Little Red Cap, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Loveland

Style: Dusseldorf Altbier

ABV: 6.3 percent

Serving Type: 12-ounce can.

Malty? Hoppy? Distinctly malty in flavor and aroma; more bitter on the nose than to taste.

Reviewed: May 2014

This amber-hued, malty beer just hit aluminum, which makes it the first-ever canned Colorado-brewed altbier (that’s a mouthful). The Little Red Cap’s aroma is complex—chocolate biscuit nuances meet bitterness from both German and American hops—and its flavor is rich with toasty, caramel notes. It is a full-bodied, yet clean-tasting brew with a smooth mouthfeel and dry finish. Little Red Cap embodies the traditional style from which it, along with the rest of Grimm’s lineup of German-style lagers and ales, was inspired. “Dusseldorf and the region of Germany that the altbier originates has one of the oldest brewing traditions in the world with archaeological evidence of commercial brewing dating back to Roman times,” says vice president of sales and marketing Russell Fruits. “Dusseldorf today boasts one of the densest brewery and bar districts in the world.”

One year after Grimm Bros. was founded in Loveland, Colorado, the brewery took home a gold medal in 2011 from the Great American Beer Festival in the German-style altbier category for Little Red Cap (named after the alluring, copper-colored headwear of Little Red Riding Hood). The beer would go on to win a bronze in the same category in 2012. Now, you can sip on this award-winning altbier at home the next time you need a little help getting rid of the day’s big bad wolves.

Would we buy it again?

Yes, through the seasons. It’s clean and dry enough to take on a hike in the summer, and complex enough to stand up to even the darkest of winter beer selections. Little Red Cap is available year-round at Denver liquor stores like Mr. B’s Wine & Spirits, Argonaut, Applejack Wine & Spirits, Small Batch Liquors, and Hugo’s Colorado Beer & Spirits.

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