Mountain

Brewers Description: Does not appear on their website

210. Sebago Brewing Runabout Red Ale

If you have been following my blog for some time you know I have been searching for a truly exception red ale. This is a style of beer i really enjoy however almost all red/amber ales seem to taste almost identical. I know there is only so much you can do with the various malt characters that dominate the palate on red ales but there should be something that sets one apart. 


I was hopeful when I found the Runabout Red from Sebago Brewing as they make very good beer. Color is nice red which thin head that disappeared quickly. Aroma has lots of caramel malts and the taste follows. Lots of caramel and toffee malts and very slight hop finish. Easy to drink and enjoyable but again very similar to other reds. 
Pros: Lots of malt

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 4.2% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 4.75
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Sebago Brewing

Brewers Description: Our Red Ale is Deep Amber in color and is very well balanced with a malty yet clean finish.
Runabout Red Ale is a classic! Our Red Ale has a malty sweet taste that comes from 3 different types of caramel malt. It is a clean, well-balanced beer that started as seasonal ale that we only brewed from March until July. It was so popular with our regulars that we started brewing it year round in 2002. Our red ale is made with only two hop additions to the kettle as opposed to three in most of our other brews and the malt character shows this. Please enjoy our staff favorite!

Pairing Suggestions: Shellfish, grilled
vegetables & salads

The name and logo for our Runabout Red Ale invokes the image of lake life in Maine. The antique wooden boat symbolizes quality craftsmanship, art, history and design as does our beer. The woman on the label is Elsie Whidden. Elsie has a passion for Maine lake life and antique wooden boats. In honor of Elsie, a lifelong Maine teacher living with Parkinson’s, we donate $1 to the Maine Parkinson Society for every case of Runabout Red Ale sold.

Learn more: Maine Parkinsons Society

203. Penobscot Bay Red Flannel Ale (growler)

Visited the winery / brewery / restaurant in Winterport last week and picked up a growler of Red Flannel Ale as it was on special. This is my first growler from Penobscot Bay, I really enjoy growlers. The beer itself tasted just as I remember it from the bottle although this time I had 64 ounces of it instead of just the 22 from the bomber. Also while visiting the brewery I saw bottles of their 2011 homebrew contest IPA which I hope they bring back this year. If you happen to be in the Winterport area I suggest you stop by Winterport Winery. Also be sure to check out their website for the schedule of beer or wine dinners, cooking classes or events check out the link below. Great people making quality beer and wine right here in Maine. 
Pros: Complex flavor, the right amount of sweet

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: ??% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Penobscot Bay Brewery

Brewers Description: Red flannels keep you warm and so will this hearty ale. Mostly Pale malt but full bodied and flavor from the Special B. Roasted Barley and Munich for color. There is a sweet aroma followed by rich, malty flavors with added notes of Perle hops for bittering. Best enjoyed slowly and at cellar temperature. Drink some now, and lay some aside for the future.

164. Maine Beer Company Zoe

Well I have been looking for a good amber/red ale for some time and this certainly ranks up there as one of the best. It does stray a bit from the traditional amber/red as it has a lot more hops than others in the style. It also pours a bit darker than most reds with a nice light tan head with big bubbles. Aroma is full of citrusy hops and a bit of biscuit. Taste is well balanced with plenty of hops but the strong malt character helps keep them in check. Very easy to drink and would go down easy in any season.
Pros: Citrus aroma, Well balanced 

Cons: Not your typical red (is that a pro or a con?)

Alcohol Content: 7.0% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Maine Beer Company

Brewers Description: Our Happy, Hoppy Amber Ale - One rainy fall day in 2009, my five-year-old daughter Zoe and I were wandering the streets in Bar Harbor and stumbled across the Whale Museum. Zoe loved it. It put a smile on her face. Hopefully our ale will do the same for you. Cheers!

For all the smiles that whales put on children's faces we decided to give 1% of our sales from this beer to Allied Whale through their Adopt-A-Whale program. Allie Whale is a non-profit organization committed to the understanding and preservation of marine mammals. They respond to marine mammal strandings from Rockland, Maine to the Canadian border and operate the most remote field research station on the eastern seaboard of the United States: Mount Desert Rock. To Adopt-A-Whale go to www.alliedwhale.org

154. Kennebec River Sledhead Red

I am still searching for that perfect Amber/Red Ale. It seems like they are all enjoyable but very little difference from one to the other and nothing that stands out. This one is no different than many of the others; a solid beer, enjoyable and easy to drink but nothing sets this apart. Will have to seek out the Sebago Brewing Runabout Red as their Brown, Local Harvest and Stout are 3 of the best beers to date. Color on this one is great as with most reds with a nice 1.5 finger head that lasts leaving nice lacing. Very little aroma and tastes smooth but fairly simple. Overall a solid beer as the others from Kennebec River Brewery have been. If you have the chance give it a try but no need to seek it out. 
Pros: Color, easy to drink 

Cons: Very similar to all other amber/reds

Alcohol Content: ??% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Kennebec River Brewery
Brewers Description: An incredibly smooth red ale with moderate bitterness up front, which gives way to a delightful malty finish. Brewed using five European malts and three varieties of domestic Northwest hops. (Six packs available in stores October to April).

138. Roscoe's Hop House Amber Ale

I had never heard of Roscoe's Hop House before but saw 3 different varieties of their beer in the supermarket earlier this week so I thought I would give it a try. First clue about the quality of the beer should have been the twist top and the second clue would be their website (click link below to see what I mean). The beer pours like many other Amber/Reds but the taste is much closer to a light beer. Not what I expect from an Amber Ale and I am not off to a good start with Roscoe's Hop House :( 
Pros: Color

Cons: Thin, weak taste

Alcohol Content: 5.5% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Roscoe's Hop House

Brewers Description: None 

121. Saranac India Copper Ale

Beer number 2 from the Winter variety pack and this is another solid beer. Color is a bit darker than many IPAs but what you would expect from a beer with copper in its name. Thick head with good retention and a nice fruit and hoppy aroma. Taste is smooth with a hop finish. So far this is my favorite of the Winter pack. 
Pros: Great color

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 6.0% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Saranac

Brewers Description: Taking an India Ale to the next level, Saranac India Copper Ale has the malt backbone to carry the hoppiness you expect in an India Ale.  Carefully selected malts from North America and Europe are decoction mashed to highlight their character and the brew is complimented with generous amounts of citrusy Columbus, Cascade and Centennial hops.  Cheers!

93. Redhook Copperhook

This is the second of four varieties from Redhook and this review will be similar to the first. A quality amber/red with an appearance that is probably a bit lighter than many other reds. Slight caramel aroma and again a nice balance of malt and hops. Finishes clean and easy to drink even though the ABV is slightly higher than most. 
Pros: Great color, easy to drink

Cons: Lighter than other reds

Alcohol Content: 5.8% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 25
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Redhook

Brewers Description: Who needs precious metals, when you’ve got Copper?!   This copper colored ale is a real crowd-pleaser.  Copperhook strikes the perfect balance of smooth, rich, malty flavor you’d expect from a craft brew with a lighter body and hop profile that makes it a perfect “session” beer when you’ve got a long day ahead of knocking back a few with your buddies.

73. Baxter Brewing Amber Road

This beer was just released today so I am happy to be one of the first to drink and review it. Amber Road pours a beautiful dark amber color with a solid head that last and leaves great lacing on the glass. Slight hop aroma and bite but I like beer with this amount of hops. Not a fan of the really hoppy beers (60+ IBUs) but at 35 this beer is just right. Feel is perfect, easy to drink and tasted very fresh - which it probably was since I purchased it from the brewery on the day it was released. This is my favorite Baxter beer so far and I will certainly enjoy the 12 I purchased today and probably many more. Luke and the others at Baxter did a great job with this one and I am looking forward to their next release whatever that might be. 

Pros: Color, bite but not a lingering aftertaste

Cons:  Minimal aroma

Alcohol Content: 5.5% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 35
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Baxter Brewing

Brewers Description: A malt-accented amber ale which features a rich toastiness and a balanced hop flavor that lingers through to the finish. This wickedly smooth beer refreshes year ’round.

Technical Specifications:

• A proprietary blend of North American 2 row malted barley including barley grown in Northern Maine’s Aroostook County
• 8 different domestic and imported “Character” malts provide complexity, color and body
• 3 different hops varieties grown in the Willamette Valley region of Oregon
• Cold conditioned for a smooth, crisp and clean flavor
• Clean, well attenuating, top-fermenting American ale yeast
• Pure, soft water from Lake Auburn, Maine