Beer of the Weekend #136: Jamaica Red Ale
Not that it’s noticeable on your end, but I am writing this BotW on my schnazzy new version of Word.
In anticipation of becoming an independent contractor for the journals I work for, I bought Office 2008 and Mac OS 10.6 (aka, Snow Leopard) for my Macs. After work I immediately started updating my iMac and finished about an hour ago.
Needless to say, it’s been a long evening of installations. Time for some brew.
The beer this weekend is Jamaica Red Ale, brewed by the Mad River Brewing Company of Blue Lake, California.
Hmm. This is the first time I realized Jamaica Red Ale is brewed by Mad River, brewers of the Steelhead brand ales (like BotW #50, Steelhead Extra Stout). Mad River’s Steelhead Scotch Porter has been on my to-try list, but the BevMo! on Beach stopped stocking it. When stocked, the bottles were coated in dust — a bad sign. Excess dust on bottles means a sixer has been hanging out for a while — maybe a long while — and are suspect of being past their prime. Unless the freshness date is a safe distance in the future, always buy six packs with undusted bottles if available. Those have usually been delivered and shelved recently.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. No freshness date. (Come on!)
Appearance: Poured a syrup-like amber/brown. Looks very thick. Two fingers of thick, slightly tanned head developed from the straight pour into my pint glass and dissipated slowly to leave a foamy lacing and ring around the edge.
Smell: At first it actually reminds me of Scottish ale — Belhaven to be exact. Sweet and slightly toasted caramel malts stand out most and are followed by bread, honey, and dark fruits. There’s a nice hint of citrus hops and pine spice, too.
Taste: The first sip was not as sweet as the taste. Much more bitter and hoppy than the aroma led on. Nonetheless, the sweet and slightly toasted caramel malts are prominent, as well as the dark fruit (it tastes a lot like cherry). The hops provide a nice citrus bite, and also offer pine notes. The honey from the scent is also noticeable, as well as a little molasses and vanilla.
Drinkability: Smooth and tasty. In my book that makes it very drinkable. A very enjoyable and toothsome cure for cottonmouth in Humboldt County.
Fun facts about Jamaica Red Ale:
-Style: American Amber / Red Ale.
-Price: $7.99/sixer at the Beach BevMo!.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 6.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The Mad River website recommends “Pasta with white sauce, crepes, chicken.” BA recommends sharp cheeses (Blue and Cheddar) and meat (beef, poultry, and fish).
-Mad River is a proud Humboldt County brewer.
Aren’t they all? Humboldt, it seems to me, has it all. Beautiful setting. Good brew. Awesome and abundant weed. Why did I stay in SoCal?
-Jamaica Red Ale features twist-off caps, a rarity among craft brewers.
-On the underside of the carrier is this:
Also, enjoy a big ol’ bowl of Northern California Sinsemilla.
-Along with brewing the Steelhead and Jamaica brand brews, Mad River also brews four artisan beers: John Barleycorn Barleywine, Double Dread Imperial Red Ale, Serious Madness Black Ale, and The Mad Belgian Golden Ale. Their Golden Ale is listed on BevMo!’s website (whether or not it’s available in the store is another story) so it looks like I have another mid-week tasting to schedule. (My first will come this week, I think.)
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
In anticipation of becoming an independent contractor for the journals I work for, I bought Office 2008 and Mac OS 10.6 (aka, Snow Leopard) for my Macs. After work I immediately started updating my iMac and finished about an hour ago.
Needless to say, it’s been a long evening of installations. Time for some brew.
The beer this weekend is Jamaica Red Ale, brewed by the Mad River Brewing Company of Blue Lake, California.
Hmm. This is the first time I realized Jamaica Red Ale is brewed by Mad River, brewers of the Steelhead brand ales (like BotW #50, Steelhead Extra Stout). Mad River’s Steelhead Scotch Porter has been on my to-try list, but the BevMo! on Beach stopped stocking it. When stocked, the bottles were coated in dust — a bad sign. Excess dust on bottles means a sixer has been hanging out for a while — maybe a long while — and are suspect of being past their prime. Unless the freshness date is a safe distance in the future, always buy six packs with undusted bottles if available. Those have usually been delivered and shelved recently.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. No freshness date. (Come on!)
Appearance: Poured a syrup-like amber/brown. Looks very thick. Two fingers of thick, slightly tanned head developed from the straight pour into my pint glass and dissipated slowly to leave a foamy lacing and ring around the edge.
Smell: At first it actually reminds me of Scottish ale — Belhaven to be exact. Sweet and slightly toasted caramel malts stand out most and are followed by bread, honey, and dark fruits. There’s a nice hint of citrus hops and pine spice, too.
Taste: The first sip was not as sweet as the taste. Much more bitter and hoppy than the aroma led on. Nonetheless, the sweet and slightly toasted caramel malts are prominent, as well as the dark fruit (it tastes a lot like cherry). The hops provide a nice citrus bite, and also offer pine notes. The honey from the scent is also noticeable, as well as a little molasses and vanilla.
Drinkability: Smooth and tasty. In my book that makes it very drinkable. A very enjoyable and toothsome cure for cottonmouth in Humboldt County.
Fun facts about Jamaica Red Ale:
-Style: American Amber / Red Ale.
-Price: $7.99/sixer at the Beach BevMo!.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 6.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The Mad River website recommends “Pasta with white sauce, crepes, chicken.” BA recommends sharp cheeses (Blue and Cheddar) and meat (beef, poultry, and fish).
-Mad River is a proud Humboldt County brewer.
Aren’t they all? Humboldt, it seems to me, has it all. Beautiful setting. Good brew. Awesome and abundant weed. Why did I stay in SoCal?
-Jamaica Red Ale features twist-off caps, a rarity among craft brewers.
-On the underside of the carrier is this:
In 1989 we started brewing our handcrafted ales in the small town of Blue Lake, California. We are a little off the beaten path, but would love to have you visit us in Humboldt County. When you come, be sure to set time aside to raft the river, do a little fishing, or watch the eagles on the Mad River. That’s what a lot of us at the brewery do in our spare time.
Also, enjoy a big ol’ bowl of Northern California Sinsemilla.
-Along with brewing the Steelhead and Jamaica brand brews, Mad River also brews four artisan beers: John Barleycorn Barleywine, Double Dread Imperial Red Ale, Serious Madness Black Ale, and The Mad Belgian Golden Ale. Their Golden Ale is listed on BevMo!’s website (whether or not it’s available in the store is another story) so it looks like I have another mid-week tasting to schedule. (My first will come this week, I think.)
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
Comments
Post a Comment