Sonoma Springs Roggenbier

Brewed by Sonoma Springs Brewing Co.
Style: Specialty Grain
Sonoma, California USA

Smells very spicey...Good german yeast character. Depending on how well the yeast settled the appearance can be murky or slightly hazy tan brown. It tastes very good. The rye character is present. I much prefer it to Hop Rod Rye from Bear Republic...This beer is more palatable and balanced. The palate feels a bit slimy to me...I feel like I’m tasting some protein coagulation from the mash. This is a big turn off to me. I think this masks the underlying goodness of everything else in the beer... I like this style and taste of this beer. I wish it could have slightly less gelatinous feel to the mouth. I wonder if simply using more C02 would make this beer any better.

Sampled at the brewpub. Translucent amber with a thin slightly off white head. Spicy, herbal aroma. Flavor is the same, medium bodied, spicy, earthy.

On tap @ Toad in the Hole. Cloudy amber brown with a small beige head, fading to a film. Lemon and some yeast in the aroma. Light yeast and lemon in the flavor and a little toasty malts, not too much rye noted. Some light plastic notes that dissipate rather quickly before the slightly earthy bitter finish kicks in. Light carbonation with a light body. OK.

On draft at Toad, pours tawny with slight haze and fading off-white head. Aroma has hint of clove and a bit of yeasty acidity. This is a Roggenbier, (not a weizen, but a) traditional German ale made with rye. Tastes a lot like it has fruity esters from weizen yeast. Like a robust, clean traditional weizen but with rye, and more hop character.