Mendocino Brewing Company- Red Tail Ale: Majestically Balanced
Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 12:05PM | by Jason 
What a long day. Work has been a real bitch lately and I am trying to figure out a means of de-stressing. So as the knee has been healing I have been slowly easing back into a running schedule and this evening was no exception. It was dark & raining but yet I managed my fat, tired ass out on to the road and away I went. Upon my return to the house and quick shower later it was time for a thirst quenching beverage. For me, that would be a cold craft brew delight. My choice for the evening would be Mendocino Brewing Company’s Red Tail Ale.
Mendocino Brewing Company classifies this beer as an Amber Ale and their website describes Red Tail Ale as, “This is the flagship brand of the Mendocino Brewing Company. Red Tail Ale is an amber ale brewed in traditional Old World Manner using premium two-row malted barley, hops, our own special proprietary yeast strain and pure water. Red Tail Ale's recipe calls for generous amounts of Pale and Caramel malt balanced by whole Cascade and Cluster hops, this makes it the substantial, full-bodied amber ale that has over the years become THE LEGEND. Red Tail Ale was first introduced on August 14th 1983, at the opening of the Mendocino Brewing Company's Hopland Brewery - the first brewpub in California since Prohibition. In those early pre-distribution days, Red Tail Ale was only served at the brewpub by the pint glass or sold in 1.5-liter champagne magnums. That six-pack, weighing in at an impressive 42 pounds, quickly became known as "The world's only 42lb 6-pack."
Red Tail Ale pours a deep amber color with a ¾” light tan head with caramel malt & hop aromas and comes in at 6.0% ABV.
What a compliment to an otherwise busy and hectic day. Once again, I am pleasantly surprised by another beer out of Mendocino Brewing Company. This time it is their Amber Ale which is one of the better amber ales that I have ever tasted. Red Tail Ale is amazingly smooth with a crisp caramel malt finish. Simply put, Red Tail Ale is a wonderfully balanced amber ale. This majestic brew holds true to the name it bears and is a great answer to finish off any day whether hectic or not.
ABV: 6.0%
Consumed: New Belgium Globe Glass
Verdict: Buy A Case
