For today’s craft beer review I’m going to sample a beer from Udine, Italy called the Birra Moretti La Rossa. It’s brewed by Birra Moretti (Heineken).
This will be the first time that I have ever tried a beer from Italy, so…….
Let’s see if we can find a description from the website, birramoretti.it.
Birra Moretti La Rossa is a double malt beer produced using 100% high quality barley malt. This gives it a full, caramelised malt flavour and an intense aroma of roasted malt.
It’s distinctive amber colour originates from the type of malt used when brewing, a special malt which is dried and roasted.
Let’s give it a taste.
This brew came in a 12 oz. bottle and had an ABV of 7.2%.
The color was a very nice, clear, “iced tea” color. Burnt orange and ruby red highlights abound throughout. It had a very light tan head that was smooth and mostly creamy looking. It showed good size, “ok” retention and decent lacing. Once the head settled it basically vanished and was never seen from again.
The aroma was slightly roasted with hints of nuttiness. A subdued caramel and toffee sweetness add some delight along with a fragrance of, what I thought to be, Christmas spices. A very light alcohol note was detected deep within the smell. Not a bad a fragrance here.
The taste was very similar to the aroma. Roasted nuttiness with relaxed caramel and toffee sweetness. The spiciness is faint, but definitely noticeable. It also had a dry, “leafy” type of distinction that fit in well with the overall profile. Only a touch of bitterness was noticed and the alcohol tone was barely there. It seemed to be balanced well and the taste remained consistent throughout.
The mouthfeel was medium, very dry, smooth, soft and fresh. A nice amount of flavor was left behind on the palate, but not an overabundance.
Well, this beer is “ok.” It’s nothing to write home about, but it’s definitely drinkable and worth a try if you happen to see it. I could probably have 1 or 2 during a sitting with no problem. The aroma was nice and the taste wasn’t too bad either. I’m not a huge fan of Doppelbock’s, however this one was pleasant enough. I could see myself having one of these on a cool Autumn evening, relaxing on the front porch while watching the leaves fall.
As always, thanks for reading and commenting everyone. I really appreciate it.
Cheers!!!
Score: 3.6 out of 5
Grade: B
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