Shiner Ruby Redbird - Spoetzl Brewery

DavidST

Texas

2.78/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass, no bottle date.

Pours a light golden color with a minimal white head which dissipates almost instantly, no lacing what so ever, a stream of carbonation forms in the middle, nothing special. Smells are of ginger with hints of grapefruit. Feel is very light but perhaps what you'd expect with a summer beer. The taste is light of ginger with a little bread malts with a grapefruit after taste and not a good hoppy grapefruit, but a rancid rotten one which I hope doesn't linger much longer. Yeah its a summer beer, pretty light and maybe easy to drink (don't confuse with worthwhile to drink), but not at all to my taste. What a disappointment considering how much I love a good ginger beer (the non alcoholic stuff).

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 01:42:06 | More by DavidST

BlueMoon10

Mississippi

2.5/5  rDev -20.6%

06-18-2013 02:00:08 | More by BlueMoon10

BKBassist

New York

2.8/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Summer is a tough season for me with beers. Refreshment is generally not my main reason for drinking beer, flavor is. So summer seasonals, with a few exceptions, usually leave me wanting. Despite trying something different, Shiner Ruby Redbird is no exception.

Appearance was light golden blonde with the tiniest hint of amber/red. Little to no head retention.

Smell was heavy on the ginger with hints of citrus, more lemon than grapefruit. Also a bit of a must I usually associate with a macro lager.

Taste was that of a dry, slightly sweet ginger ale that someone had squeezed a lemon wedge in. There was very little hint that you were drinking a beer and not a slightly alcoholic ginger ale. Grapefruit was nowhere to be found.

Mouthfeel was light and heavily carbonated with tiny bubbles.

Overall, while it tasted fine, it did not taste like beer. Shiner attempted to do something pretty interesting here, and while a crisp lager with notes of ginger and grapefruit still appeals to me, this unfortunately, is not that beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 00:15:34 | More by BKBassist

bacher468

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-17-2013 13:32:38 | More by bacher468

JohnnieNepal

Michigan

3/5  rDev -4.8%

06-17-2013 12:59:43 | More by JohnnieNepal

Sudbuster

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-17-2013 00:11:36 | More by Sudbuster

Zuidman

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -12.7%

06-14-2013 20:32:37 | More by Zuidman

egrace84

Illinois

3/5  rDev -4.8%

06-14-2013 18:54:01 | More by egrace84

protton

Florida

3.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-14-2013 18:42:33 | More by protton

Joe1019

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +42.9%

06-13-2013 18:01:55 | More by Joe1019

eagle55

Florida

3.25/5  rDev +3.2%

06-13-2013 00:13:06 | More by eagle55

MandaLeigh

Nebraska

3.25/5  rDev +3.2%

06-12-2013 21:04:52 | More by MandaLeigh

Jabartheljr

South Dakota

3/5  rDev -4.8%

06-11-2013 22:33:14 | More by Jabartheljr

Petela

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -20.6%

06-11-2013 22:27:55 | More by Petela

scratch69

Missouri

3.1/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Clear golden color with a slight red tinge. One fingers worth of quickly disappearing head with no lacing.

Smell- Grain and ginger aromas with a hint of citrus.

Taste- Ginger flavor with a hint of pale malt and a sweet grapefruit finish.

Mouthfeel- Light bodied with a slightly below average amount of carbonation.

Overall- While this isn't a bad tasting beer, it is not one I would try again.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 19:56:36 | More by scratch69

archero

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-10-2013 05:48:20 | More by archero

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev 0%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Gold in color. Light tinge of ruby/amber. Goes flat in under a minute.

Big ginger in the nose with a citrusy backdrop. Notes of treacle and faint grapefruit.

Tastes a little like ginger ale. Prominent ginger note comes off very refreshing. Faint citrus notes. Grapefruit is actually a bit of a stretch. A little minty in the finish. I think that's a hop contribution.

Higher carbonation. Weak, because the beer doesn't hold its own in the body.

Refreshing, I guess. Totally one-note. Works like an alcoholic ginger ale. That's pretty more much it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2013 00:51:52 | More by thecheapies

sommersb

Tennessee

3.56/5  rDev +13%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 06-09-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, twist-cap
Glassware: Globe glass
Purchased: 6-pack from Kroger

Orange-amber in color, clear, with a small white head. The head fades quickly with low retention and really no lacing to speak of.

Aromas are of grapefruit, and ginger, giving it a smell akin to a ginger ale soda with some fruit additions.

The taste has a bit of tartness up front from the grapefruit, and then features a good amount of ginger - enough to notice, but not so much as to overwhelm like some ginger beers I've had. Tastes like a fruity ginger ale in many ways, but still has some beery characteristics.

The mouthfeel is prickly from the high carbonation, on a light body. Finishes with quite a bit of ginger aftertaste.

Overall an easy-drinking and refreshing hot weather beer, although it doesn't taste quite like a traditional beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 23:49:18 | More by sommersb

AMCPhD

Florida

3.25/5  rDev +3.2%

06-09-2013 04:19:34 | More by AMCPhD

jngrizzaffi

Texas

4/5  rDev +27%

06-07-2013 04:21:58 | More by jngrizzaffi

blastoderm55

Texas

2.75/5  rDev -12.7%

06-07-2013 02:50:20 | More by blastoderm55

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

2.2/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a lifeless deep gold bordering copper, no head or retention. Aroma of grated citrus peel and ginger, light malts. In the flavor, twangy ginger, yeast and sour citrus. Flaccid bitterness and bone dry. Over carbonated, too much grapefruit, not enough balance. Unless you love dry grapefruit juice, I'd select a different beer than this.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 00:52:39 | More by Stinkypuss

amandapants

Washington

3.5/5  rDev +11.1%

06-04-2013 18:04:15 | More by amandapants

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.93/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Shiner Ruby Redbird has a thick, white head that doesn’t last long and leaves behind no lacing. The appearance is clear old gold, with very few streaming bubbles. Aroma is of sharp, tart grapefruit zest and some sweet white bread, with a ginger background. Taste is of red grapefruit, citrus sweetness, a touch of ginger, and tap water. Mouthfeel is between light and medium, and Shiner Ruby Redbird finishes dry, refreshing, easy-drinking, and sweet. Overall, this is a good fruit beer.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 23:43:31 | More by RonaldTheriot

campfirebrew

New York

3.25/5  rDev +3.2%

06-03-2013 10:58:17 | More by campfirebrew