Red Fox
MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Co.
- From:
- MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Co.
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
Ranked #1,291 - ABV:
- 4.2%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #34,411 - Avg:
- 3.51 | pDev: 9.97%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 14, 2024
- Added:
- Nov 09, 2015
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 5
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
An easy drinking summer ale with a distinct colour and flavour from the addition of beets. Citra hops deliver a foxy, citrus bitterness.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GoHabsGo:
Rated by GoHabsGo from Canada (ON)
3.5/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Oct 28, 2019
3.5/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Oct 28, 2019
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.56/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Jan 31 2024 and served slightly chilled.
Pours a clear reddish-orange colour, stirring up two fingers of puffy, foamy, pale pink-tinged head that lasts for a little over five minutes. It scatters a generous quantity of messy lace onto the glass as it drops down to a creamy, frothy collar; it's an attractive pale ale, I'll give it that. It smells mostly of citrusy, floral hops and graininess, though there is also a discernible twang of sweet, vegetal beet juice - so far, so good.
It's not bad - it starts off a little sweet, with grainy, bready malts alongside a very slight hint of caramelized sugars. Hints of citrus peel and floral, resiny hop bitterness round out the tail end of the sip, with a little bit of a sweet beet/vegetal note at the finish; hints of citrus, resin and beets fade into the aftertaste. Light in body, with average carbonation that supplies a bit of a bite to this brew's smooth, crisp mouthfeel. Quite drinkable, potentially even sessionable, but I'm not sure I'd want to drink this all night.
Final Grade: 3.56, a serviceable B grade. I've had a couple of other beers containing beets, and while their addition does produce a brilliant, beautiful red colour, it also adds some level of beet flavour. I don't care for beets, so at best it's distracting; at worst it's downright unpleasant. Red Fox is a long way from 'unpleasant', and it's actually quite flavourful for only 4.2%... but I don't really see much of an upside from the beets. If you really want your beer to be red, and want to avoid colouring agents, there are specialty malts that can accomplish that without the beet-iness. To each their own - it's a decent pale ale that I wouldn't discourage others from trying.
Mar 14, 2024Pours a clear reddish-orange colour, stirring up two fingers of puffy, foamy, pale pink-tinged head that lasts for a little over five minutes. It scatters a generous quantity of messy lace onto the glass as it drops down to a creamy, frothy collar; it's an attractive pale ale, I'll give it that. It smells mostly of citrusy, floral hops and graininess, though there is also a discernible twang of sweet, vegetal beet juice - so far, so good.
It's not bad - it starts off a little sweet, with grainy, bready malts alongside a very slight hint of caramelized sugars. Hints of citrus peel and floral, resiny hop bitterness round out the tail end of the sip, with a little bit of a sweet beet/vegetal note at the finish; hints of citrus, resin and beets fade into the aftertaste. Light in body, with average carbonation that supplies a bit of a bite to this brew's smooth, crisp mouthfeel. Quite drinkable, potentially even sessionable, but I'm not sure I'd want to drink this all night.
Final Grade: 3.56, a serviceable B grade. I've had a couple of other beers containing beets, and while their addition does produce a brilliant, beautiful red colour, it also adds some level of beet flavour. I don't care for beets, so at best it's distracting; at worst it's downright unpleasant. Red Fox is a long way from 'unpleasant', and it's actually quite flavourful for only 4.2%... but I don't really see much of an upside from the beets. If you really want your beer to be red, and want to avoid colouring agents, there are specialty malts that can accomplish that without the beet-iness. To each their own - it's a decent pale ale that I wouldn't discourage others from trying.
Reviewed by pootz from Canada (ON)
3.66/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
can - Pours a lightly hazed orangish light copper colorwith pink highlights with 2 finger white ...floral-fruity aroma with a sturdy grainy malt tone, light earthyness....rich malt charter , full mouth feel...flavor has toasty malts and hop bittering in balance, piney notes, finish is smooth with increased bittering, ends with bitter after taste...a very decent summer sipper, I didn't get any hint of the beets in this but enjoyed this well made Pale ale
Sep 18, 2021
Reviewed by InspectorHound from Canada (ON)
3.19/5 rDev -9.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.19/5 rDev -9.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Look: Pale orange, 1 finger light head, disappears after 5 minutes
Smell: Orange zest, hops and slight beet tang.
Taste: Crackers, biscuits and white bread.
Feel: Light and watery, dry finish.
I was hopeful this beer would present something interesting given the addition of beets during the brewing process. Ultimately I was disappointed. Earns a C+
Aug 29, 2020Smell: Orange zest, hops and slight beet tang.
Taste: Crackers, biscuits and white bread.
Feel: Light and watery, dry finish.
I was hopeful this beer would present something interesting given the addition of beets during the brewing process. Ultimately I was disappointed. Earns a C+
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
3.34/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.34/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Review from notes. LCBO purchase for about $3.75 CDN.
Appearance -Deep red, beet red decent half finger of pinkish foam on top that fizzles away reasonably quickly.
Smell - Not much initially, with some beet sweetness at the end. Light metallic aromas otherwise.
Taste - Similar to the nose, some bitterness, a slight bit of metallicness. Not good at all until this beautiful little sweet beet flavor rides through for about three seconds. That is very nice, otherwise very mediocre.
Mouthfeel - Average, medium-light body, carbonation is about right. Non-descript which isn't bad here.
Overall - An interesting but marginally unsatisfying take on a beet beer. Too bitter to be enjoyed although the three second sweet beet interval is quite glorious and saves the beer completely.
Mar 14, 2020Appearance -Deep red, beet red decent half finger of pinkish foam on top that fizzles away reasonably quickly.
Smell - Not much initially, with some beet sweetness at the end. Light metallic aromas otherwise.
Taste - Similar to the nose, some bitterness, a slight bit of metallicness. Not good at all until this beautiful little sweet beet flavor rides through for about three seconds. That is very nice, otherwise very mediocre.
Mouthfeel - Average, medium-light body, carbonation is about right. Non-descript which isn't bad here.
Overall - An interesting but marginally unsatisfying take on a beet beer. Too bitter to be enjoyed although the three second sweet beet interval is quite glorious and saves the beer completely.
Rated by Buzz668 from Canada (ON)
3.3/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.3/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
If the beet flavor was just a little less prominent it would be better
Sep 10, 2018
Rated by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
3.8/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
May 6 2025
Dec 18, 2017
Rated by ewpass from Canada (PE)
3.7/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.7/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
On tap at Le Chien Noir in Kingston. Lovely clear ruby red with good head. Standard nose, medium body, Citra hops on the finish. I liked it.
Jul 30, 2017
Rated by KWALKS from Canada (ON)
2.71/5 rDev -22.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
2.71/5 rDev -22.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
A beer made with beets; not exactly my cup of tea, but less offensive than expected. Well carbonated, and fairly crisp taste.
Feb 07, 2017
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