OnTap Magazine

LESOTHO ESWATINI NORTHERN CAPE WESTERN CAPE EASTERN CAPE KWAZULU-NATAL FREE STATE NORTH WEST LIMPOPO MPUMALANGA GAUTENG Sabie Dullstroom Cape Town Bloemfontein Kimberley Pretoria Johannesburg Polokwane Gqeberha Jeffreys Bay East London Plettenberg Bay Mossel Bay Hermanus Durban Clarens Mbombela Makhanda RED BEERS SA ALE TRAIL CRAIG CLAASSEN W ith Autumn weather, it is always an interesting time of year to get away from the usual summer beers and move towards something a little richer in malts, deeper in colour, perhaps even a little warmer in alcohol. With that in mind, what about switching over to Irish Red beers? But what exactly is an Irish Red? An Irish Red ale is generally accepted to be a malt forward adaption of an English Bitter. BJCP defines it as an easy drinking beer with light hints of toffee, caramel and toast, but without being roasty or overly sweet. Floral hops are usually used, but the overall balance should always be towards the malts, the darker of which are added in low quantities to ensure the beer’s red colour. There are some excellent Irish Reds in South Africa and here is a list of craft breweries that have some on tap. 54 | Autumn 2023 | ontapmag.co.za