Mar 27, 2013

Shiner Ruby Redbird

I’m not going to beat around the bush or waste your time. Shiner’s Spring seasonal, Ruby Redbird and I did not get along. This 4.01% ABV brew is made with Ruby Red grapefruit juice and ginger. It may present itself as a beer, but comes across more like a lightly flavored Canada Dry (or Schweppes or Seagrams…) ginger ale.

It’s quite refreshing and at just a hair over 4 percent alcohol, it’s very much sessionable — both of which I highly approve of — but it’s not a beer. At least it’s not in the sense that I should be able to taste the malt and grains or perhaps a hint of a hop character. I get none of that. Just grapefruit juice and a ton ginger.

Now, that all said, I can see cans of this disappearing quickly at Summer cook-outs. It’s not a beer that expects much from you. It’s one (or five) that you can simply crack open in your beach chair and toss back to fight off the hot weather. So if that’s your thing, as I’m sure for many it is, then read on. Otherwise, may I suggest a tasty, full flavored lager?

Appearance

Well, it looks like a beer: medium amber in color with a thin, off-white head.

Aroma

All I get is ginger and grapefruit juice. It smells like a can of dry ginger ale.

Taste

The flavors mimic the nose almost perfectly. It literally tastes like a mildly fruit flavored ginger ale. The mouthfeel is crisp and bubbling which only adds to it’s refreshing soda-like character.

Overall

This isn’t a terrible beer. It’s just not my thing. I would greatly prefer several of the brewery’s other products over this one (the black lager mentioned earlier or their Wild Hare Pale Ale). What this beer does have going for it is its refreshing nature and low levels of alcohol. Beyond that, I’ll leave the cans for those that really like it.

Rating: 2.25/5

This is a review of a promotional sample from the brewery.

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