Mad River Jamaica Red Ale

Brewed by Mad River Brewery
Style: Amber Ale
Blue Lake, California USA

The aroma is very nice with lots of caramel malt, citrus, and pine. There is also a tiny bit of paper. The appearance is deep amber with a small foamy head. The flavor is like the aroma with a much to noticeable paper profile and astringent bitterness. The palate is smooth ad thick. I want to really like this but the taste is a little off. Still it’s a decent drinkable beer.

Aroma is citrus hops and delicate toffee malt. Pours a dark red with a small white head. Flavor is mostly hops upfront. Citrus, pine, but not alot of malt balance. I guess I got a little sweet fruit and toffee, but it was delicate. Resiny and dry, but not too heavy. I liked this one alot because it had a little more going on than your standard amber. Looking at the other ratings, I find it a bit strange, as I found this to be more hoppy than anything. I did have it on draft. Perhaps there is a big discrepancy between the two. Huh?

Shorter than usual brown 12 oz bottle with a twist off cap, reminds me of Seirra Nevada. Twist off the lid in a manly manner and you get a whiff of uncooked bread dough and maybe even rootbeer. When I pour it into the glass I think there is some malty roastyness. Color is hazy brownish and I am surprised to find some sludge in the bottom of the bottle, must be unfiltered. When I swirl the last bit of brew, like wit, before I pour it into the glass, pretty large bits (1/8 to 1/4 inch) come loose and go into the glass, wow! Has a bitter bite when you first taste it, malty but not hops as far as I can tell. I know that the label says its hopped but I can’t really find the hops. There is no citrus or grapefruit rind flavor that can be detected. Mind you, it is not really stoutlike or heavy porter but it does have a definable bitterness that is not hops. Carbonation is medium low. Finish leaves a lingering medium bitterness on the back of your throat. This brew does not overpower my taste buds but it is oppressive in it’s own way. Not as good as Groelsch Amber or Redhook Copperhook but just a little better than Hereford & Hops Hop Rocket Ale, Otter Creek Copper Ale, and Thirsty Dog Hoppus Maximus. Those beers are more hoppy than this. Overall a decent entry into the darker beer arena. On par with Great Divide Ridgeline but ridgeline has much better carbonation.

Bottle: Non-clear amber color with no head. Semi hop aroma mixed with brown sugar. The flavor is sweet cardboard with a bit of rubbery bitterness. The aftertaste is a kind of bitter sweet weirdness. Ok brew. Thanks Jordan.

This is one of the better red ale that I had. The taste brings a balance between malt and hops. The hops bitter is not as powerful as you would expect. the mild roast malts with a caramel flavor brings this beer to life.

This beer pours a rich amber color with a small head that stayed thin for the whole ride.Lots of hops on the nose and also the flavor.Had a small spicy, hoppy finish.

I had this at a bevmo tasting. Nice amber color, a bit of hoppiness. It’s not too bad.

Pretty smooth amber ale here. Well done but nothing fancy. Has caramel notes, has hops, and is refreshing. Another quality brew from te Mad River Brewery!