Tasting

What does an Irish Red Ale taste like? First biscuit and caramel, then toasted bread, finishing with a trace of coffee from the roasted barley. The bitterness stays soft, and the finish is short and slightly dry. Set a Red next to a pilsner, and what stands out most is how much rounder and maltier it seems.

Three beers serve as examples. Smithwick's Red Ale comes from Dublin but carries Kilkenny's name and is considered the classic. Kilkenny Irish Beer is creamier and more heavily hopped. O'Hara's belongs to the Carlow Brewing Company; its Moling's Traditional Red Ale shows how a small brewery in the southeast interprets the style.

The right glass is the pint, 568 milliliters in Ireland. It's wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, letting the foam develop properly. Those who want less can order a glass, the Irish term for a half-pint. A Red shouldn't be too cold. About eight to ten degrees lets the malt come through adequately, without the cold numbing the beer.

When pouring from the tap, the foam is what matters. A Red on draft is poured at an angle, then the glass rests briefly, and the final inches are topped off straight. When nitrogen is used, the foam settles slowly and the beer looks darker before lightening up. You can watch the fine bubbles rise from bottom to top.