Little Red Cap
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse

Little Red CapLittle Red Cap
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From:
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Altbier
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.57 | pDev: 15.41%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
102
Status:
Active
Rated:
Yesterday at 08:04 PM
Added:
Jul 26, 2010
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  10
Altbier is German for “Old Beer”, this refers to the “old” style of brewing using an ale yeast (As opposed to a lager yeast fermentation which is a relatively new process). This beer originated in the Westphalia region of Germany in a town named Dusseldorf. Due to the cool climate of Dusseldorf, Altbiers employee an ale yeast that has evolved over time to ferment at somewhat cooler temperature than that of other ale yeasts. This cool fermentation produces subtle yeast derived esters and leaves a clean malty beer. In addition to this cool clean fermentation, altbiers are then lagered at cold temperatures to help smooth and refine the beer. The result of this is a very clean and hoppy red ale.

Coming in at 6.2% ABV and IBUs Little Red Cap is an easy drinking hop forward beer worthy of its heritage. We use a bit of Cascade hop to give it an “American Twist” while maintaining its German heritage. This beer won a Gold Medal at the 2011 and 2016 GABF and a Bronze at the 2012 GABF. It also won a Silver Award at the 2016 World beer cup.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Cronkite11:
Photo of Cronkite11
Rated by Cronkite11 from Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +5%

Oct 01, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.42 by funku2 from Colorado

Yesterday at 08:04 PM
Photo of Captain69
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois

3.76/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
lightly malted german style alt great beer to rnjoy
Jan 08, 2022
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.91/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Bought two cans from Beer Drop. And I will gladly drink the second. Little Red Cap reminds me that I often neglect interesting styles and, then also, tend to under-rate them... and the alt is interesting and under-rated. This alt is particularly interesting after reading Horsh Dornbush's entry in "The Oxford Companion to Beer." This hybrid style between older ale brewing and newer lager brewing is fascinating. Red Cap seems to be a well-made example. And the faux Grimm's fable on this can is clever and creative.

A pretty pour into my Trumer stange cylinder: a clear-ish brown with a fine lace stretching from top to bottom. Smells are mostly malt and I do not detect the hop-induced drying sensation that awaits me at mid-palate; but it continues balanced through the finish. Medium-mouth and scrubbing bubbles for a lower-ABV ale.

My first from Grimm Bros... I went on their website. A 10 year old micro whose 4 cash cows do not include an IPA. Congrats on their focus in the more off-beat German dark lager and ale tradition (hefes, alts, kolschs.) The Grimms stuck to their knitting and, I'll venture a bet, their focus creates high quality beers. But at age ten, Grimm should have a breakthrough... although I will admit that is not easy with all the really good micros along the 50 miles of Denver's Front Range. Prost !

3/31/21 Had the second can. Edited the review, increased the rating and am keeping count over at UnTappd.
Feb 15, 2021
Photo of sjdevel
Reviewed by sjdevel from Utah

3.86/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Hazy dark brown with a reddish hue. Low carbonation...not even a 1 finger head. Barely any lacing later on

Smells like hops...caramel... toast... Brown sugar

Tastes quite hoppy for an Altbier... A bit dry and has a bit of a bite...some nice malty notes and caramel

Feels a bit thin but still in the medium range

Overall this is a decent beer but misses some marks for the style.... A bit dry and could use less hops.
Nov 10, 2019
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.79/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
On-tap at The Mayor of Old Town, Fort Collins, CO

A: The beer is clear light amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a short dense off white head that has very good retention properties and consistently covered the surface.
S: Moderate aromas of toasted malts are present in the nose along with notes of herbal hops and hints of spicy hops.
T: The taste follows the smell and has additional hints of biscuity malts.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a touch dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer has a very good balance between the malt and hops.

Serving type: on-tap
Aug 31, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by Kolb from Montana

Apr 25, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by jschott75 from Illinois

Sep 20, 2017
 
Rated: 3.25 by Erik-P from Canada (BC)

Sep 12, 2017
 
Rated: 3.6 by Junichi from Texas

Jul 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by NickThePyro from Washington

May 11, 2017
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

3.75/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium coppery amber with a half finger off-white head with good retention and light lacing. Aroma of dry, grainy biscuit malt, graham crackers. Flavor follows with slightly sweet grainy biscuit malt, graham crackers and bread crust, a hint of lemon and apple juice. Finishes with crackery malt and light grassy hops. Medium bodied with light creaminess. A decent domestic interpretation of the altbier style, the color and malt are appropriate and the light grassy hops have a continental flavor. Perhaps a little maltier than I remember from traditional altbiers, but flavorful enough to be quite enjoyable. The malt profile reminded me of a sessionable old ale, although the moderate hopping is still more than found in that style. An enjoyable light, malty ale. I liked this one.
Dec 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Birdlegs from Washington

Oct 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.25 by DeadeyeOTDO from Arizona

Aug 27, 2016
Photo of ControlVolume
Rated by ControlVolume from Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bready mildly bitter ale, not very complex, kind of watery
Jul 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.32 by Norvelljeff from Iowa

Jul 02, 2016
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

1.97/5  rDev -44.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 1.75
Pours a honey-orange color with a 3 finger head, leaving mountainous lace behind as it recedes slowly. Opacity clocks in at about 80%.

Aromas of stale grains and wet cardboard; it actually reminds me of Budweiser's Batch Twelve. A touch of cardamom and brown sugar.

Super hoppy and super sweet at the same time - not a good combination. Sharp stale hop stabs the palate simultaneously as waves of brown sugar, brine, and dill weave in and out. Yucky.

Feel is mostly watery with a little carbonation to help it down. Ends wet with a touch of parchment dryness.

Little Red Cap is an utter drain pour and tastes like an expensive malt liquor and has absolutely no redeeming qualities. The artwork is 500x better than the liquid inside. Never again. Scrub my tongue.
Apr 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.41 by Miami66 from Nebraska

Mar 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.95 by Spaceman_Jer from Colorado

Jan 17, 2016
Little Red Cap from Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 102 ratings