The guys (and gals) over at Buckbean Brewing Company were kind enough to send us a sample pack of their brews for review. First up is the Tule Duck Red Ale, an American Amber/Red Ale. Served in a can (that reminds me of an energy drink), this comes in at 6.2% ABV, right in the sessionable range, which is typical for this style.

I’ve never heard of Buckbean before, and for good reason. They’re West Coast (Nevada, to be exact) and have only been operating under that name since 2008. Relatively new to the mainstream craft beer world, the Tule Duck Red Ale is worthy for review. The pour on this was very typical for a Red Ale. It was semi-hazy, a nice bright mahogany color with some very noticeable red hues in the light. The head was really rich, creamy and tan. This definitely has a very nice appearance to the beer.

The smell was full of the typical aromas you’d expect. Up front was a ton of nutty maltyness, which was followed by a sharp sweetnees from the hops. It was slightly bitter on the nose but balanced by the backbone which consisted of hay (straw) and cashews. Nothing jumped out but nothing certainly put a damper on things.

The taste was where this beer could have been more developed. The mouthful was nicely medium-bodied with a balanced amount of carbonation. The upfront taste was woody, bitter and sticky. Tons of nutty malt flooded the middle that also seemed to have a hint of saltiness to it. The backbone was fire embers and sweet hops that left a dry little linger on the tongue.

Underwhelmed by the overall complexion the Tule Duck Red Ale brings, I can’t say it’s my favorite Red Ale by any means. It has it’s place and with some minor tweaks could be something special. This needs that little extra “something” to set it apart and take it to the next level. For now, it’s a typical Red with typical flavors.

Overall: 6.5/10