22 oz bottle from CBX, Charleston, SC, $5.49. Well, it needs to be said that this beer does not look like, or drink like, a Belgian Pale Ale. This is one thing that REALLY pisses me off. When a brewery puts the words "Belgian Pale Ale" on the label, it seems reasonable to assume that there is a Belgian Pale in the bottle - in this case there isn't, there's a beer that is much closer to a Dubbel, or at very least a Brune. It beer looks good as a "beer", but it looks awful as a "Belgian Pale"....
Notes on beers brewed by
RJ Rockers Brewing Co.
Star Spangled Stout
12 oz bottle from casemw. Finally got around to trying this, hand-labeled, bootleg bottle from the source. Cheers. Pour is a requisite blackish/brownish brown pour with those strage green highlights that a good stout sometimes produces (in my eyes at least!). A few ruby red highlights on standing. Head is small, poorly retained and doesn't create much lace - a bit of a let down considering the pretty nature of the body. Nose has a simple, sweet balance that one would expect, with very mild...
Son Of A Peach
$4.75 for the pint at Taco Mac, East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Well, you get what it says on the label! Pour is a slightly clouded, bright orange body with some minimal head and lace. Nose is big on the peach/fruit side of things but also seems to me to have a white chocolate note. The Peach and Wheat attributes come through in the tastes but to a lesser extent than the nose would initially suggest. not much else to report here. A beer that acts well as a thirst quencher, but to be...
Bald Eagle Brown
12 oz single, Total Wine, Atlanta, GA, USA. Dark amber body with disappointing lace and head. Colour is strong, but the rest of the appearance lacks much presence. Nose seems to be the strongest suit for the beer and has a touch of boubon or liquor. I have ABSOLUTELY no idea where that is coming from but the source seems to be an exaggerated malt profile. Although the liquor is an odd thing to be picking up, I am glad to have a large malt note in a style that SHOULD be exhibiting such traits....
Light Rock
Big thanks go out to casemw for the chance to try this one. 12 oz single as seen in the BA database. Pour produces a small head with some lace, but a strange, slightly cloudy light orange body. Nose lacks any kind of presence. Corny sugar? A lot of grainy sweetness in the taste and not much else. 119 calories is heavily advertised on the label so I guess that they are looking to compete with the Lites/Lights of this world. By definition that puts this beer at the edge of my tolerance, and...
Patriot Pale
12oz single from Total Wine, Atlanta, GA, USA. A somewhat cloudy, light copper pour with some really nice lace and some significant head. Looks nice. I'd like a little more clarity but it's not the end of the world. A little floral hop note in the nose. This beer seems to drink a little muddled to me. The hop profile is there but to me it seems a bit jumbled. Citrus notes yes, but at the same time I get competing soapy hop notes and some slick malts. The combination is a little powdery and...
Buckwheat Ale
12oz single coutesy of casemw. RJ Rocker's is a brewery with a growing reputation in my mind for some super beers and outstanding customer service. A nice combo! This one goes into the Tucher, 500 mL Weizen glass. Body is a little darker than your standard Hefe. A golden with a LOT more clarity than I was expecting. Carbonation also seems a little higher than expected. Head is small, and falls away pretty quickly but not without leaving some nice lace. Nose and tastes are certainly...
Honey Amber Ale
12 oz bottle from Wine Times 4, Hilton Head Island, SC, USA. $3.50. Having had a whole bunch of really quite impressive brews from these guys recently, I was looking forward to trying this one. Had relatively high hopes, unfortunately I was rather badly let down with this one. That'll teach 'em to raise expectations. Poured a rather murky, drab and disappointing light brown color with a dreadful lack of liveliness. Carbonation seemed low, and the beer was too sweet and lacked any kind of...
First Snow Ale
16 oz pint at Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Having tried a few of the RJ Rockers line so far (and been impressed) I was happy to see this and keen to give it a whirl. Pour is somewhat ordinary looking in terms of color (a golden macro color), but above average in terms of head and lace. Nose is an interesting combination of faint cinnamon and a bunch of other spices. This carries through to the tastes where we get an solid but subtle arrangement of Winter Warmer tastes...
Bell Ringer
I'd seen these bottles around the ATL for weeks now and decided to dive in finally at the Taco Mac on the East West connector, Austell, GA, USA. 16oz draft pour. $4.75. Viscous orange pour with little carbonation and little head. Lace is scant too which is fair enough considering the ABV. Light hops in the nose that are not overpowering. Not at all cloying in the mouth, in fact rather light. Interesting tastes. Viscous sugar is there amongst the alcohol and hop base, but to my great surprise...