Aviator Red
Flying Bison Brewing Company

Aviator RedAviator Red
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Flying Bison Brewing Company
 
New York, United States
Style:
Irish Red Ale
Ranked #41
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
84
Ranked #22,711
Avg:
3.71 | pDev: 11.86%
Reviews:
84
Ratings:
145
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 13, 2022
Added:
Mar 24, 2003
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  19
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Darkmagus82:
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – Pours a nice mahogany color with a white head. The head faded relatively fast to leave a persistent film on the top of the brew with some moderate lacing.

Smell – The smell was largely of roasty malt with some toffee and caramel sweetness.

Taste – The taste is very similar to what was detected in the nose. There was a roasty malt flavor up front. Some sweeter flavors of toffee and caramel develop in the middle of the taste. These sweeter flavors persist, but toward the end are again dominated by a more roasty flavor which lingers on the tongue well after the brew is gone from the mouth.

Mouthfeel – Creamier then the average beer of its strength with a lighter to moderate level of carbonation. The body feels nice on the tongue and allows the roasty tastes to really permeate the tongue.

Overall – Easy drinking and affordable. It is somewhat one-dimensional, but overall makes for a good session brew.
Apr 11, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

3.94/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at Nine Eleven Tavern in Buffalo, NY.

This one pours a medium amber red color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

This smells like toasty malt, some light smoke, roast, and lightly bitter hopping.

This was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t entirely expecting the light wisp of smoke here – was that intentional? It’s more richly malty than I expect red ales or beers in general from Flying Bison to be.

This is medium bodied, creamy, and quite drinkable.

I only ordered this because it was the only other beer on the menu I hadn’t tried. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised.
Nov 13, 2022
Photo of Djburger56
Reviewed by Djburger56 from New York

4.58/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Recently in Ireland. This is as good as any Irish there. Excellent taste. Well balanced. Very drinkable stronger than many. But not overpowering. Can safely drink a few. Worth going out of your way to try.
May 01, 2019
 
Rated: 3.71 by LeftHanded666 from New York

Feb 10, 2018
 
Rated: 3.3 by DaveCash from New York

Apr 16, 2017
Photo of Den7854
Rated by Den7854 from Ohio

2.98/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Nothing special. Had a draft at the Anchor Bar downtown Buffalo, NY. Easy drinkability but lacked any substantial character.
Apr 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.93 by generallee from Virginia

Apr 07, 2017
 
Rated: 3.86 by nater919 from New York

Aug 31, 2016
 
Rated: 4.53 by RyanKininger from New York

Jul 07, 2016
Photo of Rock_Glenn
Reviewed by Rock_Glenn from New York

3.56/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Red Ales are just plain hard to pull off. This one smells and tastes pretty average, but the beauty of this beer is the texture. Unlike most Reds they got the body on this perfect, it's not too light (and therefore weak tasting) and it's not a heavy mess like many.
May 29, 2016
 
Rated: 4.24 by Almasi_ from New York

Jan 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.1 by Flyjetz from Louisiana

Sep 25, 2015
Photo of timfelix
Rated by timfelix from New York

4.19/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
very nice! balanced and flavorful. If you like a bit of hop bite, it's there along with some broad malty flavors. A tough one to pass by
Sep 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.4 by deonreds from New York

Aug 06, 2015
 
Rated: 3.3 by Sabre311 from Texas

Jul 02, 2015
Photo of BeerAdvocate
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From BeerAdvocate Magazine #84 (Jan 2014):

A serious and tasty little Red Ale here, with a high level of drinkability. Perhaps more to style than the mass-produced, over-processed Irish Red Ales of today. Quaffing back a pint or few would be the only proper way to approach this ale. We swear it was daring us to pair it with some crubeens ...

STYLE: Irish Red Ale
ABV: 5.5%
AVAILABILITY: Year-round

LOOK: Dark chestnut hue, thin layer of lacing

SMELL: Bready, toffee, baked apples, brown bread, hint of alcohol

TASTE: Tight crispness, layered smoothness, dried hay, toasted bread, apple skin, herbal, balancing hop bitterness, toasted grain, caramel; drying, grainy finish
Jun 19, 2015
Photo of TheBeerMaster1
Reviewed by TheBeerMaster1 from New York

3.44/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Not overly carbonated. Some chocolate mid-taste with a Soggy bitter and heavy malty finish. It's a little of everything but not much of anything. Decent red ale, have had much better. Wouldn't buy on my own, got in the flying bison variety.
May 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Iamjeff6 from Virginia

Apr 14, 2015
Photo of Kevuas
Reviewed by Kevuas from New York

3.96/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Aviator Red poured a deep ruby to brown with a spirited head that laced down the pint glass. The aroma of Aviator Red is predominantly caramel sweet malt with a touch of spice. The taste of Aviator Red was as expected from an Irish style red ale with malt shining through. Where I think Aviator Red excels is the blend of other flavors surrounding the malt character, including Kent Golding hops. The mouthfeel of Aviator Red is light and the carbonation level is on target.

Aviator Red is certainly malt-centric, but I found Aviator Red to be not as malty as other Irish red ales. I feel there is a unique balance achieved by Aviator Red: malt dominance is balanced exceptionally well with hop modesty.
Mar 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.58 by masonstorm from New York

Jan 09, 2015
Aviator Red from Flying Bison Brewing Company
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 145 ratings