Granite City Burning Barn Irish Red Ale

Brewed by Granite City Food & Brewery
Style: Irish Ale
St. Louis Park, Minnesota USA

Very nice and heavy Irish Red. Smooth finish with a hint of malt and hops at the end

Hmm.., I guess I will go against the grain here. Had the sampler first and got a growler to go. pours with a thick foamy head and has a slightly sticky lacing. The color is a glowing dark red. Aroma is perfectly malty authentic Irish Ale. Has a light wet soil aspect with some musk. there is some light cocoa and faint roast. Flavor is a bit weaker, a little vegetal, but same musky, earthy malts and a faint muted fruit back there. Easy drinking and is a fun beer.

Named after Mrs O’Leary’s cow, perhaps? Pours a clear deep amber and orange color, served with about half an inch of off white head. The head diminished considerably but enough stuck around for a while to provide adequate lacing. Very mild malt in the aroma. The beer tasted pretty good, blending a light sweet caramel with a drier toasted malt. A generic and moderately bitter hop presence showed up in the finish. Not quite medium body, not quite moderate carbonation. Smooth and mellow without being watery. Good for the style, no off flavors or characteristics.

Draft at the Cedar Rapids, IA location. Poured a nice looking clear garnet color. Head was fluffy, light tan and left some decent lace. Aroma was dominated by spicy malt, toasted bread, and a whiff of dried fruits. Medium dry on the tongue. Flavor was earthy and nutty with subdued caramel and toasted bread. There was also a touch of sprucy hops. Pretty good.

Poured off tap. Nice head, medium carbonation. Nice red ale. Malty nose and taste. Nice flavor. Much fuller then a Killians or Lienies Red. Slightly bitter finish. (as there should be) Nothing too special but...I may have to try a few more of these.

Amber colored body. Alcohol content seemed to be high. A hint of smoke and caramel malt.

(draught - St. Louis) light brown with hints of ruby, generous light tan head with some lace. Sweetish biscuit malt aroma. Flavor was biscuit/caramel with a hint of grapes. Good body.

tap - Pours amber with a one finger light tan head. It has a mild caramel malt aroma. The flavor too is all about the caramel malt. There’s a little bit of hops in there and it’s certainly easy to quaff. Not bad.