Christian Moerlein Over-The-Rhine Ale - Christian Moerlein Brewing Company

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

2.6/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Listed at 6.55%

White head. Slightly hazed copper gold.

Flavor is a rather odd mix of hops. It's weedy but also clean. A bit floral. A fair amount of bready malts.

Mouthfeel is kind of bitter and sticky. Medium bodied.

Overall, I wasn't a fan of this pale ale. Things didn't go together with this beer.
It just wasn't enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2013 16:31:07 | More by mothman

metter98

New York

3.93/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Moerlein Lager House, Cincinnati, OH

A: The beer is hazy reddish amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a half finger high off white head that left a large collar around the edge of the glass.
S: The nose has aromas of fruity yeast and earthy hops.
T: The taste is quite malty and has flavors of fruity yeast and earthy hops along with a slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and a bit smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: While this is a very malt-forward pale ale, it is nicely balanced by the hops and quite flavorful for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2012 22:05:37 | More by metter98

seeswo

Ohio

2.68/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Went to a Moerlein tasting and had this as one of five samplers. This was my favorite.

Pours a light copper with a slightly off-white head. Slight amount of fruity malts in the nose, possibly a touch of hops. The taste is mild, but relatively balanced. Not overly sweet like basically all of the other offerings. Just a touch of hops with biscuit, caramel malts. I actually had no idea this was a Pale Ale when I tried it. Mouthfeel is medium with a light-medium carbonation. Overall, I did say this was my favorite, but this is not a great beer by any means. Not sure why they feel like these beers need to be so sweet. This is not like most Pale Ales that I have had. Style is either wrong or brewed poorly.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2011 23:17:12 | More by seeswo

stewart124

Ohio

3.28/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Arnolds.

Ruby to copper in color with a slight white head.

Some fruitiness and citrus in the nose. White grapefruit is faint.

Taste is caramel sweet with a crisp gala apple esters. Medium bitterness with pine finishing on tongue. Biscuity and bready. Really leans towards an English bitter with some buttery characters.

Tasty and fairly solid but polar opposite of the APA style that I am used to. Still growing on this beer and trying to give the local guys a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2011 23:11:54 | More by stewart124

KYBrewgrass

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- 4 A very clear light amber colored ale with a 1/4" off-white head on the pour. The head dissipates a bit but leaves a nice and smooth bubbly lacing that is moderately sticky. Nice looking ale, just a bit watery in appearance, but pretty color.

S- 4 Nice blend of sweet, candied fruit like malts and hops. Well-balanced aroma. I wish I could get a tad more of it, but very solid overall.

T- 4 Like the aroma, this has a good balance. I get malts initially, which was surprising for a pale ale, followed by a mild hop bitterness. The bitterness leaves a moderate hop aftertaste.

M- 4.5 This is a little under medium in body. It manages to be pretty creamy, smooth and crisp all at once. Great medium-high carbonation. Just a touch of dryness on the finish. Easy to drink on a sunny day.

D- 4 This is a well-rounded ale. Very smooth and a good balanced aroma and taste. It leaves me a tad dryer than I'd prefer but a good offering from Moerlein nonetheless. I could enjoy a few of these for sure. One of the best options available at Great American Ball Park!

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2011 20:49:10 | More by KYBrewgrass

johncampbell

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Arnold's Bar and Grill in Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.

Moerlien OTR is one hell of an APA. This is a big malt beast balanced with big hops, just the way I like 'em.

This beer poured reddish-copper in color with a big, creamy beige head. The head resided to a thin cap which lasted the duration and evenly laced the glass.

The aromas were a good combination of sweet baked bread, citrus and spice.

I loved the big malt body. It was a mouthful of caramel and toffee and toasted grain with a bright, citrus hop backbone. It finished crisp and dry, rounding out the sweet malt. Very good.

The big mouthfeel was smooth and creamy with the right amount of carbonation for this medium to full-bodied APA.

This is a good APA - not too sweet and not too dry with a lot of hops, but not much bitterness. The balance leaves you wanting more and more.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2010 21:56:34 | More by johncampbell

chuckm

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I recently relocated to Cincinnati and found this as a slightly more expensive alternative to macros at a Reds game. When I saw it in my cheap plastic cup I wasn't overwhelmed but realized lacing and head are not ideally presented in this situation. What did catch my taste buds was the full body and lasting flavor.In subsequent trips I have gone straight to this vendor but unfortunately was not as impressed at home when buying the bottled version

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2010 05:21:01 | More by chuckm

denflyr

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a pint glass with minimal head by the time it got to me from the server. There is also not tons of lacing evident as well.

Smell is not exotic, but nice. More crystal and caramel malt than a hoppy note on the nose!

A very cream malt note on the taste as well with some kind of to me at least strange after taste note that I liken to the house yeast @St.Arnold Brewing at home. It is between creaminess and a slight hop note, but I can't put my finger on it!

A good mouthfeel. Very creamy I noted above. This brew tends to be dominated by the malt rather than the hops. Minimal carbonation and in fact no carbonation some 30 minutes after first trying the beer and having it warmed a bit.

The drinkability is good, but not one I could see as a session beer even with its relatively low ABV. If I were drinking APA, I would certainly gravitate tp Sierra Nevada in a heartbeat over this one. Good effort, but not my cup of tea so to speak!

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2010 22:08:06 | More by denflyr

Brenden

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This one was on tap at the Hyde Park Tavern in Cincy.

The color is a deep, clear dark amber-red. There's some active carbonation in the glass. It was filled to the top, so a small foamy head wasn't really able to do much.
There's a nice hops backing on the nose with a nice malt counterpart. The aromas aren't weak, but they're soft. There's an underlying grains aroma with a gentle spice and a gentle sweetness lingering as well.
The taste is as expected, with a little more coming out from that sweetness; it's similar to citrus without the tangy zest that comes with it. There's a nice hops flavor in a lingering finish and a toasted bready grains flavor comes out more strongly.
The mouthfeel isn't especially crisp or smmoth, though it is both to a point. There's a tingly carbonation on the tongue the entire way. The body is on the lighter side of medium.
This is my first from this brewery from my first time in Cincinnati and it was a pretty nice offering.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2009 02:50:12 | More by Brenden

Ragingbull

California

3.8/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this beer in the Machine Room bar at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. If I can figure out how to add a place I will add the Machine Room as its got a decent beer selection. Back to the beer.

Amber color with a frothy head and some prickle. It has a hoppy nose that is very pleasant and I would say "just about right." Crisp and clean attack with late presenting hops flavor. The mouthfeel is slightly thick but clean. Slightly bitter aftertaste and some faint lemony notes. I would call it a B.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2008 04:49:14 | More by Ragingbull

pumarocks

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had the chance to try this one out during the official first tapping at the make-shift brewpub Christian Moerlein set up at Findley Market. This was a very tasty adult beverage! It was very malty in my opinion and that is a good thing. It has a nice aroma and a lasting aftertaste. My wife did not like it much but what does she know abour beer anyway hehe. Overall, a welcome beer to the Christian Moerlein stable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2007 23:32:15 | More by pumarocks

screamking

Ohio

3.74/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass.

Pours dark amber, close to copper with a 1 finger off white head. A good amount of carbonation is present in this one. Good mix of malts and hops in the aroma. Hints of citrus are hiding, overall smell leans toward bready side. Right off the bat this tastes boozy. It's not at 6.0 ABV, but somehow it feels more. This is very different beer then most pale ales I've had. It's darker than most pale ales as well, Three Floyd's Alpha King shares the darkness. It's a lot heavier to drink than it should be, but this brew just has a special place in my heart.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 23:16:11 | More by screamking

beergoot

Colorado

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The pour produced a beautiful dark amber body with a creamy, sticky head. Loads of caramel with a kind of earthiness greets the nose. Soft caramel with an almost peppermint-like character make up the bulk of the flavor components with a bit of spicy hop bitterness teasing the palate at the finish. Medium body, smooth and silky feel.

A very interesting, slightly different APA to me. Big malt quality with a unique, spicy undertone (something with the hops?). Hey, it's always nice to find something tasty, easily drinkable, and somewhat unique in flavor to tickle the ol' beer taste buds...

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:23:03 | More by beergoot

Groomsy

Kentucky

3.55/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a mug.

This locally-renowned ale pours a rich copper/amber color with a tightly-knit head of white bubbles. The head sticks around for a while and leaves admirable rings of lacing down the glass. Steady carbonation rises from the bottom. This is a very sturdy-looking beer.

Those expecting a Sierra Nevada-style APA may need to look elsewhere, however. The smell of this boasts many floral and herbal notes, as opposed to the usual citric smells associated with this style. There is some piney astringency hanging in the back, balanced by some firm malt foundation comprised of caramel and lightly toasted grains. Some herbal tea-like notes emerge in the nose as the beer warms. I would say that as far as hop PRESENCE goes, this matches the style, but it simply comes down to the fact that the hop PROFILE is different than what most would expect for an APA.

A steely, but not unpleasant, malty flavor hits the front of the tongue; I'm reminded of fresh-baked bread and toffee. All of the hop flavors mentioned above emerge mid-palate. Some fresh floral burst erupts, followed by a slight resinous and earthy bitterness, which lingers into the finish. The finish is a tad harsh and medicinal, but overall, this beer maintains a fair balance. Some of the signature American citrus notes of grapefruit do emerge on the finish as the beer warms.

This beer has a smooth body with little fizz from the carbonation. It has some lingering earthy bitterness on the finish with a crisp and refreshing finish.

While definitely off the beaten path for an American pale ale, I still think this is good; Moerlein tends to take more of the European route with many of the beers, so the flavor profile of this wasn't a total surprise. (Truth be told, I was expecting more of an English style pale ale anyway.) It's slightly miscategorized as an American pale ale in taste profile, but nonetheless, this is an enjoyable and sessionable beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 02:25:15 | More by Groomsy

jsisko01

Michigan

2.78/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a bright amber/copper color with an inch thick, creamy white head. Dissipates quickly and leaves spotted lacing.

Smell - It has your average, bitter pale ale aroma.

Taste - Very bitter and malty. Has strong smoky and herbal flavors as well.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with high carbonation.

Overall - I do not like this APA compared to all the others I've tried.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:13:15 | More by jsisko01

patpbr

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Off red with a small bit of head
S- fruit, and spicy
T- Fruit and malt, BItter and sweetness.
M- Full body that has a spice feel that lingers on the tongue, but finishes smooth
O- A good brew. For a pale ale it has some interesting taste characters. It will sneak up on you.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 01:41:48 | More by patpbr

NODAK

Tennessee

3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pretty floral in the nose with a light fruity sweetness to it. Not bad, pretty typical for an APA.

Taste has a floral quality to it straight away with a small fruit sweetness and a note of grain in there as well. Finish has a somewhat assertive, medicinal bitterness to it to close it out dryly...I also percept a slight sourness there. Not sure about that.

The beer has all the notes of a standard APA but all in all I didn't enjoy it as much as most APA's. It's actually kind of hard to pinpoint...though the finish isn't exactly what I wanted.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 01:58:46 | More by NODAK

beerme626

Kentucky

4.08/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I had high expectations for this one, and I was let down only a little.

A: Beautiful dark amber/red with a nice foamy yellow-tinged head, with lacing pretty much the whole way down.
S: Rich
T: Quite hoppy, even for a pale ale, but full and rich with the fruit flavor behind it. Complex.
M: Really kind of weird by the end. Felt very foamy and uncomfortable.
O: Delicious, but not so great for the last few sips.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 03:30:45 | More by beerme626

rangerred

Tennessee

2.95/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a hazy medium brown with a 2 finger tan head. Great lacing.

Smells very floral. Some light biscuit in there.

The taste is very floral with some yeastyness. Moderate bitterness throughout lingering through the finish. A little bit of malt is detectable.

Just an ok beer that I don't really care about having again.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 03:32:04 | More by rangerred

whendeathsleeps

Indiana

1.78/5  rDev -51.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Got this one in a mix six pack.

A- Nice copper/ amber color, 1 and a half finger head, nice retention for a while.
S- Nice, if it were potpourri, fruits, spice, cinnamon.
T- Like potpourri with malts.
M- Overly fizzy to a tongue numbing degree.

Avoid at all cost. I took two sips and poured it out.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 23:11:53 | More by whendeathsleeps

OsuJohn

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a six pack poured into a tulip style glass.
A- amber/red, slightly cloudy
S- spicy with maybe a cinnomin hint. Some kind of spice us present
T- malty, like an ocktoberfest or Irish red
M- somewhat thick, but overall smooth
O- worth buying again. I love malty/ ocktoberfest beer, this will now join my usual rotation

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 03:22:16 | More by OsuJohn

matjack85

Illinois

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I bought this single 12oz brown bottle at the Binny's store in Glen Ellyn, IL for $1.79. No freshness date - just a small story about the beer on the back label.

The beer poured a hazed copper color with a 1½-finger beige head that had good retention and left a good amount of lacing on the glass.

Fruity smell with citrus hops and a lot of brown sugar sweetness.

This is a pretty sweet pale ale. I'm getting more of a brown sugar flavor as opposed to a caramel one.but in any case, it's sweet. Hops provide both citrus notes along with some tea-like bitterness. Very unique flavor to thios one.

Smooth and medium bodied with carbonation on the high side.

Very drinkable and enjoyable, although not your typical pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 19:50:56 | More by matjack85

Dave128

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz twist-top bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A - A rigorous pour yields a finger and a half of offwhite head that dissipates pretty quickly. The color is deep amber to brown. Not very pale. Slightly hazy.

S - Smells of fresh pine cones. This is a very hop-forward ale that smells like a tradition.

T - Taste follows the nose. Very piney and resinous but also sweet. The malt bill provides a nice sweet balance for the bitter hops.

M - Medium bodied for the style. Carbonation is just right.

O - There is a good reason this is Christian Moerlein's flagship ale. As I said with the smells, the beer seems like a tradition. I think this beer would be more suitably classified under ESB. It is certainly not pale in appearance and in malt bill. In the end it is definitely a great choice from a hometown brewery.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 01:55:06 | More by Dave128

schoolboy

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Here comes an interesting brew. It was somewhat off my radar as a Cinci beer. It seems there used to be distilled liquors by this name. I have to check that out.

On first sip I turned up my nose. It has a malty bitterness that offends at first but endears as you go. It is unique, and well crafted. Nice and clear in the glass with some light lacing. No bite but not creamy - well balanced water, perhaps. Definitely more malty than hoppy - wrong for the style, but this is a sort of freestyle style anyway, so thumbs up.

It seems light enough to drink multiples of - that's a plus. I would try this again as an extended tasting - a 12 pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2011 20:36:33 | More by schoolboy

Natural510

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz twist-off bottle, no dating.

Pours a darker amber color with off-white head. Foam initially chunky, but fades away quickly into minimal lacing.

Aroma is deeply malty with toffee notes, along with an herbal quality from the hops.

Flavor is fairly well-balanced, with malt and hop both well-pronounced. Caramel, toffee and hint of cherry meets a dry, chewy hoppiness.

Body is slightly thin, which seems to be a Moerlein trademark, but holds up well enough to bring out the flavor and may add to the drinkability of the brew.

A bold, easy-drinking offering from CM, probably the best I've had from the brewery yet. Nice homage to a neighborhood deep in brewing history.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 14:28:39 | More by Natural510