R.J. Rockers First Snow Ale

Brewed by R.J. Rockers Brewing Co.
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Spartanburg, South Carolina USA

Date: March 02, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Appearance: hazy light gold, fine off white head, scattered drippy lace
Aroma: sweet and spicy caramel malt aroma, caramel candy and cinnamon
Flavor: sweet cinamon flavor, sweet caramel candy spiced with lots of cinamon, light bitterness from the spicyness
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

(12oz bottle) Small off-white head atop murky amber body. Aroma is moderately sweet, ginger, some cinnamon, orange. Taste is moderately sweet, ginger, cookie, some bread, light cinnamon, raisin. Watery light-medium body.

Bottle… Hazy, amber ale with a small, flimsy, white head. The aroma is all about gingerbread. Medium-bodied with prickly carbonation. Leans a touch on the sweet side of balance. Subtle, spicy flavor of ginger and praline. Lightly acidic. Short, crisp, clean finish. Bottle courtesy of growler!

Pours a transparent dark bronze orange with a thin, spotty-lacing white head. Aroma of sweet orange peel and lots of ginger with a touch of anise and caramel malt. Has an average thickness body with finely dissolved carbonation and light caramel sweetness with a good spice balance. A pretty decent spiced beer.

Bottle courtesy of hopscotch. Pours mahogany with a thin white head. Smells of honey, ginger, spice, caramel. Tastes spicy and peppery with an earthy finish.

Bottle from State Line. Pours hazy deep copper with off-whute head. Nose is caramel malt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom. Tastes pumpkin spicy, with malt and more late nutmeg notes. Decent overall.

Bottle. Cloudy amber. Short bubbly white head that gathers around the edges on the glass. Aroma is very spicy! Lots of cinnamon, ginger (like a gingerbread man), and clove along with caramel and sweet malts. Taste is gingerbread cookies, caramel, cinnamon toast, and sweet malts. Bit of nuttiness and dried fruit notes coming through as well. Body is medium with moderate carbonation. Finishes with more strong spices - cinnamon and ginger, mostly - caramel, light nutty flavors, and sweet malts. Dried dark fruit as well.

Pours a hazy straw color, with a soapy film of a head - aroma of honey, nutmeg, moderate hops, some wildflower-like character - I was a little confused by the commercial description, but this really does taste like they spiced up a pale ale, and somehow it kind of works - things open with ginger, nutmeg, and other warming wintery spices, as well as sweet honey - their potency fades fast, though, and a moderate hop profile and some bready flavors show up behind them - a little bit of honey and warmth returns in the finish - I’m not quite sure why it works, but this is a pretty good beer.