Black Raspberry Reserve - Sly Fox Brewing Company

ForkAndSpoonOp

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I spend too much money on beer. Like, way too much. My girlfriend enables me every time I bring it up. "Don't feel guilty about spending money on something you enjoy," or some such. But I do. Not guilty enough to stop, of course, but enough to feel bad about it. One way I've begun to rationalize my spending is by trying to involve her. Every mixed six pack I buy has something I think she'll enjoy, usually something wheaty and/or fruity. Or something that has a bear on the label. It's a whole thing.

Last time I was in my local store, she had just had some mildly bad news. Nothing earth-shattering, but a bummer for sure. Came across a big bottle of this, figured we could share it in memory of the goat that ate a piece of her shoe at the Sly Fox Bock Fest last year. Poured from C+C 750 into a tulip.

A: Pours deep red-purple with a massive fluffy pink head. Serious robey tones. Head dissipates quickly into a small ring around the edge and a galaxy-looking swirl dead center.

S: Straight-up raspberry jam on white bread. Not complex by any stretch, but delightful.

T: Still raspberries, but much more of the tart aspect. Dry with just a little hit of sweetness on the back end. Again, not much going on, but very nice.

M: Fairly light body. Appropriate carbonation, enough to keep things from getting all Jolly Rancher. A bit of stickiness from the residual sugar.

O: Straightforward, but I rather like it. A nice change of pace from the barrel-aged monstrosities I usually deal in.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 00:23:00 | More by ForkAndSpoonOp

kylehay2004

Florida

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Single finger surprisingly pink head on a reddish amber body. Aroma isn't too sweet with musty raspberry and blackberries. Flavor is actually a lot more well balanced than I would have predicted with caramel malts and raspberries providing both musty and mild sourness and sweetness. It isn't overwhelming at all and may be one of the better fruit beers I have had. Medium body and moderate carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2012 18:37:01 | More by kylehay2004

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep magenta red body with a light pink cap. Looks very benevolent and pleasing. 4.0

Smells of gooey raspberry preserve topping, white chocolate, orange gummi candy, and some small hints of a malt base. 4.0

Drier than expected, but still pretty sweet. Pureed red raspberries, light vanilla, cola, berry tartness, and light pie crust. Exquisite fruit profile. One-note, but well done. 4.0

Medium body with some girth. Fullness is cut by decent carb. Finishing an 8-ounce pour pretty quickly. 4.0

Decent fruit ale. I'd order another one sometime down the road. 4.0

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2012 01:30:21 | More by thecheapies

merc7186

New York

3.03/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had this beer on tap at The Deli in State College PA, poured in a tulip glass.

A: Deep Ruby Red Hue, Passes Some Light, Mild Pink Ring of Head, No Lacing

S: Mildly Tart Raspberry

T: Mild Raspberry

M: Mild Carbonation, Light Bodied, Watery

Overall, I was very disappointed because t had little t offer on taste and nose...and this is a brewers reserve?

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2012 02:03:25 | More by merc7186

buyBinboaVodka

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I have been looking for a beer that could come close to a Blushing Monk, and I think this might be the beer that almost is as good for me.

A - I poured the beer out of a bomber into a tulip glass. The head was at least half of the way up the glass. It was a copper ruby color with reddish and pink highlights.

S - Rasberry tart with a bready yeast. I get some sugar coated rasberry aroma in there as well. This is a real pleasant smelling brew.

T - The taste was a bit more mild than the nose led on to believe. It has a tart rasberry taste up front followed by a more subtle sweet yeasty flavor towards the finish. As this beer warms up it gets sweeter.

M - Fairly high carbonation with a thin bodied feel.

O - This is a pretty good beer that I wouldn't mind having again. Not Blushing Monk, but still a good bere none the less.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 16:47:34 | More by buyBinboaVodka

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: high carbonation, 1.5 inch head, clear, purpleish red in color

Smell: sweet and tart raspberries

Taste: sweet and tart raspberries dominate with some pale malt and faint chocolate

Mouthfeel: high carbonation, light body, sweet start with a dry semi-bitter finish

Overall: A nice and dry beer..slightly different from others in the style. This one is good but I think Sly Fox makes better. I do not want a candy beer, but a touch more sweetness would not be bad for this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 13:42:53 | More by tigg924

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sly Fox Black Raspberry Reserve

22oz bomber. Pours like carbonated grape juice, pinkish head on a purplish body. Smell is fruity, full of raspberries, with some Belgian yeast evident as well. In the taste, more raspberry flavor, not surprising. Mildly bitter, tart and fresh tasting. It also tastes authentic, and not like candy or overly sweet. Alcohol is well hidden, an achievement for an 8% fruit beer. The best part is the finish, which is long, appetizing, and markedly dry. Overall, the Black Raspberry Reserve did not disappoint. Would certainly revisit again.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 04:50:48 | More by Stinkypuss

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

on tap at devils den

Pours a slightly hazed purplish-pink color with some reddish tones. Effervescent head with a pinkish hue rests on top, slowly dissolving and leaving curtains of lacing.

Plenty of raspberry juice in the nose with touches of slight tartness. Cracker-like wheat, but very sweet and sugary.

Bite of sweetness up front with juicy raspberry washing over the tongue. Some cherry tries to creep through, but this remains pretty much raspberry. Lighter wheat malt base, tingly tartness driven by the fruit juice. Finishes sweet and fruity with a spike of warmth.

Lighter medium body, high carbonation, tingly and sticky on the tongue. Yeah, this one was just way too sweet for me, and unless it's a Belgian lambic (i.e. Cantillon Lou Pepe), I usually don't like my beers to be pink.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2011 16:14:04 | More by xnicknj

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Stopped in to the Trapp Door last night and saw this on tap, this one was left over from last week when they had their Sly Fox beer dinner. I ordered a glass of is since I was curious to try it. The beer poured out with a soda like quality to it... Looked watery, with a fizzy head that vanished quickly, and had a color that reminded me of A-Treat Black Cherry. The smell of the beer wasn't too bad, I found the aroma of raspberries to be the best thing about this beer. Not much else on the nose though besides the fruit. The taste is a major disappointment to me, It's like drinking watered down raspberry juice... somehow it still maintains an 8% abv which I found hard to believe. The mouthfeel is again like drinking a fruity soda, bubbly but very light bodied. Overall, once again not really impressed with this beer/brewery. I just can't seem to find a beer that they make that really surprises me.

Serving type: on-tap

09-08-2011 17:18:41 | More by Knapp85

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.18/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Purchased from New Beer Distributors in New York, to round out the gamut of styles.

Pours a lovely deep red colour, almost like a pinot noir. Pink head fizzles out to nothing. The colour is great—it's exactly like what I'd want from a black raspberry beer. Deep, colourful and rich. But in other respects, it leaves a lot to be desired.

Nose is awesome, fresh deep raspberry aromas with a pleasant touch of acidity. It's fresh and fruity, although not incredibly complex. Still, it's quite nice.

Taste is a let down. Thin, rather watery palate, without any body to back up the faint raspberry essence. I think this would have been better with a real spike of acidity here—the addition of some lactobaccillus or even some funky brett would really add another dimension. As it stands, it's like a fermented sugar drink, leaving no body, and no residual sweetness.

Sigh. Smells great, colour is great, but almost everything else is a let down. I have had some really nice fruit beers in the past, but this is not one—it's a very average effort.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 19:21:44 | More by lacqueredmouse

cooch69

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This one came in a 750 Ml bottle. It pours a deep dark beet red with a small head with tiny rose hued bubbles.

Nose is of Raspberries, raspberry syrup, almonds, and vanilla.

Taste on this one is a surprise considering how awesome the nose was. It is pretty dry and it has a battery acid aftertaste to it. There is also an off putting chemical bitterness to it as well. Mouthfeel is surprisingly thin for the ABV which went undetected until I actually saw what it was. As I made my way through the beer it became a little more palatable but not to the extent that I would ever really care to drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 04:46:49 | More by cooch69

mdaschaf

Washington

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from notes. Thanks to ShanePB for sending this my way in our first trade!

A: The cork came out with a nice pop and the pour was deep purple with some reddish hues. A pink head formed, about two fingers in head with good retention and lacing. There was a lot of fizzing as well, similar to a soft drink.

S: The aroma is what you would expect based on the beer's name. Lots of black raspberries and a little bit of grain. There is a slight tartness.

T: Again, lots of raspberry flavor. Very sweet and a little sugary, but not over the top like some others I have had. The flavor started strong but dissapeared rather quick and did not linger. Pretty simple flavor profile.

M: Medium to light bodied, but seemed to be slightly lacking in terms of carbonation. This caught me by surprise based on the pop from the cork, and I suppose this "problem" is me nit-picking a bit. No booze was apparent and it was an easy drinking beer.

O: I had saved this one to share with my girlfriend who is not huge into beer and she quite enjoyed it. I liked the aroma and flavor, but had it lingered a touch longer, would have vastly improved the beer for me. A nice fruit beer to grab for a rare occasion, especially with non-beer drinkers.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 16:40:16 | More by mdaschaf

TheKingofWichita

North Carolina

3.33/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a very thick looking ruby dark red color with a thick pinkish white head and a ton of lacing and carbonation streaming up everywhere. Smells like tons of tart raspberries, and some malts. Tastes of some intense raspberries and a bit of a watery flavor, not very good. Mouthfeel is medium and a little carbonation. Drinkability is okay, but it is not the best in the flavor department, just very one note.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 21:56:54 | More by TheKingofWichita

nezelrac

New York

3.6/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

had this on draft at my local

A - cassis-amber with a full finger of fine purple-tinged tan head that stuck around - not much lacing on the glass

S - a nose full of raspberry and hints of cassis, very enticing

T - tastes like raspberry lambic without the sour, very densely packed raspberry flavor pushes it towards csassis (as with the nose), a little one-dimensional with a surprise hop bite at the end, not as sweet as the nose suggests (thank goodness!)

M - firm edged but not tart, CO2 is good

D - my friend loved it, I was less impressed, but it is quite drinkable

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2011 21:23:28 | More by nezelrac

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Porting review from November 2010 originally posted to wrong Sly Fox location...

Pours a rich deep raspberry purple with red highlights around the rim, minimal ring of head. Scent is pure raspberry... more tart than sweet, earthy. Taste is quite the diasapointment, the aggressive scent leads to a more muddled and muted bitter raspberry scent, like chewing on too many raspberry seeds. Body is medium, yet carbonation is almost non existant on this hours old growler fill. I love raspberry beers and the appearance and scent held promise. The overly bitter, pit like tastes mixed with the lack of carbonation disapoints.

Serving type: growler

12-16-2010 15:45:13 | More by rfgetz

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle courtesy of dashirey and G311, who both sent me one of these bad boys. Pours a fairly clear dark red color, almost brown. Big, bubbly head fades quick and does not leave much lacing.

Nose is tons of sweet raspberry deliciousness. A little bit of brown toasty malt shows underneath the fresh fruit.

Raspberry flavors are not as sweet as I thought they would be. Some berry tartness comes out and is balanced well with some darker malts. Some hops are detectable and give a lightly bitter, dry finish. My only complaints are that it is a bit overcarbonated and I could use a bump in the body. I also think I could handle a bit more sweetness. Still though, I really like the way the beer showcases the raspberries.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 01:46:42 | More by twiggamortis420

bigdeuce

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I am not fruit beer lover, but this one was good. Pours a dark, dark, purple with an outstanding head. Scents of rapberry shine through, with a lot on the nose. Not sweet, very pleasant with a medium mouthfeel and a nice belgian fruity taste. Not bad..would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 02:25:55 | More by bigdeuce

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Nellie for sharing this 750ml bottle.

The beer pours a reddish-purple color with a white head. The aroma is very strong raspberry, which is about all that I get.

The flavor is heavy on the raspberries. I get a lot of sweet fruit, but there is also a little bit of tartness in the flavor profile as well.

Medium mouthfeel and high carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2010 02:21:09 | More by Mora2000

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle with a significant amount of smegma around the cork.

Pours murky burgundy with a half inch head of white with a pink tinge. A thin skim coat remained on the surface for the duration along with some scattered shards of lacing.

Aromatics lead off with musty raspberries and mildly funky dust. Quite fruity but there is an odd vegetal overtone. A bit fecal near the end.

Medium bodied with a crisp mouthfeel. A bit on the thin side.

Red fruits with a trace of malt start the palate. Raspberry and blackberry with a hint of cough syrup.

Finishes with a hint of sweetness, fairly bitter for a fruit beer, and lingering fruit.

This is an odd one. There seems to be plenty of raspberry and blackberry, but theres some odd flavors and aromas that are off-putting. This beer would benefit greatly from some souring in a barrel and plenty of Brett.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 21:38:11 | More by brewandbbq

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours a black transparent raspberry burgundy color with a raspberry/pink colored three fingered head. Very volatile carbonation and so far looks pretty good.

S - Smells like a grainy raspberry lemonade farm with a little bit of metallic in the nose.

T - Pretty good. Tastes like a raspberry infused ale. Wet cotton, grainy, delicate raspberry, very light in nature with a surprising hoppy aftertaste. All the flavors I'm picking up on the palette are delicate and not in your face like I would have expected with the raspberry sweetness.

M - Very grainy, light, airy, crisp, and almost no lingering aftertaste.

D - One is more than enough.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 00:55:07 | More by jzeilinger

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It was hard to review this beer since it was kind of old but not expired.

A - Pours a really deep reddish purple color with a ton of carbonation, I mean a TON! Even a light pour produced both head in the glass and in the bottle! The foam was pretty interesting as it has a reddish purple hue as well with slight sediment. Really wish their was less sediment...

S - The most appealing part of this beer! Upon first smell you receive a hardcore raspberry sorbet. It really rose my exceptions for the taste which followed...

T - The first taste I guess I was expecting a more ABV version of the Lennie's Berry Weiss but all I got was extreme tart Raspberry followed by more sour tartness that finished funky with a yeasty like bitterness. It was almost too unbearable at first and throughout the bottle I consider pouring it out but I made my way through the bottle. As the beer warmed toward the end the alcohol was more noticeable and that didn't help.

M - Medium body and a chore to finish

D - Never I mean never will I have this again. The sweetness described in previous reviews must have been a joke since this beer is obviously a sour bomb. My expectations have been diminished would avoid.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 18:31:39 | More by DrDemento456

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thrown in as an extra by Jwiss22 -- What a great guy!

Appearance -- Pours a rich burgundy with some amber hues near the bottom of the flute, with two fingers of mauve head.

Smell -- Fresh raspberries.

Taste -- Raspberry is certainly the dominant flavor, but it is a bit muted compared to the nose. Faint sweetness, more tartness; like a dry champagne, really. Toward the end a bit of grainy malt character becomes evident.

Mouthfeel -- Medium to light in body, high carbonation, dry finish.

Drinkability -- For as much raspberries go into this beer, it is very balanced and drinkable. It's very easy to make a fruit beer that is so overpowering that finishing one glass takes effort. This, however, is a pleasure. Perfect beer for brunch.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2010 21:14:29 | More by yeahnatenelson

mtnbikerpa

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml caged and corked bottle into a mini snifter. Deep red, almost like beat juice. Lots of small bubbles and carbonation. Strong candied sugar notes in the nose. Heavy candied fruits, some dark raspberry, blackberry, and minor black cherry notes. Very tastey brew. Near lambic status in my mind. Certainly not a disappoint for an after dinner brew. Would pair well with strong, aged cheese or dark chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2010 22:16:13 | More by mtnbikerpa

caddybuyer

New Jersey

2.58/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from a caged and corked 750 into a tulip glass. Damn gusher this bottle was...

Note to bros..you've got two listing for the same beer here...chose to review in the most populated entry.

A-slightly veiled purple with a thick pink head that settles rapidly to nothing. This could be pretty and a bit more interesting if it retained a head, which it apparently does not.

S-Black raspberries for sure, and natural and wonderful smelling to boot. So many of these fruit beers seem to be created from additives, but damn, this one smells like the real deal.

T-A huge letdown. The nose enticed me, the flavor profile is nowhere near what one would expect from the smell of this. Slightly sour, virtually non-existant taste. This could use some sweetness. It is light and dry and that is the best and only thing I can say about it.(

M-Thin and overcarbonated.

D-Sadly, this one will not be bought again. Not sure what Sly Fox was thinking on this. Gotta give them credit for trying to brew something a bit offbeat, but I can't believe they put this one out....they are a damn good brewery...this misses the mark..by a long shot.

FYI, just for the sheer hell of it, I tossed a packet of Splenda into the tulip and stirred with a spoon. Not only did it generate a frothy head, reducing some of the carbonation, but it brought out a bit of the flavor that I was hoping for in this brew. Not enough to salvage it, however..down the crapper it goes.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 23:46:36 | More by caddybuyer

josefnewsong

New York

4.03/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - pours a deep, dark, ruby color with a bit of pinkish head that leaves a little bit of lacing
S - smells like black raspberries, and very little else
T - tastes like black raspberries, slightly sour, slightly tart, with earthier notes behind and a bit of malt. the fruit flavor is great without being too intense
M - medium bodied and smooth, slightly crisp, nice wet finish
D - very easy to drink and enjoyable, it's very hard to believe this beer is 8abv, I can't find the alcohol anywhere in the taste

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2010 22:02:43 | More by josefnewsong