It all began with a son buying his father a home brewing kit as a hobby, and that slowly transformed into a passion for craft beer. Joe Gregor leveraged a chemical engineering background and got Church Street Brewing up on its feet - a long way from the garage brewing he started thanks to his son. The first beers rolled off the Church Street line in 2012, and from those humble beginnings nearly 100 beers have been created by Gregor and his crew. Their taproom has 26 different tasty creations ready to fill a pint and lay on the counter in front of you, or you can pick up a four pack of your favourites or fill up a growler of frosty brew. Righteous Red is an American-style amber ale with caramel and toffee flavour with sweet and sharp citrus notes. A medium body and smooth to boot, a perfect beer for a night at the pub. Serves well at 8°C and can cellar for up to a year.
Pours a dark amber colour with clear body and light carbonation. A firm head of off-white foam recedes a bit, leaving a thin ring around the glass of light bubbles.
The aroma is a nice mixture of freshly baked multi-grain bread, toasted biscuit, warm caramel, orange peel, and a leafy hoppiness muddled into the background.
There’s a muddled hoppy bitterness that combines with a touch of citrus zest at the front end of this beer’s flavour - that will come as a surprise to those familiar with amber ales. The malty, sweet flavour is still present but it takes a backseat. There’s also a minty element that cuts through the whole taste, keeping it all very brief on your palate. Slightly dry finish.
This is a more bitter ale than normal, so get some heat into your dish. Cajun chicken sandwich with yam fries is never a bad idea.