Background – From Coors/George Killians themselves “The original George brewed the first batch of Enniscorthy Ruby Ale, the inspiration for George Killian’s Irish Red. He just wanted a better beer to share with his friends. He then founded Mill Park Brewery in Enniscorthy, Ireland, so he could share his ruby-colored ale with all of Ireland.
George Killian’s Irish Red is an authentic Irish lager based on an original family recipe that dates to 1864 in Enniscorthy, Ireland. Using only pure spring water and the finest caramel malts, roasted longer and slower, give the brew a rich red color and distinctive taste. The beer is well known for its rich amber color and thick, creamy head.”
Appearance – The bottle design definitely stands out with the blood red label and the horse head design. While it may be brewed by Coors today there is no doubt that this is a beer that represents an Irish recipe. The beer itself pours a clear amber brown with little head and almost no lacing, a very clean looking beer.
Aroma – Amber lagers, Amber ales they are similar in many ways, primarily in the fact that neither produces much of an aroma. The only thing you will notice are the bready malts, which get stronger as the beer warms.
Taste – The flavor is quite simple for this beer. Imagine a typical American lager but with a lot more malts and a little more of a bready flavor.
Drinkability – I love how easy this beer is to drink. There is almost no bitterness and a surprising creamy mouthfeel as you finish each sip. For such a low ABV beer it manages to sit quite heavy, so its not perfect.
Overall – Overall many people will hate on this beer because it is associated with Coors. The true origin of this beer may be from Ireland and the original family may still be involved but that doesn’t matter to beer snobs. The George Killian Irish Red is a great option if you are looking for a solid amber lager.
Game Pairing: When it comes to game pairing I decided to go with Resistance for the PS3. Commonly overlooked because it had some steep competition between Call of Duty and Halo, however this is a fun game. Game snobs may look down on this one, much like beer snobs looking down on Killian’s Irish Red. So pair these two underrated gems and enjoy yourself, Sláinte
