Root Red from Otto's Pub and Brewery

Root Red is part of Otto's Pub and Brewery's Cork and Cage Series. It is made with seven different root plants including: Dandelion, Burdock, Licorice, Ginger, Sarsaparilla, Spikenard, and Yellowdock. It comes in a 750 ml bottle available only for consumption in the pub. Ours arrived at our table opened and with the head cresting above the top, but not overflowing. The first pour of it came out with a lot more head than the subsequent pours.

Color:

dark red, nutty brown hues, SRM ≈ 20

ABV:

7.7%

Glass:

wine glass

Smell:

earthy, malty and slight floral smell

Taste:

I was expecting an overpowering licorice taste but there was just a hint of licorice, almost as a secondary taste. Overall it was very earthy, as a primary taste, and slightly floral and dandelionish. It had a slight sourness to it that was interesting with the earthy tones. It was slightly bitter, but not a hoppy bitter, more like a floral, rooty bitterness. It had a very full, heavy mouthfeel to it, but not like dinner in a bottle like Guinness. It had a decent head and the carbonation wasn't overpowering; it wasn't effervescent. The carbonation was very smooth perfect for something so earthy.

Left: no flash. Right: with flash. The color of the beer is hard to see because of the dim light. We were in the far back corner of the pub, so about the darkest place we could have been.

Rating:

This beer had a great earthy taste, not overpowering like drinking manure. When I say earthy, I mean earthy, not barnyard. I could taste each of the roots and none of them overpower the other. I usually dislike licorice but I didn't mind the taste because it wasn't overpowering. I would definitely purchase this again if I was in the area. This series is definitely one to try.