HotRod Red - Aviator Brewing Company

Durge

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A dark, copper colored brew with a healthy off-white head and major walls of lacing. The aroma brings sour mash malt, a little pine hop and fruit nougat and a touch of grassy yeast alcohol. The flavor closes the deal with deep grassy malt cider. There's a vague floral edge, slightly perfumey vegetable ideas. It has some bock-like qualities. A little skunky. A very solid red ale, easily recommended with medium body and a dry feel, smooth and modestly carbonated. Nice!

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2012 06:01:14 | More by Durge

daliandragon

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a bomber from Aviator, just a few minutes down the road in Fuquay. Pours darker than most in the style, with a brown top and orange feet. head is eggshell colored and has copious lace but doesn't last long. Nose is floral hops over a foundation of caramel and toasted malts.

Strong malt flavors, with caramel and toasted morphing into coffee and baker' s chocolate before long. Hops are window dressing at first but shine on nicely in the aftertaste. The combination of English and west coast hops makes this unique.

Certainly not standard among the Irish Reds I have sampled in the past but definitely tasty and interesting.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 01:07:58 | More by daliandragon

beerenjoyer1

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Peabody's Wine and Beer in Boone, NC provided me with this beer.

A - Poured clean with little foam but left a slight ring of foam around the glass.

S - Definite malts with alittle sweet smell.

T - Malts up front followed by hoppy dry finish which more noticable as the beer warms to room temp.

M - Nice full flavor with malts and hops. Not as full as I might expect but good.

O - I do like this beer and I think will you too. There might be better Irish Ales out there but I feel that one cannot go wrong with the Aviator Hod Rod Red. Enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 21:44:54 | More by beerenjoyer1

Luigi

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours out a clear ruby red color with a three finger chunky off white head. The retention is almost perfect, as it clings to the glass and stays a good one finger thickness. Chunks of fluffy, creamy foam till the last drop.

The aroma is roasted malt that is is slightly sweet, and little bitter. A hint of citrus hits the nose from the cascade hops.

The toasted malt hits the palate first. Sweet and bitter is blended together almost perfectly. A dry citrus hop emerges toward the end giving this ale a dry bitter finish. The sweetness of the malt helps balanced out the bitter hop.

Medium bodied and slick on the tongue, a little creamy from the head. Very easy to drink.

I am very proud to say this Irish Red Ale is brewed only 15 minutes down the road from me. Nothing is over the top concerning this style of beer. Every flavor has been crafted just right. I want to see some six packs soon.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 21:58:31 | More by Luigi

excoriator

North Carolina

1.68/5  rDev -54%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Poured from a bottle into a glass. It has a nice head that maintains a thin layer even halfway through the beer.

Tastes horrible. I detect notes of copper and and a subtle chalky aftertaste. It has a very watery mouthfeel.

I bought this beer because they are a local brewery from down the road. I like some of their other stuff, but this is just awful.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 00:52:10 | More by excoriator

avalon07

South Carolina

3.65/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had an amber color and a clear consistency. There was an inch of foamy, fairly long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: A good amount of hops and a very noticeable caramel presence in the aroma.

T: Tasted of hops, malt, a little citrus and some caramel in the finish. Not quite as dynamic as I would have liked, but an OK flavor.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a dry, earthy finish. Medium-bodied.

O: Not too bad of a beer, but doesn't particularly separate itself from the herd.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 13:33:32 | More by avalon07

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

At Ale House in Durham,. Pour is a nice red, with a decent white head floating on tap. Smell is roasty, with a decent hoppy presence. The flavor pretty much follows suit. The taste is amazing. Complex with a touch of dry malt. Caramel malt is everywhere, and I love it. It leaves a slightly chewy malt feeling.

The only better Irish Red is GLBC Conways.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2012 21:23:17 | More by VncentLIFE

usafboy

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Poured on tap at the Aviator Brewery into a pint glass. Deep orange color. Beautiful! Moderate lacing formed as I drank. Didn't want to wait for this one.

Smell- Light and zesty.

Taste- With only a Killians to base my memory off of a red this beer much far better. Grassy and clean hops that lingered but didn't overpower.

Overall- This is what I imagine when I imagine an irish beer. Aviators signature brew and rightly so!

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 04:12:12 | More by usafboy

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served on draft at the FV draft house. Pours reddish ruddy brown color. Small wispy off white head. Good dose of lacing. Sweet up front with some caramel maltiness and bready backbone. Not much different than the Steamhead. Biscuity and bready with some yeast flavors kicking in as well. More of the chocolate malitness. Not too shabby. Tastes close to a brown ale/amber ale hybrid. Plenty of bread.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 20:46:22 | More by SaCkErZ9

tdm168

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark amber with a half inch of head with great retention. Smells of caramel malts and mild hop notes. Taste is burnt, roasted malts with mild, piny hop character. Mouthfeel is crisp with medium carbonation.

Not a bad Irish Red. Definitely more flavor than you're average mass produced Irish Red.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2011 22:44:40 | More by tdm168

oberon

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Speakeasy in Carrboro.Poured into a standard pint a deep amber/bronze with tight one finger slight off white head that held well.Caramel toffee and brown sugar sweetness in the nose,lighter burnt toast aromas as well,the hops provide some herbal notes.Starts out with caramel malts and brown sugar with hops melding into the beer adding leafy,and herbal hops.A more hopped up red but not as big as alot of American reds.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2011 22:55:39 | More by oberon

womencantsail

California

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer pours a copper color with a couple fingers of off-white head and a high level of carbonation

S: Smells of toffee and toasted bread with a bit of piney hops. Not much citrus to it, but a little bit of floral and earthy notes. Pretty simple aroma to the beer, but not bad.

T: Toasted bread is the dominant flavor. There is some toffee and a little bit of caramel sweetness to it which is nice. Subtle bitterness with a light hop flavor.

M: Medium in body with a moderate to high carbonation.

O: Overall a decent red, but I don't know if I'd come back to this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 03:29:10 | More by womencantsail

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

tap

Pours a clear copper color with a bit of white lacing.

Bit of toastiness in the nose with maybe some maple sweetness and also hops aromas.

Mild grain taste, somewhat toasted, and a touch of hop bitterness.

Moderate to fuller mouth with a good tingly carbonation.

Solid Irish ale with good flavors and presentation. Not quite anything special, but worth a try and gets the job done.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2011 02:29:34 | More by Cylinsier

bearfootdaddy

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +37%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

on tap in glass at tap house, great in a growler too. I would like to get a keg soon.

nice head,

clean taste.

mild hops, just right for a amber ale.

stayed crisp till the last sip,

thick amber color,

great local beer,

I think I will go drink one now.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2010 16:52:09 | More by bearfootdaddy

atsprings

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask at The Wooden Nickel served in a slim pint glass a crisp dark amber with a thin diminishing head. Aroma is crisp citrus hops in front of burn caramel malts. The taste is a nice balance of burnt caramel malts and citrus hops. The beer is light, crisp and quite smooth. This is a great cask beer!

Serving type: cask

10-02-2010 22:51:20 | More by atsprings

mechamifune

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Have had this beer many times and have experienced a lot of variation with it. This review reflects the most common experience I have had with it.

Pours a nice red/amber with a heavy creamy head.
Hops are evident in the smell, more so than most "irish reds" (though i think that categorization is often misused). Smeetness is also evident, but not heavy.

Taste is pleasant, a slight but far from overwhelming hoppiness with a obvious malt backbobe. More hoppy than most in this style, and for me thats a welcome change.

Mouthfeel is a little thicker and heavier than I would like, but again I think it is probably about right for the style.

As a result the drinkability is good but not great. A decent enough session-style beer and a good take on one of my less than favorite styles.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2010 18:19:08 | More by mechamifune

beer2day

North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bright red pour with 1-finger of light tan head. Very little retention. Laces very nicely.

Faint, sweet malt nose. Not much to go on.

Sweet hit on the tongue. Turns very sweet in the aftertaste, like big red licorice. Surprisingly dry and hoppy in the finish.

Decent malt body.

Easy drinker and hides it's slightly higher than average abv well.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 16:05:36 | More by beer2day

bosox941827

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at Tyler's TapRoom in Apex into 16oz logo pint glass that I wanted to take with me (but didn't!). First try of an Aviator beer, which is my bad as they're just down the road...
A - Nice, welcoming reddish-amber color
S - Mostly caramel malts but a bit of hops as well
T - Gotta say up front, I'm not a fan of "red" beers, as they've always had somewhat of an "off" flavor to me that I can't place, however wanted to try an Aviator, so gave it a whirl....and actually, as red ales go, this has got to be one of the better ones I've tried. Has MUCH more of a hop presence than am used to from this style, which is fine with me. Kind of has an English Pale Ale type hop flavor for me. Can still sense that "off" flavor which I mention above, but it's hidden by the hops and bit of alcohol. That being said, sweet malts predominate here, with the hops finishing things off.
M - Properly carbonated with a nice smooth mouthfeel.
D - Could session this, especially with the hops balancing things out.

Overall probably the best red ale I've had, which, granted, doesn't say too much. But I liked this beer, would order it again, and it gets me excited to try more from Aviator. So, mission accomplished!

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2010 00:26:45 | More by bosox941827

SIRIUS2

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at the Aviator Tap House in Fuquay Varina, NC.

Brought to me in a standard pint glass. Deep orange to red in color, very light head that quickly reduced to a thin layer of bubbles and a heavy ring around the glass. Very light lacing.

Aromas are relatively light. There is some moderate to light malts that mix with herbal grassy hops. Nothing here is overpowering or strong, but rather well matched and balanced.

Flavors of modest malts and light earthy hops are quite well balanced. Slightly heavier mouthfeel than I would have expected and somewhat muted grassy hop notes make this a most enjoyable brew. Finish is more dry than not, and is relatively clean. Linger is short and slightly hoppy.

Nice flavors for an Irish Red, with hints of "English" hops and malts. This really strikes me as something that might be had at an English inn rather than an Irish pub. Just the same it's solid and clean. Nice brew!

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2009 01:31:18 | More by SIRIUS2

GJ40

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled on tap at Peak City Grill in Apex.

I'd been meaning to try more Aviator beers and with them onsite at Peak City Grill for a promotion, the timing was right. I'm more into hops than malts but this beer had some great flavors coming from the malts. It was fruity, bready and biscuity with a touch or caramel and nuts. And it had a nice rich mouthfeel.

Hot Rod Red is a flavorful and enjoyable beer. It's a nice addition to the local beer scene and I look forward to seeing it come out in bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2009 11:20:52 | More by GJ40