Railbender Ale

Tasted Wednesday night after filtering a whole 40 bbls of pale! I picked this beer up at a small beer store in Pennsylvania on our way home from the New York Wedding we went to a couple days ago. Reviewed in the evening following an 8 mile run totalling 15 for the day. Whhew!

Appearance: Basic Amber color with a bit of a chill haze to it, but otherwise it remains clear. Carbonation bubbles accumulate on the sides and bottom, similar to a soft drink. Head is negligible
Aroma: Sweet and perfumy of malted grains and some dark roasted fruit characteristics. Hops don't seem to be as present as the malt they work against.
Taste: A fruity peach like foretaste right at the front, but quickly surfaces on the palate as a rich caramel and mild toasted malt barley flavor. The malt reminds me of what would be layered around a toffee apple but with a bit of cherry mixed in. Very estery from the yeast attenuation. Hops leave the palate with a subtle spicing, reminiscent of the common oktoberfest with German Munich malt and caramel. I'd pick out even some cinnamon and brown sugar personally.
Mouthfeel: Heavier body with a pinch of carbonation at the very back of the mouth, but overall it maintains a rather flattened feel. Dry to the tip of the tongue and cloying in the back of the throat.
Overall Impression: A richly flavored and malt forward beer with a sweet foretaste and a caramel and toasted spiced finish that leaves the palate trembling for more. I was surprised that this beer made such an impression. As it settled in the glass and warmed up, the balance really came through.


90/100

Mad Anthony APA

Purchased this from a random liqueur store in Pennsylvania. Apparently they cannot sell in Grocery stores or gas stations! Tasted after a trip to Blue Cat to try their new Ginger Saison.

Not the current label, the new one has a skull
with a pirates hat on...

Appearance: A clear amber with a pour that looked rather flat... Nevertheless bubbles begin to appear on the inside of the glass after a while of sitting. No head whatsoever or lacing for that matter.
Aroma: Very fruity - apricots and pears - right off the bat. Figs may be another descriptive similarity. Must not have dry-hopped it because it is very insufficient in aromatic hop qualities.
Taste: There is a lot of toasted malt in this one, and biscuit. I think this beer tastes more of a homebrew than something actually commercial, especially with all the yeast at the bottom of the glass. Also, yeasty byproducts definitely make for a estery flavor. Finally, at the near-end, there is a bit of a metallic and green-beer flavor that definitely distinguishes it from others, At the finish, we are left with a bit of oxidation.
Mouthfeel: Very low on the carbonation, which doesn't have a fine point of notice, but just lightly tickles as it passes the tongue. Bigger mouthfeel because of this.
Overall Impression: Interesting, but Really?! there were hardly any hops in this to begin with! more sweetness than anything, and even that was off. Nevertheless, I'd say that this beer may have been stored/aged improperly, especially from the place I bought it from.


67/100