McNeills Ruby Ale

Brewed by McNeills Brewery
Style: Amber Ale
Brattleboro, Vermont USA

Nice smooth beer. Not too much happening but is pleasant. Has the browned apple aroma of a red ale and the bitterness of an ipa.

on tap at the Blind Tiger. Amber in color with a small head. Aroma is caramel and toasted malt, with some floral hop character. Taste is moderately hoppy with floral and light grapefruit, with caramel, toasted malts, and some light bready yeast. Finishes bitter. Didn’t think this one would be classified as an IPA, thought it was an amber for sure.

Draft at the Blind Tiger. Ruby red, orange pour with some off-white head. Aroma is light caramel malt and floral hops. Flavor has light sweetness, grainy malt, and mild bitterness in the end. Like a mediocre hopped amber ale.

Bottle. Pours a dark amber with a big off-white fluffy head. Aroma of mild caramel, sour fruit, floral and bitter hops. Flavor is a bitter/ sour mix with light caramel, bready malts, faint oak and some bittering hops

Pours clear amber with a fizzy beige head. The half inch head fell quickly to a sporatic coating on the surface. Aromatics lead off promising with spicy and citrus-like hops. Nothing overpowering, but somewhat fresh and grassy. A sweet malt nod pulls though on the finish of the nose. Mouthfeel is medium and slightly syrupy. Pallet is a big dissapointment. Crystal malt with a stale yeast bite. Hopping is only apparent in the bittering, and a touch of citrus fruit. Slightly sweet in the beginning, but quickly flips to a rough bitterness with cardboard. Finishes astringent and slightly acrid, with lingering bitterness.

22 oz. bottle. Poured clear ruby red with a skim of head with mild rings of lace. Fruity, floral nose. Nice hoppy finish, perhaps lacking a bit of malt. Really pretty interesting offering, never had an IPA quite like this one.

Bottle. Pours a clear copper color with a thick off-white head. Slight lacing. Aroma is hoppy with a bit of sour grape in it. Flavor is similar to that of a lot of red ales, but almost has a more sour finish like Flemish sour. A nice beer, and very flavorful. Just not what I expected.

Big bubbled head - lots of carbonation. Dark reddish coppery colored. Very stronly alcoholic nose - pungent, and perfume-filled and it makes me cringe. The flavor is much more mild. Malty. Not much else to say.