Red Brick - Pale Ale

Happy Friday everyone and happy Super Bowl Eve-Eve! If your team is in the big dance, best of luck. But if not, like me, it's time to party and watch commercials. Aside from St. Patrick's Day and maybe the 4th of July, I'd argue that the Super Bowl is one of the biggest party/drinking days in the entire United States. And with the super popular craft beer scene, I'm expecting to see a lot of posts on Sunday of people sporting brews from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. I for one will be partying with some close friends with PBR and Iron City - and maybe others if our local Total Wine sells other Wisconsin/Pennsylvania beers.

Tonight's review, which may be the last for the weekend, is highlighting a southern company - the Atlanta Brewing Company (aka Red Brick). Founded in 1993 and reinvigorated in the mid "oh-oh's" (2000's), RB has a strong baseball lineup of beers (9). Ranging from the Pale Ale, to Blonde Ale, to their Belgian Strong, Red Brick boasts a solid lineup that might be able to hang in the AL East.

Pour before you GULP! I haven't really had very many pale ale's in my short beer loving life, but if the Red Brick Pale Ale is any indication, I need to fix that problem! Pouring a dark gold, the RBPA shows off just enough carbonation to make it to second base. However, the head dissipates like a pitcher just hanging on in the seventh inning.

Gulp! It up! Nice. After reviewing two wheat's, it's nice to get that hop kick and malty texture flowing again. I'm not sure if my nose is stuffed up, but the scent isn't very strong. Actually, I couldn't really smell much of anything. The taste though is strong on hops and light on carmel and citrus. At the top end, it's pretty malty, but as you move on, it does get a bit lighter, which bodes well for having more than one. The label cracks me up: "Weep for your northern brethren: long winters, suspect college football, and perhaps worst of all, no Red Brick beer.". Breaking it down: Long Winters, check. Suspect College Football, check. No Red Brick, check. You see, Red Brick is a southern only treat. Take that New Belgian!! Just kidding, please bring Fat Tire to Florida!! :(

Grade the GULP! Since this is my "first" pale ale, I don't have much to grade it up against. So by default, I'm giving the Red Brick Pale Ale an 8.5. I know that's kind of high, but it's pretty good. At 5.6% ABV, and a non-existent smell department, RBPA steps up to the batters box as a very drinkable ale! Go buy some in memory of the Atlanta Falcons and the rest of the NFC south.

P.S. I know most of this post was geared towards baseball. What can I say, I'm a baseball fan at heart over football. Play Ball!!!

What's on Tap for GULP!

What's up party people. It's Monday, a new week, and less than 14 days until the most anticipated sporting event of 2011... at least until the next most anticipated sporting event of 2011. Thanks for coming back to the site. I've spent a bit of cash money lately on brews that I'd like to try, and of course share with you, my faithful, loyal, readers. That being said, the picture above will give you a sample of what's on tap here for GULP! in the near future. They aren't in any particular order, but I will say that I plan on starting with Hopslam from Bell's. Hopslam has been getting a lot of airplay online lately, but I'm not going to say anymore because then my eventual review will be skeletal. Anyway, you may recognize some of the selections, such as the Terrapin Hopsecutioner, some you may not, such as the Lobstah' Ale. Either way, prepare to be bombarded with information as I plow through these bottles of fun over the next couple weeks.

On a side note, please "follow me" and tell your friends. We're going to have some fun going through this journey together, so the more the merrier. Plus, I could use some more friends (no offense real friends).

Be responsible!

Steve