The Craft Beer Market
North Coast Red Seal Ale is a Red Pale Ale brewed by North Coast Brewing Co., a craft brewer based in Northern California. The craft beer market has grown rapidly over the last 40 years after Congress legalized homebrewing in 1978. As a result, this inspired many beer enthusiasts to start their own small breweries. However, today the overall beer market is declining. and the number of breweries in the United States is trending down.
North Coast Brewing
North Coast Brewing opened in 1988 as a local brewpub in Fort Bragg, located on California’s Mendocino Coast. The brewery has developed a strong reputation for quality, having won more than 110 awards in national and international competitions. Some of their highest rated beers include Scrimshaw Pilsner and Red Seal Ale, a copper-red pale ale. They have a pub in Fort Bragg.
North Coast Red Seal Ale Beer
North Coast Brewing describes Red Seal Ale as a “Malt and hops are beautifully married in this full-bodied, copper-red Pale Ale. Red Seal is generously hopped for a long, spicy finish. An excellent accompaniment to grilled meats and rich sauces.” The beer has won 10 gold medals and two silver dating back to 1994. Red Seal Ale has a 5.4% ABV and 42 IBU. Other nutrition information is not verified. It has a “Very Good” rating on Beer Advocate.
Our Review of North Coast Red Seal Ale Beer
My favorite beers are generally red and amber lagers and ales, and Figueroa Mountain Danish Red Lager in particular. I have also had a couple of beers from North Coast Brewing, including Scrimshaw and PranQster. Both were good. Scrimshaw is a pilsner and PranQster is a high ABV Belgian ale.
Red Seal Ale is much different than other red lagers and ales I have had. It is a Pale Ale that happens to be red rather than a red ale. It is much hoppier than other red ales and lagers I have tried with its 42 IBU. If you like Pale Ales, this is a very good beer; however, it is too hoppy for my taste. Their marketing includes reviews saying it is better than Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, the industry standard. It is hard to say whether this is true, but it is definitely in the ballpark.
For another recommendation, see our review of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
For beer nutritional information of all beers we have reviewed see Beer Nutritional Information.
