-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Red Banshee Red Alt Ale
The Fort Collins Brewery
- From:
- The Fort Collins Brewery
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Ale
- ABV:
- 5.3%
- Score:
- 77
- Avg:
- 3.34 | pDev: 15.27%
- Reviews:
- 108
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 25, 2019
- Added:
- Feb 12, 2011
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 52
Formerly called Retro Red.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by redleg411:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina
3.88/5 rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle into pint glass, no bottle dating. Pours slightly hazy/cloudy deep orange/copper with a 1 finger dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, and roasted nuts; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, dark fruit, herbal, floral, grass, pepper, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready/light roasted malts and light earthy hop/fruity yeast notes; with solid strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, brown bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, and roasted nuts; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, dark fruit, herbal, floral, grass, pepper, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal, floral, grassy, peppery, roasted bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, roasted nuts, chocolate, cocoa, dark fruit, herbal, floral, grass, pepper, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance dark/bready/light roasted malts and light earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, and fairly sticky mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.3%. Overall this is a very nice American amber ale. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance dark/bready/light roasted malts and light earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mellowly bitter/drying finish. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Very well rounded and nicely rich malt complexity, with balancing earthy hops against sweetness. A very enjoyable offering; well made, and spot on style example. No idea how old this was, but it held up great for the ABV.
Jan 12, 2019Reviewed by mactrail from Washington
3.04/5 rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.5
3.04/5 rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.5
Can't fault the attractive coppery color with some swirls of foam. Watery body. Some aroma of black tea and something grainy. Some astringency comes through in the first sips. Pleasant mouthfeel other than the increasing bitterness.
This is the classic Red/Amber ale flavor and not one I happen to be fond of. Too bitter, too resiny, with an anemic malt. Sweet and dishwatery. Good for a couple of gulps but I don't have to drink the rest. From the 12 oz can in the mixed Colorado 12-pack purchased at Grapevine LIquors.
Jun 28, 2017This is the classic Red/Amber ale flavor and not one I happen to be fond of. Too bitter, too resiny, with an anemic malt. Sweet and dishwatery. Good for a couple of gulps but I don't have to drink the rest. From the 12 oz can in the mixed Colorado 12-pack purchased at Grapevine LIquors.
Reviewed by Wasatch from Colorado
4/5 rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz. Can
Pours a nice amber color, nice carbonation, with a pretty nice small off-white head, which leaves some sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, with some citrus. The taste is hoppy, malty, citrusy. Medium body, with a nice dry/bitter finish. Overall, a pretty tasty brew.
Apr 05, 2017Pours a nice amber color, nice carbonation, with a pretty nice small off-white head, which leaves some sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, with some citrus. The taste is hoppy, malty, citrusy. Medium body, with a nice dry/bitter finish. Overall, a pretty tasty brew.
Reviewed by KLHBB from Arkansas
3.6/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the Denver airport. Red-brown jewel tone, nice lacing. Sweet caramel malt in the smell. Taste follows with an earthy slight hop edge. Medium mouthfeel, altogether not outstanding but perfect for breakfast at the airport.
Mar 09, 2017Reviewed by mothmanscott from Georgia
3.61/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.61/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a murky brown with a reddish hue producing slightly less than 2 fingers of shortlived, beige, frothy head that leaves small motes and streaks of lacing. Aroma is sugar sweet, toffee & caramel, yeast & faint hints of dark fruits & earthy herbal hops. Taste is a more robust version of the nose but with a roast and nutty quantity, especially towards the end: caramel malt, pumpernickel, yeast, thin fruity esters & faint earthy hops finishing with caramel, roast & nuts, fruit & an increasing hop bitterness. Begins malty and finishes somewhat well balanced. Tastes more like a brown ale or a watery Porter than an amber ale. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low-medium carbonation, silky with slight spice.
Mar 08, 2017Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania
3.99/5 rDev +19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I am plowing through some of my backlog of CANs, especially in the furtherance of The CANQuest (tm). These series of FCB CANs were procured at The Friendly Greek Bottle Shop.
From the CAN: "A session-able ruby red alt ale true to its German roots with an approachable hop bitterness from German noble hops, subtle caramel malt sweetness with notes of biscuit and toffee. Release your inner Banshee."; "Family owned & operated since 2003"; "Pairs well with: Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese, Crème Brulee".
As we know by now, nothing happens without a Crack! & once that was CANpleted, I CANducted an inverted Glug. The foaming was not too severe & I managed to get 3/4 or more of the CANtents into my glass before I was forced to back off. It settled into two fingers of puffy, rocky, tawny head that fell quickly in the face of this evening's humidity. Color was a gorgeous Coppery-Brown (SRM = > 17, < 22) with NE-quality clarity. Nose had a syrupy sweetness along with a slight nuttiness and a definite breadiness. When they speak of beer as liquid bread, this could be an example. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full. The taste was (thankfully) not as sweet as the nose had led me to expect. Instead, the nutty breadiness was prevalent and quite tasty. Imagine banana nut bread, sans the banana. There was a richness to its flavor that I could probably do without, but it is more than just a simple AmeriCAN Amber/Red Ale. The CAN now identifies it as a "red alt ale". Finish was semi-sweet, almost semi-dry, with a breadiness that simply lingered.
Aug 16, 2016From the CAN: "A session-able ruby red alt ale true to its German roots with an approachable hop bitterness from German noble hops, subtle caramel malt sweetness with notes of biscuit and toffee. Release your inner Banshee."; "Family owned & operated since 2003"; "Pairs well with: Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese, Crème Brulee".
As we know by now, nothing happens without a Crack! & once that was CANpleted, I CANducted an inverted Glug. The foaming was not too severe & I managed to get 3/4 or more of the CANtents into my glass before I was forced to back off. It settled into two fingers of puffy, rocky, tawny head that fell quickly in the face of this evening's humidity. Color was a gorgeous Coppery-Brown (SRM = > 17, < 22) with NE-quality clarity. Nose had a syrupy sweetness along with a slight nuttiness and a definite breadiness. When they speak of beer as liquid bread, this could be an example. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full. The taste was (thankfully) not as sweet as the nose had led me to expect. Instead, the nutty breadiness was prevalent and quite tasty. Imagine banana nut bread, sans the banana. There was a richness to its flavor that I could probably do without, but it is more than just a simple AmeriCAN Amber/Red Ale. The CAN now identifies it as a "red alt ale". Finish was semi-sweet, almost semi-dry, with a breadiness that simply lingered.
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming
3.54/5 rDev +6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev +6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours red with a short lasting head of foam. Best by November 2016.
Some caramel malt and light hops in the smell. Reminds me of Alaskan Amber, another Alt style ale.
Light sweetness, mild bitterness, more earthy than anything else. Doesn't stand out but is quite drinkable and enjoyable. I wish that I remembered how this stacks up to the old original from H.C. Berger.
Jul 16, 2016Some caramel malt and light hops in the smell. Reminds me of Alaskan Amber, another Alt style ale.
Light sweetness, mild bitterness, more earthy than anything else. Doesn't stand out but is quite drinkable and enjoyable. I wish that I remembered how this stacks up to the old original from H.C. Berger.
Reviewed by dcscientist from Colorado
3.75/5 rDev +12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Yep, it's a red. Pretty much tastes like most other reds. Not too inventive, just a good representation of the style. Didn't really stand out in any way though. I know this brewery is in the process of changing some of their recipes so I'll be curious to see what, if anything, they do with this one.
Jul 08, 2016
Red Banshee Red Alt Ale from The Fort Collins Brewery
Beer rating:
77 out of
100 with
410 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!