Redds, is it really brewed?

[Cposten]

I tried one of these for the first time the other day. The tag line is "crisp like an apple brewed like an ale." It tastes like a sparkling cider, i was wondering how they actually do it. Is apple juice used as mash water or is it just apple extract. Have no desire to make this but am just a bit confused. Thanks.

 

[QuercusMax]

It's most likely a "malternative" like Mike's Hard Lemonade. Basically, brew a flavorless beer (they claim it's a "golden ale") with little or not hops, and backsweeten and add apple flavor.

If you actually wanted to make a beer/cider hybrid, that's called a Graff, and it's supposed to be quite delicious.

 

[dpatrickv]

I had the strawberry one the other day...tasted identical to strawberry fanta.

 

[NivekD]

I had the strawberry one the other day...tasted identical to strawberry fanta.

ewwwwwww!

 

[troy2000]

When my son came home on leave for Christmas, he brought a variety of 'holiday' brews - Redd's Apple Ale, a pumpkin ale, a couple of spiced lagers...

Each and every one got the same rating from me: "yes, it's drinkable. But why would you want to drink it?"

On the other hand, I tried a bottle of Fox Barrel Pacific Pear Cider a week or two ago. I thought it was delicious, even though I don't generally like sweet drinks.

 

[JR_Brewer]

It's most likely a "malternative" like Mike's Hard Lemonade. Basically, brew a flavorless beer (they claim it's a "golden ale") with little or not hops, and backsweeten and add apple flavor.

If you actually wanted to make a beer/cider hybrid, that's called a Graff, and it's supposed to be quite delicious.

Their website is pretty cryptic about wheather or not apples are harmed in the production of this stuff, but my guess is no. It's a SABMiller brand based out of Albany, Georgia - not exactly a hotbed for apple orchards. Better chemistry leads to more BMC swill.

+1 on the Graf... just brewed my first graf a few months ago and it's delightful. Think 1 gallon of lightly hopped wheat beer + 2 gallons of good fresh cider.

 

[xjedifishx]

Yeah the redds just isn't good to me... I know people who (don't brew) say they can drink it all day but it's just not my deal. I am a sucker for the shock top apple version for some reason... It's not something I would buy for me but I would drink if someone left it in my cooler at a tailgate lol


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[Justdrumin]

Their website is pretty cryptic about wheather or not apples are harmed in the production of this stuff, but my guess is no. It's a SABMiller brand based out of Albany, Georgia - not exactly a hotbed for apple orchards. Better chemistry leads to more BMC swill.

+1 on the Graf... just brewed my first graf a few months ago and it's delightful. Think 1 gallon of lightly hopped wheat beer + 2 gallons of good fresh cider.

Not saying they use them, but Georgia's Blue Ridge mountains have a TON of quite large apple orchards. I live pretty close to them and I know for a fact that many ciderys purchase their cider from an orchard in Blue Ridge.

 

[whitehause]

A place that I don't know does, not sure about Redd's. This hypothetical (that I know nothing about ) company uses real apple juice, then a malt base that has been "cleared" by carbon filtration, and then ferments just like a beer would be. In order to use a wine yeast or a product with no malt, you must have a wine license. Since many ciders either use wine yeast or have no malt, they have to use a malt base and brew it like an Ale. Pretty clever to take something they have to do, and make it seem like something they went out of their way to do. Marketing 101.

 

[Cposten]

Never heard of graf but seems interesting.

Like i said have no intentions of making anything like redds, tag line just got me thinking and i was about to pop my brain tryin to figure the damn thing out.

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[Weezy]

The bottle says "apple flavoring" or something exactly similar (forgive me for not having one on hand). As was said, they're brewing "beer" in the simplest sense, filtering, then back sweetening it with a apple flavored syrup from beverage syrup manufacturer.

 

[JR_Brewer]

Not saying they use them, but Georgia's Blue Ridge mountains have a TON of quite large apple orchards. I live pretty close to them and I know for a fact that many ciderys purchase their cider from an orchard in Blue Ridge.

Cool, thanks. I lived in the Atlanta area for many years and they're not many apple orchards in the area. However, it would make sense that North GA would have the right climate for apples. Thanks.

 

[Justdrumin]

Cool, thanks. I lived in the Atlanta area for many years and they're not many apple orchards in the area. However, it would make sense that North GA would have the right climate for apples. Thanks.

You bet! Some damn good apples too if I might add. There's one orchard in particular that a brewpub in savannah gets their cider from. It's VERY dry...too dry for my liking. The orchard itself makes some FANTASTIC hard cider though. Yeah...the metro area isn't exactly the best area for an orchard! Lol.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

The concept is cool to me but the execution is very fake tasting especially true with the strawberry version.
BTW graff is delish. I had some at my last homebrew club meeting.

 

[Homercidal]

I'm actually a fan of the Strawberry Redds. I don't care at all for the apple one, but the strawberry is light and refreshing and just a bit sweet. Kind of like a strawberry wine cooler but not as thick and sweet. It's not something I'd buy for every day, but I think it works great as a lawnmower type beer.