Ruby Tears
Parallel 49 Brewing Company

Ruby TearsRuby Tears
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From:
Parallel 49 Brewing Company
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
Ranked #75
ABV:
6%
Score:
86
Ranked #19,901
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 12.63%
Reviews:
53
Ratings:
234
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 07, 2023
Added:
Jul 30, 2012
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  61
Formerly Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale

A ruby red coloured ale with a rich caramel malt flavour and a burst of West Coast hops. Using only late hop additions and dry-hopping, the bitterness is restrained while the hop flavour and aroma are pronounced.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by gleemonger:
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Rated by gleemonger from California

4.75/5  rDev +25%

Oct 31, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.87 by KeithGreatNorth from Canada (BC)

Dec 07, 2023
 
Rated: 3.77 by waudozer from Canada (BC)

May 04, 2023
 
Rated: 3.99 by All4ales

Jun 06, 2021
Photo of BPVandenbroek
Reviewed by BPVandenbroek from Canada (AB)

3.86/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Ruby Tears is crystal clear and a medium reddish brown in color. The head is thick, mousse like, and lasting.
This red ale has an interesting nose. It starts out floral with elements of orange juice as well as peel. The sweetness of caramel gives balance to those other elements. Soda crackers take a back seat to other aromas, adding their grainy dryness nearer the aroma's center point. Blended in with all this is the woody, pine tinted aroma of American hops, adding brightness to the overall nose.
Taking my first sip, Ruby Tears gives me a blast of pine loaded American hops. Hops give me flavors of dried orange peel, grapefruit pith, generic woodiness, and pine needles. The flavors of hops are held aloft by a medium bodied ale flavored with caramel and hints of nuttiness. Then, the hops. It starts and ends with those assertive, mouth coating hops.
Ruby Tears somehow knows to walk the line between assertive and overpowering. On the nose, on the tongue, Ruby Tears' hop profile is nothing, if not assertive. It's as though this amber ale is a loving tribute to the American hop. The caramel and nuttiness give just enough malt to support the hops and keep them from crossing that line into overpowering.
Apr 22, 2021
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Reviewed by Aeryxium from Canada (ON)

3.1/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
It pours fairly cloudy, with a moderately foamy head of fine bubbles. Very few bubbles throughout, though perhaps they are masked by the cloudiness. I will admit that haze wasn’t something I expected from an Amber, but I’m interested to see how that plays out.

Various sources report this sits at about 40IBU, and it certainly has the strong smell of hops to back that up with some lemon and apple notes in the background. Fairly standard aroma that’s not unintriguing, but nothing to really set it apart from the crowd.

Oranges and honey come across faintly, but almost overpowering with its hoppy bitterness sadly. The aftertaste is a lingering toasted grain flavour. I do really enjoy bitter/hoppy/malty brews, but this one seems to be to the detriment of the assisting flavours. Despite the hops being borderline overpowering, that bitterness is still fairly middling. I’d prefer it to be more balanced, or at least to have a stronger punch from the hops. Not uninteresting, but not inspired either.

Plain. Very little carbonation detected with no real excitement to speak of otherwise. Much like with the aroma and taste: not bad, but nothing to really grab you either.

Decent beer for my mood. I wouldn’t avoid it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to pick it up either. Might be a decent substitute if looking for a weak IPA or ISA rather than a Red or Amber, especially if I’m just looking for a good buzz given the high ABV and drinkability. Bonus points if it’s a hot day I’m sitting outside as I do find hoppy beers to be more refreshing.
Mar 20, 2021
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Rated by Quadethebeerman from Canada (MB)

2.8/5  rDev -26.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
didn't like it
Oct 25, 2020
 
Rated: 3.33 by Roejogan from Canada (BC)

Oct 10, 2020
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Reviewed by Hat_Fulla_Beer from Canada (AB)

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
355ml can poured into tulip.

Pours a slightly hazy amber with one finger of beige head that leaves clouds of sudsy lace as it recedes.

Smells of toasted caramel malt, sweet dark bread, apple skin, muddled citrus peel and piney, herbal hops.

Tastes of toasted cereal, bread crust, drizzled caramel, red grapefruit, orange rind, browning apple and pine resin.

Feels soft and mild. Medium bodied with frothy carbonation. Finishes dry.

Verdict: Recommended. A nice, solid amber with some punchy hops.
Nov 06, 2019
 
Rated: 3 by boszormeny from Canada (ON)

Oct 27, 2019
 
Rated: 4.33 by Chrism11565 from Canada (BC)

May 06, 2019
 
Rated: 3.49 by IPAnicked from Canada (BC)

Feb 16, 2019
Photo of spanny
Reviewed by spanny from Canada (ON)

4.56/5  rDev +20%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Wow, this is a fantastic beer. Gypsy Tears is my favourite beer in Ottawa. A gorgeous red colour in the glass. Swirling it around in your mouth tastes rich and sumptuous. The aftertaste is outstanding: I counted three distinct phases of different flavours in the aftertaste, finishing off in a bitter full stop.

I have drunk lots of different ales, bitters, stouts and porters when I lived in England for 14 years, but Gypsy Tears compares with the best British beers I can ever remember. This exotic gypsy has entranced me and stolen my heart. The only tears are mine when I peer into my empty glass.

Note: The cans I buy from The Beerstore say "Gypsy Tears" in big letters across the top of the can, not "Ruby Tears". No worries.
Nov 21, 2018
 
Rated: 3.83 by EOC from Mexico

Sep 05, 2018
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Rated by Celticvines from Canada (ON)

3.92/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Full flavoured. Excellent taste with a intense feeling. Not too many of these beer in a row or you will get gut rot. Good beer overall.
Aug 06, 2018
Photo of ewpass
Rated by ewpass from Canada (PE)

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Hazy red-Amber with a modest head. Mostly caramel malt on the nose. Medium malt body with some pine hops to finish. More smooth than a crisp feel.
May 17, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by kootenays88 from Canada (BC)

May 15, 2018
 
Rated: 3.78 by TommyWiseau22 from Northern Ireland

Feb 22, 2018
 
Rated: 2.01 by BrettHoo from Canada (MB)

Dec 16, 2017
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Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

3.91/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Reddish copper with no carbonation, a slight haze, and 3 fingers of light beige head.

Smells of red liquorice, light and fruity, toasted malts, biscuit and bready.

Tastes of honey biscuit and red twizzlers. A moderate bitterness on the end as well.

Medium body, low, foamy carbonation.

Really good, balanced, moorish beer. I could drink this repeatedly and it would pair with a lot of food choices. Drinking Dec 2nd, 2017.
Dec 03, 2017
Ruby Tears from Parallel 49 Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 234 ratings