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Smithwick's Red Ale*Packaging may vary

Smithwick's Red Ale

Irish Red /5% ABV / Ireland

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Product details

Category
Irish Red
Region
Ireland
ABV
5%
Tasting Notes
Sweet, Caramel, Biscuit
Food Pairing
Root Vegetables, Cheese - Hard Aged
Suggested Glassware
Pint Glass
Suggested Serving Temperature
45-50° F

Product description

In 300 years of triumph, adversity and above all, brewing, you learn a thing or two about ale. Smithwick's Red Ale is a blend of mild hops, sweet malt and roasted barley. Like the castle at the heart of Smithwick's Kilkenny home, it’s stood the test of time throughout Irish history, and earned its rightful place as Ireland’s most loved ale. Smithwick’s Red Ale is the ruby red session ale with a gentle hop bitterness, sweet malty notes and a refreshingly balanced taste.

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Community reviews

4.815 Reviews
Show All5(127)4(18)3(3)2(0)1(3)
  • Chris Schoepfer

    I only had it as draught beer in Dublin, but it complements an Irish breakfast or any heavier meal by being smooth and flavorful.

  • Tammy
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    I usually don’t drink beer but this one is amazing! Lots of flavor, not too heavy. Will buy again.

  • Samantha H.
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    Used for beer soda bread, very good! I'm partial to red ales over any other beer, but this one's got a good smooth, malty flavor

  • Rob
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    They did not have this item

  • Ruben
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    Best served in a cold glass, not a bottle! I can't stress that enough.

  • Kim M.
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    Great. I just tried these for the first time and really like them.

  • Susan G
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    Very tasty!

  • Donna M.
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    Gift for friends for St Patrick's Day!

  • Donna
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    Yum!

  • Michael
    Verified Buyer
    Verified Buyer

    Excellent Irish beer. I like it as much as Guinness and Harp, better than Killian's.

FAQs

Irish red is an ale made from kilned malts and roasted barley. As delicious as it is balanced, this beer’s characteristic red colors come from these ingredients. Its strength tends to rest between 4% and 4.8% alcohol by volume (ABV), though you can certainly find craft Irish Reds that are as high as 6%. Expect a hoppy bitterness that rests on the palate and a medium malt sweetness and notes of toffee, caramel and butter.
When you taste an Irish red, expect a well-balanced flavor profile that features a beginner-friendly hoppy bitterness, a caramel malty sweetness and notes of toffee and butter. The Irish red is brewed with roasted barley and kilned malts, which serve not only to influence the flavor but also to add that glorious red hue to the beer. The roasted barley creates a low, roasted flavor that resembles toastiness. There’s also the flavor of butter thanks to diacetyl. Adjuncts like rice, corn and sugar help reduce the beer’s body and lighten its finish.
Irish red ale has an alcohol by volume (ABV) rating that hovers between 4% and 6%, depending on the brand and drink. You can expect most Irish reds to have an ABV of 4% to 4.8% — but it’s the creative contributions of craft brewers in recent years that have bumped those numbers up to the 6% mark.
Traditionally, Irish red has not been a gluten-free offering. That’s because Irish red is, by definition, made with roasted barley and kilned malts. These are responsible not only for their sweet caramel and buttery, hoppy flavor but also for their beautiful red color. In spite of this, brewers are beginning to create gluten-free offerings.
Irish red can be brewed either as an ale or a lager. The difference lies in a number of factors, the most important being the type of yeast used. Ale yeast ferments from the top down and operates in warmer temperatures (typically between 60°F and 70°F). Lager yeasts take longer to ferment and do so from the bottom of the brew — furthermore, they work in cold temperatures between 35°F and 50°F. Because Irish red walks the line between ale and lager, it can feature a variable hoppiness and a sweet, malty caramel flavor.
Expect your average 12 oz. glass of Irish red to contain 190 calories and 19 grams of carbs. That’s a bit steeper than your average beer, which contains 150 calories and 13 grams of carbs, but Irish red is smarter than the average bear (or beer, for that matter). It’s got a balanced, malty body that’s surprisingly light given its color and rich flavor profile. Its red color comes from roasted barley and kilned malts, which are also responsible for that little blast of carbs, but which can be forgiven since they provide notes of toffee, caramel and butter.
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