I was late to the party! I ordered a bottle of AleSmith Evil Dead Red Ale on October 28^th from Craftshack, so I knew I wouldn’t get it in time for Halloween. This is, after all, a limited release beer by Alesmith for the Halloween season. Ok, though. No big deal. I would drink it a few days after All Hallows Eve.

I was late to the party! I got my bottle about a week later, but for a crazy reason I didn’t drink it until January 14^th of 2021. You see, a few weeks before I ordered this, I accidently broke my AleSmith pint glass, and it was not until January that I was able to find a new one.

I’m late to the party! As I said, I did drink my bottle of Evil Dead Red Ale on the 14^th of January, but only now in June am I fleshing out my tasting notes to tell you what I thought of it. First off, I will say that the bottle label is pretty cool, and I am sure Bruce Campbell would approve.

Here’s what AleSmith says, from the back bottle label:

Each Halloween we release this special concoction to celebrate one of our favorite holidays. Deep blood-red in color, an intense aroma of pine and citrus from an abundance of American hops balances the sweetness and rich, bready flavors of this beer’s caramel malts. The result is a fiendishly smooth brew that will make your taste buds scream with delight.

This beer pairs excellently with toffee, caramel apples, or your favorite horror flick.

AleSmith Evil Dead Red Ale has an alcohol content of 6.66% (of course) and I paid $4.49 for my bottle from Craftshack. Total Wine sells it for $9.99 a six-pack, or $5.49 for a bomber (but not in Georgia).

AleSmith Evil Dead Red Ale pours to a muddy red color with a thick creamy head of foam and a luscious red berry nose. Taking a sip, the beer hints at caramel and to a lesser degree chocolate, is rich with berry notes and stewed malt, and finishes with a generous dose of grassy hop aroma and bitterness.

Pretty much what I want a red ale to be, an American red ale mind you, with the extra smack of hops that entails. I love the maltiness of this style, too, and Evil Dead Red delivers there, too. Be on the lookout for it this fall. I know I will be.