Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale

July 1, 2013 By

Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Parallel 49 is the realized dream of three lifelong friends from Vancouver. Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale, which is one of the brewery’s three year-round releases, is brewed using only late hop additions and dry-hopping.

ABV: 6
ABW: 4.8
COLOR: 23
BITTERNESS: 46
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1060
AVAILABLE: BC, AB, SK, MB, ON

In the ruby range of hues, with a tiny bubbled head. Deep hop resin, caramel malt overtones, spicy hoppiness and toasted bread make for a complex aroma. Lovely crispness, very smooth and creamy as well. While the hop bitterness isn’t overly pronounced, the hop flavor is intensely enjoyable. Toffee, stone fruit, apple skin, toasted bread and a kiss of alcohol are the more prevalent complexities. A whole lot of fun to drink. Reminds us of some of the old-school hoppy red ales of the 1990s.
- Jason and Todd Alström

Aside from being a lovely brew, this amber-hued western Canadian ale is a fine illustration of the pointlessness in seeking to style-classify every beer. Arguably hoppier than the brewery’s IPA, this is a fruity (citrus, dried cherries, red apple), spicy (nutmeg, perhaps a hint of cinnamon) and even a bit nutty (walnut) ale with a balanced body and bittersweet, grapefruity finish. What do you call that? Other than a satisfying end-of-work tipple or laudable accompaniment to beef sausages or stew, of course.
- Stephen Beaumont

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