Rio Grande Outlaw Lager

Formerly brewed at Rio Grande Brewing Co.
Style: California Common
Alburquerque, New Mexico USA

12 oz. bottle purchased at Trader Joe’s. This is obviously a different beer from the commercial description given here. It is still a California Common, but the comments on the website have changed. They now show O.G. 1.048, IBU 34, ABV 5.2%. Pours a thin off white head of poor duration, over a clear amber (SRM 10-12) body.....nose is rather light cereal, bit of hop floral, but very light....taste initially is light sweet toffee malts, then turn rather sharply to a harsh bitter.....mouth feel is light, carbonation medium. I wonder what hop was used. Was it Norther Brewer? Not a good example of a California Common.

My favorite beer from Rio Grande. Nice malty characteristics, grainy, a little nutty, with the right balance of hops. A good California Common and one of the better bottled beers from New Mexico. Rio Grande is still around. The beer is produced by Sierra Blanca Brewing company now and has changed slightly since the buyout happened. Sierra Blanca produces 4 Rio Grande beers for distribution: Outlaw Lager, Desert Pils, Pancho Verde Green Chile, and IPA.

Deep gold hue. Rocky, lasting head. Easy-to-quaff texture, and it was actually fuller bodied than I expected. Rich grains, nuts, tobacco, light wood and subtly sweet honey. A grassy-sour bitterness kind of ruined the show a bit. Individually, there seemed to be some nice elements. But collectively, they didn’t really seem to go together so well.

Found this rating sitting in one of my old books. I had gotten this one from my beer club. I was not familiar with the brewer. Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer poured a medium golden color with a small tan head. The aroma was tangy, sour macro lager. The flavor was also generic pale lager, maybe a hint of sweetish malts underneath. Drinkable but had nothing to recommend it.

Date: 04/07/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, 50 Beers on the Wall

clear amber, wispy beige head, caramel malt aroma with a hint of sweetness and floral hops, lightly sweet rich caramel malt flavor, light balancing earthy hops,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.8/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Clear amber, moderate head with decent lacing and retention. Aroma is toast, bread, caramel. Light bodied and forgettable.

Poured a clear amber colorwith a small off-white head. Caramel, toasty and grainy aroma. Sweet. Water malt and a hint of citrus. Thin and watery. Light bitterness on the dry finish.

12oz Bottle, Pours out a clear amber topped with a white head. aroma of sweet malt and a little like a brown ale. Not much on the tast. I can see why it is near the bottom of its style.