Beer Styles

What is an Irish Red Ale? It's a copper-red, top-fermented beer with a soft caramel body, a hint of roast, and little hop bitterness. The style guidelines set out by beer judges call for roughly 3.8 to 5 percent alcohol and a bitterness of 18 to 28 IBU. The beer is meant to be easy-drinking without coming across as sweet.

The style is credited as an invention of Smithwick's, even though other Irish breweries brewed similar red ales. What's certain is that Kilkenny gave the style its reputation. The name Red comes from the color: in the glass, the beer looks reddish-brown, almost dark in poor light.

How does Irish Red Ale differ from a stout? Both are top-fermented, but stout is black and heavily roasted, while Red is copper-colored and malty. Stout made Dublin famous; Red comes from the southeast. Compared to an English bitter, Red has a somewhat sweeter, less hoppy profile.

Kilkenny Irish Beer, which Guinness built for export starting in 1987, is a variation on the style. It's redder, more bitter, and foamier than Smithwick's. Both share the same base recipe, but Kilkenny is usually poured with nitrogen and tastes creamier. Both beers sit close to the Irish Red Ale style, yet connoisseurs distinguish them by bitterness, foam, and color. Tasting them side by side reveals just how much room a style can offer, even with so little hops and so much caramel.