Red Velvet (Nitro)
Ballast Point Brewing Company

Red Velvet (Nitro)Red Velvet (Nitro)
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From:
Ballast Point Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Oatmeal Stout
Ranked #235
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
80
Ranked #26,104
Avg:
3.53 | pDev: 16.71%
Reviews:
140
Ratings:
482
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 12, 2023
Added:
Nov 16, 2015
Wants:
  16
Gots:
  129
This stout takes the cake.

Our Red Velvet oatmeal stout is a mind-bending beer. Like the cake that inspired it, the deep red color comes from beets, which add a rich, earthy character that complements the chocolate flavor and aroma. The foamy head of the nitro pour is our “icing”, adding a creamy smoothness to the mouthfeel. But this liquid dessert still finishes like a beer – not sweet, but just as satisfying.

35 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by travolta:
Photo of travolta
Rated by travolta from California

3.55/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.25

Apr 03, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.31/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Bottle from Albertsons. Pours out colored like Cranberry juice, pinkish head. Sweet, cake smell. Taste is also a bit sweet, vanilla, frosting. Dry finish, taste fades fast. Interesti novelty, but not worth the hefty price tag.
Nov 12, 2023
 
Rated: 3.5 by NickMunford from Wyoming

Jul 18, 2021
 
Rated: 3.33 by chiefz1 from New York

Nov 29, 2020
 
Rated: 2.5 by TallGuyCM from California

Jun 16, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by jeschaefer from Texas

Apr 04, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by AndrewBuffalo from Illinois

Feb 20, 2020
 
Rated: 3.68 by dbauer from California

Jul 06, 2019
Photo of Nuttin_but_the_best_Clark
Reviewed by Nuttin_but_the_best_Clark from Massachusetts

2.24/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
If this was Japan in the 1930's, the company CEO might be wise to force the brand's marketing team to commit hari kari. To call this red velvet cake anything is a complete misnomer despite the color of the beer ... maroon with lighter foam head.

If you read nothing else in this review, know that the beer's color is derived from beet juice ... and the beer unsurprisingly tastes like beets. Most folks don't eat beets for the taste ... why anyone would want to make beet tasting beer solely to give it the color of red velvet cake with none of the taste is beyond me.

When I saw this novelty in the store, I knew I had to try it. I love creative flavored beers and I love red velvet cake. As I drove home from my local liquor store, I wondered how the brewers would get the taste duplicated ... obviously chocolate for the cake portion? (nope ...) the maybe a creamy marshmallow note for the frosting? (nope ...) there is cream cheese in the frosting, so maybe a sour note to offset the chocolatey sweetness? (nope ...)

Spoiler alert, you are left with a beet flavored beer that looks like cherry soda and tastes like carrots and wood chips left to ferment in a cup of water.

If this was marketed as 'vegetable ale' I might respect their creativity slash lunacy enough to give a 3 rating. But the fact this is marketed as the most delicious dessert ever created in red velvet cake and in actuality tastes more like sudsy soup than beer gets it below 2 all day.
Jul 04, 2019
 
Rated: 2.01 by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington

Apr 30, 2019
 
Rated: 3.48 by BeenTired from Pennsylvania

Feb 22, 2019
Photo of patre_tim
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

2.9/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 1 | overall: 3
A reddish orange color, with a little haze, a little funk, little carbonation, and almost no yellow wish head.

It smells of cherries, and a bit like berries. No beets to me.
It taste bitter, no sweetness, I get vanilla, and a bit of cherry.

Light body with very little carbonation. Not smooth at all!

I think I got a really old bottle as this was packaged on January 18, 2018. I got this in Sacramento and I am drinking it here today on November 25, 2018. Really not loving in this brew from an otherwise great brewery.
Nov 25, 2018
Photo of mike1990
Reviewed by mike1990 from Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
With this being a stout, I wasn't sure I'd like it, since I haven't had a stout that I enjoyed. I love red velvet cake so I thought I'd give it a try. Straight from bottle, into nonic pint glass. Nice color, nice steady head. Smelled a good amount of beets.
Didn't taste like red velvet cake, but very smooth. If other oatmeal stouts are like this, I may have found a new style I like.
Overall, pretty good beer. Very easy to drink.
Nov 19, 2018
 
Rated: 3.72 by Keith27614 from North Carolina

Nov 19, 2018
 
Rated: 3.47 by Keepnitrl from Washington

Nov 06, 2018
 
Rated: 2.82 by Amateur from California

Nov 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by a77cj7 from South Dakota

Oct 13, 2018
Photo of Nass
Reviewed by Nass from Florida

2.75/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Red velvet cakes are delightful, so I was compelled to partake in this beer. I observed that there is a bottled on date on the side of the label. There is interesting artwork on the label by the way. For a nitro charged beer it does not pour out like one, but oh well looks aren't everything right. Wow! this actually does taste similar to some red velvet cake. There is bitter sourness to the taste that is contrasting with the sweet red velvet cake aspect. I don't think beets & chocolate are a mix up folks. I do a agree with this beer being flat & watery. This beer does have a few flaws so I guess Ballast Point just got half way there with this beer, that's okay for a first try out. I would love to try a 2nd batch of this beer that has worked out these tweaks to make this beer come out better & more balanced because I can see that there is great potential in the Red Velvet (Nitro). Cheers! C
Oct 07, 2018
 
Rated: 3.8 by Gobstopper15 from California

Sep 06, 2018
 
Rated: 5 by Kwright from North Carolina

Sep 02, 2018
Red Velvet (Nitro) from Ballast Point Brewing Company
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 482 ratings