Pete's Wicked Red
Rush
Review Date 2/1/2003
Try?
Re-buy?
I’m a little
confused about this beer. It appears Pete’s Brewing Company of San Antonio,
Texas, is confused about it too. Maybe the uncertainty over Pete’s Wicked
Red Rush occurred during all the moving around Pete’s has endured over
the years. Pete’s beers were born in California, brewed in New Ulm
Minnesota, distributed across America, sold to a company in Texas, and are
now brewed in Tumwater, Washington and Eden, North Carolina.
A few years ago, the Gambrinus Company, most notable for being one of the two importers of Corona beer into the United States, bought the Pete’s line from Pete Slosberg, the man who put the Pete in Pete’s. Gambrinus owned a few breweries already. They bought the Spoetzel Brewery of Shiner, Texas, in 1989. Spoetzel is the maker of Shiner Bock, a brewing icon in Texas. In addition, Gambrinus took over the Bridgeport Brewing Company of Portland, Oregon.
Shortly after acquiring the Pete’s line, Gambrinus revamped it. They discontinued several varieties and added new brews, Pete’s Wicked Red Rush among them (although Pete’s did have a similar red ale before). They also changed the formulation of the flagship Wicked Ale.
It appears, though, that the new management at Pete’s isn’t quite sure just what Pete’s Wicked Red Rush is. Here’s how they describe it:
From the moment you pop the top, its obvious Pete's Wicked Red Rush isn't an ordinary ale. "Engineered to deliver a heightened effervescence, our American Red Ale is WICKEDLY charged! Discover the RUSH... Get Wicked!
All right. Notice they called it an ale. That’s what it is, after all. But if that’s the case, why did this beer win a Bronze Medal at the 2001 Great American Beer Festival in the American Style Amber Lager category? That’s a confusing question to say the least. Pete’s Brewing would have submitted the beer in that category, because that’s the procedure: you pay a fee and fill out a form that describes your beer and what category it should be judged in. So, barring any errors on GABF’s part, the beer was entered in a lager category by the brewer.
But what about the experts and evaluators at GABF? How did they end up giving an ale a medal in a lager category? Pete’s Wicked Red Rush does have enough fruity esters to it to make it suspect of being a lager. Why didn’t they pick up on this during the competition? How much credibility does this lend to GABF decisions? You be the judge (ouch).
However you classify it, Pete’s Wicked Red Rush is a decent American red/amber ale that pairs nicely with various dishes and is enjoyable in its own right as a tasty, quaffable brew. The soft malt flavors work as well with poultry and fish as they do red meats; I enjoyed a bottle recently with a baked cod fillet stuffed with a crabmeat and scallop dressing and spicy stewed tomatoes. The subtle fruitiness of the ale complemented the sweetness of the tomatoes and the contrasting flavors of the fish quite well.
Pete’s Wicked Red Rush pours to a bright copper color with a medium russet head formation and a fruity malt nose. The palate first confronts you with slightly sweet, fruity malt flavors and a hint of Munich-malt inspired chocolate. Subtle notes of sweet cherry emerge as you sip and gradually yield to a balancing hop finish. A delicate hop bitterness is present; Tettnangs and Cascades are the hop varieties used here. Alcohol is about average at 5.3% by volume.
Don’t let the stylistic ambivalence on Pete’s part deter you. This is a beer that many folks will enjoy. It’s well worth trying, despite the confusion.
A few years ago, the Gambrinus Company, most notable for being one of the two importers of Corona beer into the United States, bought the Pete’s line from Pete Slosberg, the man who put the Pete in Pete’s. Gambrinus owned a few breweries already. They bought the Spoetzel Brewery of Shiner, Texas, in 1989. Spoetzel is the maker of Shiner Bock, a brewing icon in Texas. In addition, Gambrinus took over the Bridgeport Brewing Company of Portland, Oregon.
Shortly after acquiring the Pete’s line, Gambrinus revamped it. They discontinued several varieties and added new brews, Pete’s Wicked Red Rush among them (although Pete’s did have a similar red ale before). They also changed the formulation of the flagship Wicked Ale.
It appears, though, that the new management at Pete’s isn’t quite sure just what Pete’s Wicked Red Rush is. Here’s how they describe it:
From the moment you pop the top, its obvious Pete's Wicked Red Rush isn't an ordinary ale. "Engineered to deliver a heightened effervescence, our American Red Ale is WICKEDLY charged! Discover the RUSH... Get Wicked!
All right. Notice they called it an ale. That’s what it is, after all. But if that’s the case, why did this beer win a Bronze Medal at the 2001 Great American Beer Festival in the American Style Amber Lager category? That’s a confusing question to say the least. Pete’s Brewing would have submitted the beer in that category, because that’s the procedure: you pay a fee and fill out a form that describes your beer and what category it should be judged in. So, barring any errors on GABF’s part, the beer was entered in a lager category by the brewer.
But what about the experts and evaluators at GABF? How did they end up giving an ale a medal in a lager category? Pete’s Wicked Red Rush does have enough fruity esters to it to make it suspect of being a lager. Why didn’t they pick up on this during the competition? How much credibility does this lend to GABF decisions? You be the judge (ouch).
However you classify it, Pete’s Wicked Red Rush is a decent American red/amber ale that pairs nicely with various dishes and is enjoyable in its own right as a tasty, quaffable brew. The soft malt flavors work as well with poultry and fish as they do red meats; I enjoyed a bottle recently with a baked cod fillet stuffed with a crabmeat and scallop dressing and spicy stewed tomatoes. The subtle fruitiness of the ale complemented the sweetness of the tomatoes and the contrasting flavors of the fish quite well.
Pete’s Wicked Red Rush pours to a bright copper color with a medium russet head formation and a fruity malt nose. The palate first confronts you with slightly sweet, fruity malt flavors and a hint of Munich-malt inspired chocolate. Subtle notes of sweet cherry emerge as you sip and gradually yield to a balancing hop finish. A delicate hop bitterness is present; Tettnangs and Cascades are the hop varieties used here. Alcohol is about average at 5.3% by volume.
Don’t let the stylistic ambivalence on Pete’s part deter you. This is a beer that many folks will enjoy. It’s well worth trying, despite the confusion.
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
