Boulevard Irish Ale in the Wild

I went to The Barrelhead over the weekend and was pleased to find Boulevard's Irish Ale on tap. I loved this seasonal last year and appear to love it just as much this year.

For the unitiated, Irish Red Ales tend to be a seasonal released in early Spring.

The style is decribed as follows: "Irish red ale, red ale, or Irish ale gains its slightly reddish colour from the use of a small amount of roasted barley. The term red ale or red beer is used by brewers in countries other than Ireland; however, the name Irish Red is typically used when roasted material is used."(Wikipedia)

My secret suspicion is that they are timed to coincide with St. Pat's day where the gen. pop. is more likely to engage in Irish pursuits. I believe it is a conspiracy since Irish Reds are good year-round.

So, if you have been waiting for the style to show up, head on down to The Barrelhead or any other venue carrying the style and drink it up.

Caveat: Some brewers put out an 'Irish Red' which is not an Irish Red Ale but is instead a lager which is a poor substitute in my opinion. If you like the common Irish Red then give a true Irish Red Ale a try and see how it compares for you.