Franciscan Well Rebel Red Ale

Brewed by Franciscan Well Brewery (Molson Coors)
Style: Irish Red Ale
Cork, Ireland

Built on the site of a former Franciscan monastery and well dating back to the year 1219, in Cork City, the brewery was founded in 1998 by publican Shane Long.

The brewery has won numerous awards over the years across Europe and beyond. Wins include Best Seasonal Pale Ale at the World Beer Awards with its seasonal Summer Saison brew, the World Beer Awards Gold twice, for Rebel Red (European section) and for Shandon Export, and a Bronze for its Coffee Porter.

Review: 330ml tiny can of Franciscan Well Rebel Red Ale: 4.3% vol.

Have had this on draught which I loved, very crisp and so easy to drink.

For the tiny cans bought in the supermarket, I dig the well designed colourful red setting with white lettering and distinctive Franciscan Well monastery logo, “crafted the Cork way” with a “smooth revolution”, love it.

The name “Rebel Red”, of course, a nod to Cork, the “Rebel County”.

Very nice on the appearance, getting a nice reddish hue and a general dark amber look, a good white head, not a bad looking beer.

A bit of carbonation, fizzing around, makes a decent white head.

A very light aroma on the nose, barely registering anything to be honest.

Getting a lagery type smell, caramel malts, some hops, yeast, citrus, and that’s about it. All light though.

Initially, lovely big refreshing mouthfuls on the taste. Getting a regular red ale taste to it, the malts, dark fruits, and hops are there, also getting a taste of caramel.

Also get a decent amount in the glass from the can, considering how tiny they are, not bad.

Taste does go a bit watery though, and I am getting a slight off taste to it.

The aftertaste is a bit strong, a bit “urgh”, all a bit too much in the caramel, too sweetish and too hoppy for me.

Overall, it is not that bad of a red ale I suppose and has all the main characteristics of a red ale as one would expect.

I have had this on the taps, and I can tell you it tastes much, much better. It is really a very decent brew when in the bar. Not so much from a cheap can off the supermarket shelf, which is less smooth and has a bitter taste that was not as appealing.………..