Mean Machine Red Ale

Review Date 9/4/2024  By John Staradumsky

  Style: Red Ale   Brewery: Oconee   Country: USA   State: Georgia   $ Per OZ: $.17 (B)   ABV: 6.5%

Time to add another Georgia brewery to my list of breweries reviewed here on Guruofbrew.com! This time it’s Oconee Brewing of Greensboro, Georgia. Greensboro is about 116 miles from me, halfway to Augusta on the state line with South Carolina. It’s in a very beautiful area, especially in fall, with Lake Oconee tucked into scenic woodlands.

I haven’t visited the brewery yet, but I have enjoyed their beer on tap at Taco Mac and at home in cans. Today, I’m here to talk about their Mean Machine Red Ale, an Irish Style Red. The beer is named for a University of Georgia football song, and there is a train on the label in accordance.

Oconee says:

A well balanced red ale brewed with Irish Ale yeast.  Malty and smooth.

You can watch a fun short video about the beer here.

Oconee Mean Machine Red Ale has an alcohol content of 6.5% by volume with 21 IBUs. I paid $2.49 for a can at Total Wine; they sell it for $11.99 a six-pack.

Oconee Mean Machine Red Ale pours to a full red color with a thick fluffy white head and a nose of soft stewed malts. Taking a sip, the beer is medium in body, just what I expect in the style. The flavor profile is impressive, with stewed malt notes of red berry, gently dried nuts, green olive and a hint of chocolate. The beer finishes dry with a respectable, but not overpowering bitterness.

Easy to drink, flavorful and delicious.