Fire In The Hole Raspberry Habanero Red Ale
Funky Buddha Brewery

 

 

 

A-The beer pours a nice raspberry vegan smoothie color
A-Aroma has nice hints of raspberry and habanero
T-Incredible taste, the raspberry comes through loud and clear and the habanero just stays in your palate
M-Vegan heaven
O-I was skeptical, but they manage to combine the different ingredients very nicely

Every time I head home to FL, I load up on the Buddha. I’ve had a few duds, but most are at least fun. This beer was definitely fun.

Poured into a big bowled stemmed glass, had a decent head and looked like a standard fruity ale- slightly orange color.

Smell didn’t offer much despite the big open glass. My friend said he smelled a lot of the habenero however. Regardless- nothing complex.

Mouthfeel was that of a good standard ale, maybe slightly fuller.

Taste was where this simple beer stood out. Two dominant notes, obviously, raspberry and spice. Perfectly balanced however. Clean crisp ale with raspberry followed by moderate spice. No surprises. The heat builds a bit, but is never overwhelming.

This is no complex beer with twelve flavors and a contrasting nose. It is just simple, fun, and great tasting. Awesome job from a favorite brewery.

 

I have sort of a love/hate relationship with Funky Buddha, so take this review as you will - full disclosure, etc. etc.

Fire in the Hole was one of several bottles that a friend purchased and muled to Minnesota for me recently. I wasn't specific about which beers I was looking for - just "all the Funky Buddha bottles that you can locate". So, had I known... well, hindsight. I sat on this bottle for a few weeks, sort of dreading it, honestly. - but I love raspberry, so curiosity obviously got the better of me.

And yes, the raspberry in this beer is delicious (plus, it smells fantastic). It's juicy and ripe and fresh. I love that aspect to the beer. But then the heat hits you, and it's not a blended, complementary sort of spice - the habañeros are hostile, on a murderous quest to destroy whatever pleasure you may take from the raspberry. Ultimately, the beer comes off as a desperately hot cough syrup.

Tremendously disappointing. I love spiced stouts - but spiced red/fruit beers just aren't my thing. Bizarre idea, terrible execution.

 

 

Pours a surprisingly clear orange in the glass. Very little head to speak of.

Nose implies raspberries and peppers, and a high level of heat.

Far less heat on the palate, leaning toward vegetal vice pure spiciness. Raspberries still present.

Of all the odd Funky Buddha creations, this one was the most surprising. I didn't expect to like it, but I found it was quite good overall, and delivers as promised. The heat is just restrained enough to make it accessible to non-masochists, but present enough to whet your whistle if you're a big fan of heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shared with JLindros.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice lightly hazy dark amber mahogany hue with great two finger off white head that fades to leave great lacing and wisps.

S - Aromas of raspberry jam, berry sweetness light pepper vegetative chili notes. Super jammy.

T - Taste is similar to the nose, great raspberry jam lovely berry notes. The heat is present, not oppressive but definitely there. Sweet berry and nice heat.

M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated good carbonation but a bit sweet.

O - Overall this was a rather fun beer. Huge raspberry jam notes with very good light heat notes. Solid.

Serving Type: bottle

Thanks to rudzud

Big creamy head fades at a med pace, rich lacing, hazy ruby orange habanero red color

Nose big sweet raspberry syrup, candy malt, reddish sweety malt, almost all raspberry jam though, just a faint peppery in the back of the nostrils

Taste big raspberry jam and sweet syrupy flavour, then big pepper heat, not super hot but fair pepper heat, a touch of toasty reddish malt.

Mouth is med bod, little syrupy, big pepper heat that builds, big foamy carb

Overall mixed, big raspberry jam that gets maybe too syrupy, nice pepper though.