Stoudt’s Revel Red
Having confirmed that I’ll like the style of Red Ale that much more when a pile of hops are thrown at it, I’ve been seeing more and more versions of the beer that lean heavily on the bringer of bitterness and citrus. This bottle of Stoudt’s Revel Red, labeled “Hoppy Ale” by the way, is the latest I’ve run across that employs this gimmick.
When compared to my notes on the Hop Head Red that I referenced in the link above, the Stoudt’s version isn’t nearly as hoppy, though it does sway my opinion of the red ale just a touch toward being in favor of it. This 6.2% ABV brew uses three varieties of “domestically grown hops” though I’m not sure which ones specifically. The result is a beer that has the tell-tale red character with a malt-forward flavor, but with a more pronounced bitterness.
Appearance
Revel Red pours copper in color with a tawny cap of foam that fell slowly leaving behind a solid bit of sticky lacing.
Aroma
Caramel, grains, toasted malt, a touch of toffee, light citrus notes and a hint of pine all come together is a fairly straightforward aroma.
Taste
The malt backbone heads the way with grains and caramel, but is quickly eclipsed by a wash of grapefruit, pine and leafy hop notes. The hop character isn’t overly strong, but it does distract from what is otherwise a pretty standard red ale flavor profile. The finish carries a lingering presence of bitterness that grips the tongue lightly. Medium bodied and relatively crisp, the beer drinks smoothly.
Overall
This is a decent little beer. It’s not a flavorful or as balanced as some of the more hop-forward versions of this style that I’ve had in the past, but it’ll do in a pinch. I certainly enjoyed it more than your run-of-the-mill red ale, so it’s got that going for it.
Rating: 3.5/5
