Redd's Wicked Apple Ale
Miller Brewing Co.

Redd's Wicked Apple AleRedd's Wicked Apple Ale
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From:
Miller Brewing Co.
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Fruit and Field Beer
Ranked #406
ABV:
8%
Score:
70
Ranked #27,970
Avg:
3 | pDev: 29%
Reviews:
53
Ratings:
171
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 17, 2023
Added:
Aug 06, 2014
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  83
No description / notes.
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Ratings by WVbeergeek:
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Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

2.04/5  rDev -32%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.5
Priced at a dollar a can at least it's a 12 ounce can for 2 dollars and change you can get 25 ounce apple-cran-mang-lime-razz-a-ritas. This wicked apple ale pours a thin copper pale hue with fizzy off white bubbles a ton of carbonation is quickly released if you pour this stuff. Just faint wisps of lace are left behind.

Aroma has a really nice engineered apple notes, really red apple at that. Smell's nice if you like apples, who doesn't like apples? However once it sits for a minute you start picking up some fusel or medicinal alcohol notes that shows this 8% abv apple ale show it's true colors basically a malt liquor with "natural apple flavor and caramel color". A bit of candy caramel sweetness in the backend as well.

Flavor harsh alcohol mixed with tooth pain inducing sick sweetness, more than one can you're getting some acid reflux. GI ulcers in the population that regularly consumes these is going to increase ten fold, this is just horrible if you like beer or hard cider it's neither of the two.

Mouthfeel, thin watery high carbonation a bit of a burn in the back end of the throat with each sip. Very much a booze ridden train wreck on the palate with sick sweet residual sugars.

Overall, why is there a market for this why wouldn't Miller just make a real cider...the apple ale craze will be short lived like hard lemonade and spiked tea.
Aug 14, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Photo of BeastModeCloser
Reviewed by BeastModeCloser from Florida

3.52/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
I truthfully don't like many ciders, but this being an apple ALE, makes this one a LOT better! The only cider I actually like is Cidre by Stella Artois™, but this beer is fantastic! a nice mouth feel, not to sweet, and its like they used invisibility cloaking on the 8% ABV. I HIGHLY recommend this one, give it to someone as a taste test, and don't tell them the ABV or what kind of beer is, it'll blow their socks off!
Jun 12, 2023
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.47/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Redd's Brewing Co. "Redd's Wicked Apple Ale"
24 fl. oz. can coded "APR2522 44 F1060020733". Sampled on 16 January 2022.
$2.59 @ Javies Beverage, Philadelphia, PA

Notes via stream of consciousness: For years now I've thought that these beers were malternatives because they're usually displayed in coolers alongside Four-Loko, Twisted Tea, and hard lemonades. It says that it's an ale though, right on the label, so it must be (at least for government regulation). It's poured a crystal clear deep-amber colored body with golden highlights near the base of the glass. I never really got a full head out of it despite a rough pour but what was there was white. The lack of head retention is an issue in my opinion, but whatever. It smells like apple. I'm thinking it's got a combination of Granny Smith and juicy Red Delicious with a little bit of fallen apple as well. There's some artificial "Jolly Rancher" candy to it but it's not that bad. I was expecting that as the label clearly reads "ALE WITH NATURAL APPLE FLAVOR AND CARAMEL COLOR". There is absolutely no head on it right now, and it doesn't have a whole lot of bubbles rising to the surface either so let's give it a taste. The apple flavor is kind of like the aroma. It's somewhat artificial, but not completely so. It doesn't have the full on "Jolly Rancher" effect, and yet it's still there. In fact, that's basically all that's there. The sweet "malt" is just a base for the apple. It tastes like a sweet cider. There's a touch of acidity to it, but keep in mind all beer is acidic, and it finishes surprisingly drier than you might expect. The sweetness doesn't build, and I can't imagine that this could become cloying even if you drank several 24 oz. cans in a row. That would be way too much, but I don't think you end up with a sticky mouth. Perhaps the alcohol is helping out at 8%, and yet I never find the alcohol. Ahh, I spoke too soon. Perhaps because I was thinking of it I found it. You can get a little tiny bit right after the swallow. It's not nearly as clear as it is in a lot of malternatives though. In the mouth it's light to light-medium in body and gently crisp. Although it was made from pears, it reminds me a little bit of something I used to drink in Ireland called Ritz. It was sweeter than a standard cider like Bulmer's or Strongbow. So what to make of this? Or more importantly, how to score it? It's definitely not an "ale" with apple flavoring added. It's an alcoholic drink with sugary apple flavor as it's only component. In a way I do like it, although it's too sweet for my tastes overall.
Review #7,695
Jan 16, 2022
Photo of DillonWheaton
Reviewed by DillonWheaton

3.91/5  rDev +30.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75
Smells amazing and has an exceptionally crisp apple taste that is perfect for fans of both cider and light beer. However, this one checks in at 8% ABV. It's a win-win.
Oct 12, 2021
 
Rated: 1.5 by balizz

Jun 09, 2021
 
Rated: 3.06 by summitsippin from Colorado

Feb 14, 2021
 
Rated: 3.63 by GRhoads from Ohio

Feb 01, 2021
Photo of BucBasil
Reviewed by BucBasil from Rwanda

2.5/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Drank from the 24oz can.

Let's not kid ourselves here. Sometimes, you look for something that will just get you buzzed as easily as possible. And this one was easy. Well, at least easier and less offensive than a typical malt liquor. Smell has a bit of that cheap beeriness to it - a bit boozy covered by apple. The taste is very much like a cider with little beer characteristics. So much so that I am surprised this is even a beer. However it doesn't cross the line into being a sugary soda. It stays in cider territory, which was a nice surprise. A little while in it goes a little into the too-sweet category, but hey what do you expect. This gets the job done.
Jan 26, 2021
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +30%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
24 ounce can into tulip glass, best before 4/19/2021. Pours crystal clear deep golden/orange/amber color with a 1 finger foamy off head with good retention, that reduces to thin lace cap that lingers. Some spotty soapy lacing on the glass, clinging bubbles and streaming carbonation. Aromas and flavors of big juicy red/green apples, fruit peel, citrus, grain, white sugar syrup, caramel and herbal/grassy earthiness. Touch of alcohol booze in the aromas as it warms, but not overwhelming. Light herbal/grassy bitterness and alcohol spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of juicy red/green apples, fruit peel, citrus, grain, white sugar syrup, and herbal/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Great robustness and balance of apples, and grain/sugar flavors; with a great malt/bitter/alcohol spiciness balance, and no cloying sweetness after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and spicy alcohol. Fairly crisp/clean finishing. Medium-plus carbonation and body; with a very smooth and lightly creamy/syrupy/sticky mouthfeel that is great. Fairly refreshing for the ABV. Mild increasing warmth of 8% after the finish. Overall this is a great flavored malt liquor. All around nice robustness and balance of apples, and grain/sugar flavors; dangerously smooth and easy to drink for the ABV with the mildly bitter/spicy alcohol finish. A very enjoyable offering without feeling too artificial. Tasted much like other malt beverages I've had, but much smoother for the ABV.
Dec 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3 by Velivolus1 from Vermont

Aug 02, 2020
 
Rated: 4.18 by PriestOfPain from California

Jul 25, 2020
 
Rated: 5 by Dalkri from Massachusetts

Jul 03, 2020
 
Rated: 4.94 by Simiy9 from North Carolina

Jul 01, 2020
Photo of Anointedbygrace2
Reviewed by Anointedbygrace2 from South Carolina

5/5  rDev +66.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This is by far the best beer that I have ever tasted. Redd's Wicked Apple is the best thing that's ever happened to the beer industry! I would love to do a commercial saying so. I'm your biggest fan. I drink Redd's Wicked Apple every day if possible. It used to be easy to find everywhere even though it may not be the flavor you want, but since this pandemic started more people have caught on to the wonderful taste, and now you can hardly find it on the shelves. It's been a fight each week just to find Redd's, in the 24oz. can, the 8oz. can, or the bottles. Please, please make more! Would like more lemonade and sour apple flavors here in Anderson County S.C. Love, love the black cherry and the regular flavor! Why don't you guys do commercials? If you need someone to rep your brand I will be honored to do so! Thanks for creating this deliciousness, I am so grateful!
Jun 23, 2020
 
Rated: 3 by Velivolus from Vermont

Jan 25, 2020
Photo of TheRealMrWillis
Reviewed by TheRealMrWillis from Maryland

4.19/5  rDev +39.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: Pours like a slightly fizzy apple juice. Head is very soda reminiscent but disappears in seconds. Bubbles mostly resting at the bottom.

S: Straight up apple. I'm a sucker for the smell, so this sits well with me.

T: Tastes like Apple Fanta with an alcoholic kick. Not very beer-ish but enjoyable.

F: Sweet and pleasant on the pallate.

O: It's basically alcoholic apple soda, and that's perfectly fine considering it tastes good.
Jan 07, 2020
Photo of SAUbrewcrew
Rated by SAUbrewcrew from Michigan

2.99/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Nothing special. A decent tasting, higher abv malt beverage. It’s reds apple ale just intensified with more of an alcohol taste as expected.
Jul 30, 2019
Photo of wejohnsn
Reviewed by wejohnsn from Texas

4/5  rDev +33.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
this is some wickedly yummy stuff. beyond a wine cooler and beyond flavored malt liquor. this is really good by its self out of the can but to reall experience it you have get a big balloon wine glas. Goes down smooth and tastes magfifigant when paired with spicy food and snacks
Jul 29, 2019
Photo of ChrisBeerDrinker94
Reviewed by ChrisBeerDrinker94 from Colorado

5/5  rDev +66.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
It’s 8% abv of sweet, apple cider nicely carbonated into an affordable flavored malt beer that meets most cider standards. How does this have a poor review? Would you guys rather drink Blackberry Steele Reserve? Yummy, quick, cheap buzz. The candy of cheap malt beverages.
Mar 26, 2019
Redd's Wicked Apple Ale from Miller Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 70 out of 100 with 171 ratings