Beer Review: Lompoc’s Dagda *barrel-aged Irish-style Red Ale, Is A Should Try
Hard to believe that it’s been over a month since visions of green beer and the words “kiss me I’m Irish” were spoken under a beer stained breath. So in a way it seems it a bit out of place that finally get around to writing our review regarding a beer enjoyed several weeks ago.
Last month we discovered a package waiting for us from Lompoc Brewing. Considering their (tentative release 3/11) announcement of the Dagda Irish-style Red we had to assume this was it. Opening the box we discovered a bottle with a simple label making use of black, green, and yellow.
A Pan-Gaelic Red Ale that has a malty body with caramel flavors and a touch of smoke with a tart finish.
ABV: 5.5%
Suggested Guidelines by the Brewers Association
Irish-style red ales range from light red-amber-copper to light brown in color. These ales have a medium hop bitterness and flavor. They often don’t have hop aroma. Irish-style red ales have low to medium candy-like caramel sweetness and a medium body. The style may have low levels of fruity-ester flavor and aroma. Diacetyl should be absent or at very low levels. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures. Slight yeast haze is acceptable for bottle-conditioned products.
Dagda pours as burgundy as an Autumn sunset with a strong attention to clarity. As the beer settles in its glass there is an initial build-up of foam, but only a quarter inch. This appearance of freshness quickly fades leaving only small dots of lace throughout the glass.
Taking the first smell we detect crushed nuts, reminiscent of peanut butter, as well as burnt caramel and a bit of peat.
The first sip you really get a sense for the tart that embodies this beer, as if it had leeched some of that char from the barrel. As you continue to wash this beer around you get additional elements of peat and roasted malts. Overall this beer had a medium weight to it and there is some residual stickiness.
Our Thoughts
You Should Consider It. To our knowledge there is no such thing as a Pan-Gaelic Red Ale. But we feel that this beer does live up to the Irish-style Red Ales save the aging in the barrel. Killian's Red Ale this isn’t. Food pairings abound, this would rest well with some pork, chicken, turkey, or maybe liven things up with some buffalo. Since this beer had a limited run, it is important to note that you should check with the brewery first in order to track it down.
Thoughts by your Colleagues
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2641/36012
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/new-old-lompoc-dagda-irish-red/72358/
Cheers
About the photo’s author
Paul “Fruit Trees” Orchard, is an amateur craft beer enthusiast and amateur photographer. Throughout the many years in craft beer he is always carrying a camera (smartphone, digital, traditional) and is invites you to see that beer can also be exciting even if you can’t drink the photo.
In accordance with new FTC regulations regarding bloggers and endorsements, the aforementioned company has provided me a free sample that was used for research prior to writing this review.
