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Caffrey's Premium Irish Ale

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Caffrey's Premium Irish Ale was launched in 1994 as an ale served cold and smooth: the chill of a lager, the texture of a stout and the flavour of an ale in one glass. Nitrogen dispense gives it a silky body. Flavour notes run to banoffee pie, rich malt loaf and juicy red apple, which puts sweet malt and soft fruit in the foreground. The name refers to Thomas Caffrey, who founded his brewery in Queen Street, Belfast, in 1897.

Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber14
Where this beer sits
Body
no reading yet
Sweetness
no reading yet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
no reading yet
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
juicyfruitymalty
juicy
fruity
malty
bready
caramel
Aroma
The nose opens with soft, ripe fruit notes—juicy red apple and subtle stone fruit—layered over a sweet, malt-forward base reminiscent of rich biscuit and malt loaf.
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Caffrey's Premium Irish Ale

◎ Appearance

Deep copper-red hue with excellent clarity and a tightly knit, creamy head that clings persistently to the glass—a signature of nitrogen carbonation. The dense foam structure creates fine lacing as the beer is consumed. The color sits squarely in the Irish red territory, neither amber nor brown, with warm luminosity when held to light.

deep copper-redcreamy headfine lacingnitrogen-conditioned

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with soft, ripe fruit notes—juicy red apple and subtle stone fruit—layered over a sweet, malt-forward base reminiscent of rich biscuit and malt loaf. Gentle caramel notes emerge in the mid-range, with minimal hop presence; the overall impression is round and approachable, with no sharp edges or vegetal character.

juicy red applesweet malzsubtle caramelmalt loaf character

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and velvety on the palate, the nitrogen creating a silky mouthfeel that dominates the sensory experience. Mid-palate brings forward banoffee pie notes—toffee sweetness with hints of ripe fruit—supported by a firm but restrained bitterness (28 IBU) that prevents cloying. The finish leans toward balanced residual sweetness with a mild, lingering biscuit note.

silky mouthfeeltoffee sweetnessbalanced bitternesssmooth palate

◑ Finish

Medium finish with gentle fade; the bitterness recedes quickly, leaving behind warm malt sweetness and a whisper of fruit. Aftertaste is clean and moreish, inviting another sip.

medium drymalt sweetness
77
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
78
Appearance
82
Finish
74
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 Caffrey's Premium Irish Ale

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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 juicy, fruity, malty character as Caffrey's Premium Irish Ale 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 United Kingdom beers →