Lompoc Proletariat Red Northwest Red Ale, a regular offering from Lompoc Brewing in Portland, poured a slightly cloudy, bold copper hue into the glass with a sticky, frothy bone-white head and no observable carbonation. The nose was light, with a semi-sweet caramel aroma complimented by subtle, hoppy pine.
Lompoc Proletariat Red Northwest Red Ale opened smooth (more flat than creamy), with fruity hops leading and blending seamlessly into a sweet vanilla and caramel body that lingered long after the first swallow.
Lompoc Proletariat Red Northwest Red Ale, if a bit two-dimensional, strikes a great balance between hops and malt, being a bit hoppier but somehow less bitter than the typical Northwest red. I have a suspicion the bottle I had may not have done Proletariat Red justice and will seek it out on tap, but even so it was a nice take on a newer style.
