United Nations of Beer

Rickard's Red

by Ashley Cotter-Cairns
(UNOB HQ)

Rickards Red

I bought a mixed case of Rickards (Red, Honey Brown and White) for a party we hosted recently, in case anybody arrived without beer and needed an above average choice (I refuse to buy Budweiser "beer" and other crappy brands under any circumstances).

I've tried the White before, but not the Red, at least, not in a ready-to-review state of mind. Having now tried all three, I must say that Rickard's Red is really quite surprising.

It's bitter, but has a nice balance of slight sweetness in the aftertaste. The smell is pure Irish-style red. It's not too dissimilar to many of the Irish reds, like Smithwick's. It's thinnish and slightly too fizzy for my taste.

The head hangs around for a while before dissipating and the aftertaste is long and pleasant.

I found myself wanting another at the end of the pint, something I definitely did not feel about the Honey Brown. Well worth checking out if you're nowhere near a store where they sell really top quality beer.