Callys Imperial Irish Red Ale

From a day old growler courtesy of Maniac. Clear mahogony color with fine white moderate head that persists. Aroma includes some raisin and roast malt notes with a hint of alchohol and little hop aroma. Moderatly sweet intial flavors of roast and caramel blend with raisin and fruit with a touch of alchohol warmth and some sherry like overtones. Finish is dry with slight bitterness. Full mouthfeel with a touch of astringency perhaps from carbonation.

Thanks to maniac for bringing a growler of this back from Harrisonburg with him. Clear reddish amber, nice head. Aroma was lightly hoppy, slightly floral, and some faint caramel malts. Flavor is lightly caramel accented malts with a floral hop bitterness on the finish to balance. Nice, not over the top, but clearly a "step up" from your typical Irish red. Hair of a carbonic bite detracts. Cally’s is a very, very solid brewpub. Maybe not always mind-blowing, but always high quality with very few misses.

On tap at Cally’s. Clear reddish body with a medium creamy off-white head. Light caramel and hints of roasted malt, with tea-like hints. Sweet tea-like flavor, some pale and caramel malts. Medium body, moderate carbonation. Very smooth finish. It may not be as imperial as some people like, but its much more drinkable than other Imperial Reds I’ve had recently.

Draft. A solid Cally’s offering! Pours deep red/amber with an off-white head. Aroma is mostly sweet malt and a bit of carpet. Body is relatively complex for Cally’s, with sweet malt, sour mash, and some clear cherry on the finish. At 6.5% this hardly constitutes an imperial but I was pleased.