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Stag Rua

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Stag Rua is the brewery's Irish red ale and is led by its grain bill rather than by hops. Chocolate and crystal malts are used generously alongside Irish ale malt and bring chocolate, caramel and toffee to the flavour. The body stays moderate at 4.2 %, so the beer never turns heavy. No single ingredient takes over; the layers reveal themselves slowly, one after the other.

ABV
4.2%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
amber14
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
chocolatecaramelmalty
chocolate
caramel
malty
toasty
Aroma
The nose leads with subtle chocolate and caramel sweetness from the generous use of crystal and chocolate malts.
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Stag Rua

◎ Appearance

Deep amber to copper red, bright and clear with excellent visibility. A dense, off-white head forms readily and clings to the glass with fine Schaumhaftung. Carbonation is moderate and even, creating a slow cascade of fine bubbles.

deep amber-copperbright claritypersistent head

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with subtle chocolate and caramel sweetness from the generous use of crystal and chocolate malts. Beneath lies a warm, toasted grain character with hints of toffee and a soft Irish malt foundation. Hop presence is restrained and herbal, playing a supporting role to the malt-driven profile.

chocolate, carameltoasted grainsoft herbal notes

◐ Taste

The palate opens with balanced sweetness—chocolate and caramel notes unfold first, followed by a toffee richness in the mid-palate. The moderate 4.2% ABV keeps the body lean and approachable despite the grain complexity. Bitterness (28 IBU) is gentle and well-integrated, never sharp, allowing the layered malt character to dominate without heaviness.

chocolate toffeebalanced sweetnessgentle bitternessmoderate body

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately long, with the caramel-toffee notes fading gradually into a subtle dry grain impression. No alcohol burn or astringency; the aftertaste remains soft and inviting.

clean fadecaramel aftertaste
80
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
82
Appearance
84
Finish
76
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Stag Rua

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About Irish Red Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Irish Red Ale?

Irish Red Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Irish Red Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same chocolate, caramel, malty character as Stag Rua will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Irish Red Ale beers in hopIQ →Browse Ireland beers →