Hey wait a minute! What’s up with Colorado’s New Belgium brewery announcing a new fall beer called Red Hoptober? Didn’t they have a beer called Hoptober in the past? They did, to be sure, but as with many things in life, the devil is often in the details, and a simple adjective can make a big difference. The beer you’re thinking of was New Belgium Hoptober Golden Ale, a far cry from the latest Hoptober incarnation.

This time around, Hoptober is a more appropriate deep garnet color. I think fall beers should match the color of the leaves, and though I suppose some are golden, I associate fall with red. So there. Red Hoptober is nicely hopped with centennials, Cascades, and Eldorados. That’s sort of like the Golden, which used all of those varieties except the Eldorados and also included Glaciers, Willamettes, and Sterlings. Alcohol content for both beers is/was 6% by volume.

New Belgium Red Hoptober pours to a deep russet color with a very thick and tall head formation and a refreshing nose of stewed malts and citrusy hops. The malts come at you as soon as you sip, lightly chocolaty with a decided stewed-malt flavor, a hint of caramel, light toasted nuts, and berry fruit. Do I detect a bit of Munich malt? I think so. This is a red ale, albeit one brewed for the fall season. Munich malt or not, the hops quickly make their presence known, at first gently, then a bit more forcefully at the last. Lightly citric and resiny in aroma, they also leave the beer with a light balancing bitterness from the Centennials.

I do love the fact that the hops here are so delightful but don’t hide the malt character. It still remains as a force to be reckoned with, as should be the case with a fall brew. I do think this is a beer best drunk relatively fresh, however, perhaps by end of November. That will allow the delicate balance of malt and hop to best come through. The Best By date on the bottle suggest consumption by mid-November (the 12^th to be exact) .

I enjoyed a bottle this evening with one of my favorite meals: hamburger steaks with hearty chunks of onion, garden green beans and rice smothered in rich brown gravy. The maltiness of the beer paired divinely with the richness of the gravy and beef.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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