A taste of… Red Tail Ale

Mendocino Brewing Company
1601 Airport Road
Ukiah, California, 95482
United States
(707) 463-2627

Preface: This 12 oz. bottle of Red Tail Ale was purchased for $2.50(USD) at Peas & Pickles Grocery in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY. There was no “Best by” date on the bottle neck or label.

The following notes are made after a mouth wash with room temperature sparkling water. These notes have not been influenced by reading promotional material or any other review of this brew.

I am including this preface to inform the reader of any and all circumstances that might be conceived of a creating a biased review or a conflict of interest regarding the choice of words used in the following review. I could go on and on with semi-legal jargon but I guess you will just have to trust me eh?
The following are my tasting notes:

Appearance: A slight haze, perhaps due to a chilly serving temperature, is no slight to this dark amber brew, topped by a quarter inch or so of a fairly dense light tan head of small bubbles.

Aroma: The first impression is burnt sugar candy bordering on butterscotch. The second impression brings out a depth of roasted grain. The third visit reveals a slight tang of either burnt candy or caramel.

Mouth feel: There is a middle-weight feel to this contender.

Flavor: First impression is spent sorting out which is the spike of hop tang and the tang of crystallized scorched sugar. The second visit lets the flavor receptors get familiar with the less noisy flavors and hear the mellow undertones of sweet grains and more floral and less citric hop accents. A third sip recognizes more balance and less contrast of flavors.

Finish: The final flavors do not linger long. The dry finish is both pallet cleansing and the base for anticipation of flavors to come. (Served before dinner and your guests will be more than ready for their meal.)

Comments: The basic ale is essential and yet has a flavor range to interest both the person beginning to experience “specialty” brews and the beer-geek.

Food & Beer: This is a fine table beer for most one course family meals made up of a grilled, roasted or braised protein, simple starch and bitter greens.

The Brewery: http://www.mendobrew.com/

What others say:

BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/200/631

RateBeer: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/mendocino-red-tail-ale/353/