Terrapin Side Project Roggenrauchbier Lager Beer

Bomber courtesy of juiceisloose. Pours brown with a thin white head. Smells of sweet rye, some light smoky malt, caramel. Tastes earthy and smoky with some earthiness on the finish. Very enjoyable!

Bomber. Pours brown with almost no head. I take a whiff, ready for a delightful smoked meat on rye sandwich, and boy was I let down. Easily detected corny lager sweetness is immediately noticed along with hints at bread and apples. The flavor is better. It’s slightly bacony, kind of. The finish is ashy and an even sweetness is noted throughout. This is fair. Needs more body. Making a single, special release of a $7.50 a bomber beer make me anticipate something more than just a doable session brew. I would’ve liked to have tasted and smelled more rye and certainly more smoke.

Bottle. Transparent brown pour with gold highlights. Almost no head. A bit of thin, cigarette smoke in the aroma, with minor corn and spices. The flavor has some smoke and maybe some rye but is dominated by an extremely metallic palate that blocks the whole front half of the tongue from tasting anything. It might have been pretty good if it weren’t for that but its tough to tell as its tough to taste anything.

Date: 06/07/2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewery

Appearance: clear dark amber, wispy beige head, streaks of drippy lace,
Aroma: big smokey aroma with lots of earthyness on a dry dark caramel base,
Flavor: dark caramel and chocolate flavor with lots of balancing smoke, earth smoke and rye conspire to keep it dry, touch of caramel sweetness sneaks out at the end to balance the books,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 06/26/2008
Mode: bottle
Words: Green’s

Aroma: lots of smoke in the aroma but the dark caramel malt is coming through stronger with a touch of bready sweetness,
Flavor: flavor is all about the earth and smoke with just enough caramel for balance, touch of nut brown character,
Overall: bottle is still very smokey contrary to popular belief,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***/4

Reddish-copper color with thin white head. Rye aroma was musky wet grains, licorice, and dryer lint. Odd sharp rye taste with some sweeter malts. I usually like rye beers but this one was an exception. Too sharp on the rye and no defined smoke component.