Weekly ALEment

Loakal Red

Quick Facts

Brewery: The Bruery

Beer Style: American Red Ale

Origin: Orange County, CA, USA (Available only in Orange County)

ABV: 6.9%

IBU: 35

Glassware: Pint Glass

Serve Temp: 45°-50°

Brewer’s Profile: Centennial hops, sweet malt, oak-aged

Summary

Color poured is a light brown, rich copper with a golden thick head that seems to stick around for a decent amount of time. When you first bring the glass to your nose, you immediately catch a whiff of the smoky oak flavor with some hints of spice. With the first sip, you start to notice the bitterness of the hops along with a splash of citrus flavor and spice. The bitter easily transitions to a warm flavor of oak and a sweet caramel finish. Medium bodied, with some light carbonation and a crisp finish.

Ok……So I have tasted this beer before. I first tried this beer in a flight when I visited The Bruery in Orange, CA recently. Justin, a friend and I had tasted some great beers that afternoon, but this one caught my attention. And since you can’t really fully enjoy the flavor of a beer from a small sample, I decided to bring this one home to further explore. Once you’ve tried this beer, you can fully appreciate the perfect balance between the bitterness and the sweet. I think it’s important for a red ale to have this balance. It’s also important that the flavor sticks around for a while, and not just wash away after each sip. The Loakal Red, definitely, had more complexity with a full glass that I didn’t get with the sample. I’m actually slightly disappointed in myself that I didn’t buy another bottle. I guess I’ll have to make another trip soon!