Beer of the Day: George Killian's Irish Red by Coors

George Killian's Irish Red is a beer with an Irish heritage, allegedly based on a recipe created at Lett's Brewery in Enniscorthy,Ireland, in 1864.

The beer is named after George Killian Lett, the great-grandson of George Henry Lett, who founded the brewery in Enniscorthy. George Killian Lett died at the age of 84 in Enniscorthy, Ireland in December of 2010.   His middle name “Killian” honors the Irish Saint Kilian (or Cilian) who left Ireland and evangelized the Germans around Wurzburg.

It was originally an Irish red ale called "Enniscorthy Ruby Ale," and brewed from 1864 to 1956, when the brewery closed and it was discontinued. It is no longer sold in Ireland.^[2] 

The brand name "George Killian's" was purchased by the Pelforth Brewery in France. In the mid-1980s.

Coors bought the rights to use the brand name "George Killian's Irish Red" in America.

While the name is most often associated with a 5.4% abv amber lager which had become very popular, it was originally marketed by Coors as a 4.9% red ale, George Killian's Irish Red: Red Ale.

St. Kilian (640-689), also known as St. Cillian, was born to a noble family in Ireland. As a child he was known for his piety and love of study, which led him to the priesthood. He became a traveling bishop on the island, and in 686 left Ireland with eleven companions to travel throughout Gaul (present day France and parts of Germany) to preach the Gospel. From there he traveled to Rome to get official sanction from the Pope to become a missionary. St. Kilian returned north and settled in Würzburg as his base of activity along with two of his original companions. He began his work evangelizing the pagans in large parts of Franconia and Thuringia (north and central Germany), earning the name 'Apostle of Franconia.'  Saint Kilian converted the Duke of Würzburg and convinced him to end his unlawful marriage. This greatly angered the Duke's wife, who resisted St. Kilian's attempts to convert her. While the Duke was away she had St. Kilian and his two missionary companions beheaded while they were preaching. A cathedral was built on the spot of martyrdom by the first bishop of Würzburg. On St. Kilian's feast day, his relics, along with those of his two companions, are paraded through the streets and put on display in the Würzburg Cathedral that is dedicated to him. 

St. Kilian's feast day is July 8th.