Nectar Ales- Red Nectar: Welcome To Chicago (Part 1)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 5:49PM | by Jason 
Rejoice Chicagoland, another new Craft Brewery being introduced to the area. It had been rumored for a while that Firestone Walker Brewing Company out of Paso Robles, CA would be arriving in the Chicagoland area. This was confirmed about a month ago when Firestone Walker Brewing announced that it would be arriving the end of January. I am always down for trying new brews and love it when I have access to something not previously consumed. My bro Dale at Finnegan’s Irish Pub told me that they would be having a release party for Firestone Walker on the 25th and there was no way I would miss an opportunity to consume a new brew at my favorite craft beer establishment. Shortly after I arrived Master Steve showed up and we decided to sit in the lovely Jess’ section and proceeded to order. I ordered the red ale only to find that it wasn’t necessarily a Firestone Walker brew but it was. Originally founded in 1987, Nectar Ales has been owned and brewed by Firestone Walker since 2003 but the brand, labeling and brews were kept. My 12oz bottle of Red Nectar was delivered with a fresh pint glass and poured by the stunningly beautiful Jess and was ready for review.
Nectar Ales classifies this brew as a Red Ale and their website describes Red Nectar as, “Boasting a ruby hue and an exquisite floral aroma, Red Nectar is a robust yet elegant brew with distinctive accents of toasted malt, caramel, spice and residual sweetness.
The beer that started it all…Red Nectar was considered a strange bird when it first released in 1987. After all, where did a robust, handcrafted all-natural amber ale fit into the massive flock of American industrial lagers? Answer: it didn’t. So it blazed its own trail, helping set the pace for the craft brew revolution.” Red Nectar won the Gold Medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival.
Red Nectar poured a medium copper color and was crystal clear with a ½” tan head. The aroma smelled of caramel malts with hints of fruit and some citrus hops.
Most people don’t really think of Red Ales when it comes to craft beers. I believe it to be an underappreciated style within the industry. Most of us are introduced to Killian’s Irish Red as our beginner red ale but it is just that, a beginner. Red Nectar won a Gold Medal at the 2010 GABF and it is easy to see why. One, there were 83 entries in the American-Style Amber/Red Ale (as opposed to the 142 entries for American-Style India Pale Ale) and two, it’s really damn good. Red Nectar is balanced, light on the palate and easy drinking. The flavor is characteristic of the amber ale style with caramel malt sweetness with slight citrus hop bite and hints of spices. Red Nectar is highly enjoyable and at 5.4% ABV could easily be a craft beer of choice for a long evening without suffering the next day. I recommend picking up some Red Nectar whether you are a seasoned Craft Beer veteran or a newbie to the industry.
ABV: 5.4%
Consumed: Finnegan's Irish Pub Pint Glass
Verdict: Buy a Twelve Pack
