Raspberry Ale - Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

thegodfather1076

Ohio

3.79/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Presentation: Very cool label in the traditional TD fashion with a K-9 inspired theme. Gives a short description of the beer, as well as web info, ABV info, and a small bit of brewery info.

Appearance: Poured from a 12oz bottle into a 13oz tulip glass. This poured out a slightly hazy golden honey color with a 1½ finger white foam head of an airy light density. Head retention was OK sticking around for 1min 37sec before fading to a nice foam coating and ring. Lacing is good.

Smell/Aroma: Smell is heavy on raspberry with a slight corn malt scent.

Flavor/Taste: Taste is very raspberry dominated on the front end before the same corn malt that hits the nose come through in the flavor as well. Not much else going on.

MouthFeel/Drinkability: On the heavier side of light bodied with a crisp and smooth feel. The perfect amount of carbonation. Very drinkable.

Overall/Comments: This was a very good offering. While not complex at all, it claims to be a raspberry ale and that is exactly what it is. Easy drinking, flavorful, and refreshing. Perfect for a hot summer day. Classified as a Fruit Beer at 3.9% ABV. Consumed 2-14-13.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 10:24:58 | More by thegodfather1076

cjoc83

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Pours into the glass a hazy straw color, definitely unfiltered, can see some sediment floating around. Massive head of small bubbles fades quickly to a ring and leaves no lacing. Lots (I mean LOTS) of carbonation is visible. Not a very remarkable looking beer.

Smells pretty damn good though. A nice, tart raspberry smell is the dominant note, with some grain mixed in.

If only the taste followed the nose. Starts off pleasantly enough, with a raspberry taste that is both sweet and tart, but after that it's all downhill. The raspberry segues into a grainy taste that reminds me of Miller lite. It's very off-putting, and doesn't get any better as you go along. This beer leaves quite an unpleasant aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is thin, watery, and entirely too carbonated. At times I felt like I was drinking straight foam.

This beer, which is my first from Thirsty Dog Brewery, really did not cut it for me. The initial raspberry flavor is nice, but the grainy, skunky aftertaste killed the whole experience. I'm not going to write off an entire brewery just because of one beer, though; I'll definitely seek out something else by these guys at some point. But the raspberry ale? Never again.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 22:33:24 | More by cjoc83

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.88/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours a golden color beer, was a little disappointed there wasn't any raspberry noticeable in the appearance, flimsy 1/3" white head disappears rather quickly. I liked the raspberry aroma, was very nice.

Flavor tastewise, was very thin body, overly sweet, didn't get the raspberry flavor, more like a candied confection they sell out of an ice cream or candy truck. The beer was all over the place, if I could only smell it, it would be cool. But the overall lack of any 'beer' qualities and the crushing sweetness without any malt depth or quality left me wanting to share it more than drink it.

Drank while camping in Truckee, the night before the Solar Eclipse party.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 17:56:50 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Yoda22

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A - pours a clear straw yellow - quickly dissipating half finger of head with minimal lacing.

S - Woah, Raspberry Ale indeed. The smell they nailed.

T - The raspberry is of course in there, not as strong as the head. There is a slightly off aftertaste that I can't really describe or identify but it does not add to the flavor. It just seems lacking/artificial.

M - Very light/watery. I guess this makes sense for a 3.9% beer, it's definitely sessionable. But the mouthfeel reminds me of a BMC lite.

O - Very average overall hence my 3.0 overall rating. It's fine if you like this type of thing but really nothing special. I have homebrewed raspberry wheats that i'd drink over this any day.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 22:34:04 | More by Yoda22

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Recent trip to Ohio allowed for a chance to try a sampling from Thristy Dog. The Raspberry Ale poured a clear pale orange with and an initial big white head that settled quickly to a thin layer which left a spotty lace. The smell is dominated by raspberries The taste is a little more well balanced with sweet malts and subtle citrus hops, but raspberry flavor is prevalent. The mouthfeel is light in body with decent carbonation. Overall it would be a great summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 15:28:49 | More by WoodBrew

avalon07

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a golden yellow color and a slightly hazy consistency. There was a half inch of creamy, somewhat long-lasting head. Fair lacing.

S: A huge aroma of raspberries - very fragrant - with a hint of malt.

T: Tasted of raspberries more than anything else. Had a touch of malt in the finish. I expected the raspberry content to be through the roof, because of the the smell, but it didn't quite measure up. Still, a good enough flavor.

M: A highly carbonated beer with a surprisingly smooth finish. Light-bodied.

O: In spite of its flaws, this beer is pretty drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 11:40:04 | More by avalon07

mikesgroove

South Carolina

2.53/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

fizzy white top that seams to pop up and fall down immediatly. ehh. but then i took a whiff, fake berries, and just light kool aid like aroma. not even close to a good fruit beer. way too light and the flavors and aromas are so blatently artificial it was downright scary. light berrys and hints of sweet malts try and poke up but they are just remnants of what would make a good beer.

overall no. some of these i can get by with and make a pass, but this was just way off

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 02:19:42 | More by mikesgroove

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served at The Mews, notorious for dirty tap lines.

A: Bright yellow body, vibrant white head, lots of carbonation.

S: Sweet malt and very crisp raspberries, grainy at some spots.

T: Light wheat sweetness, subtle maltiness, and a lot of raspberry flavoring. Tastes sort of artificial, a little sour, but not bitter.

M: Light to medium body, far too carbonated. Makes it feel kind of cheap.

O/D: It's not a bad fruit beer, I recall it being better from the bottle. Could be an age or dirty tap line issue, since I had it at the Mews.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2011 14:57:52 | More by mostpoetsdo

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light fizzy head that fades at a med pace, over hazy pale honey colored beer.

Nose has some sweet syrups, slight extract like and syrup additions, then lots of raspberry syrup, no fresh or even frozen raspberries, just like the cheap raspberry syrup you get to add to mixed drinks, and a bit of a sweet toasty malt. Despite its shortcomings, its actually not that bad.

Taste starts with a light syrupy raspberry flavor, and vanilla too, and brings a light toasty almost pilsner like malt. More raspberry syrup is lighter than expected, but not too light, and I start to get some raspberry fruit flavors, but not much, it's more artificial raspberry syrup. Light sweet malts. Finishes still a bit sweet but drier, sticky, and some light lingering raspberry syrup.

Mouth is med to lighter bodied, syrupy, and lower carbonation.

Overall not as bad as I expected, no real bad flavors, the raspberry syrup tasted fairly artificial, but wasn't too strong or sweet, a bit syrupy on the mouth and taste as well, but drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 00:34:31 | More by jlindros

Burt

Rhode Island

3.9/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass.

Light straw colored, with a thick white head that goes away pretty quick but really never goes completely away. Leave a light lace on the glass.

The smell of over ripe raspberries. Room smells like this beer after a while.

Taste is like and easy drinking american blond beer with that hint of that raspberry smell. Bready finish to it.

Overall this is an easy drinking beer for when the weather is hot out. Goes great after cutting the lawn or after a round of golf. This beer is much better out of a tap than a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2011 22:02:10 | More by Burt

sixerofelixir

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottes. No date codes within immediate sight.

Pours a lite, golden-yellow. An impressive, soft, white head stays @ 1/2" tall. Many fast-moving carb trailers. A pretty beer. Smell is definite raspberry, but with a hint of sourness that suggests currant and cranberrry too. Honey and fruit loops. Taste is slick and again of raspberry; there's no denying what this beer is. The grains underneath keep it from getting *too* sweet, and that's a plus. Sort of a gimmick beer, good to have on a rare occasion, but it is tasty..

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 04:43:36 | More by sixerofelixir

KajII

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

[Best served in a Flute glass]

Poured a clear light amber with a small white fizzy head that dissipated rapidly and had very little lacing. The aroma was to say the least POWERFUL with a raspberry scent which covered up just about everything else except for a faint hint of a sweet yeast. It tasted lightly sweet with a very light hint of raspberry from the onset to the finish, with it being a little acidic and having a hint of yeast at the end. The flavor faded quickly leaving almost nothing left on the tastebuds. Mouthfeel was light in body and watery in texture with a very lively carbonation. Overall a very light tasting brew with a lot less flavor than the aroma would have you believe.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 15:27:10 | More by KajII

gopens44

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Hazy and golden with a nice full foamy white head.

S - Outside of the obvious raspberry scents, there was a decent wheaty, grassy smell.

T - Surprisingly well balanced and tasty. Starts out a touch tart but relaxes to a very nice drinking raspberry beer. A backbone of honey gives this a well balanced but not overpowering sweetness. The honey taste balances out the tart and gives it sweetness that otherwise may have been derived from too much raspberry flavored syrup? In any case, it's darn nice - especially for a hot day.

M - A touch thin with good carbonation and not too much aftertaste.

O - I was pleasantly surprised by how nice this was. Good warm weather beverage and diversion from the constant stream of summer pils, pales and whatnot.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2011 16:56:20 | More by gopens44

kagent777

Utah

3.28/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Another6Pack for the extra (my wife was not interested in trying it, so here I go.) Poured into my beer goblet.

Appearance: Nice foamy head actually gushed from the bottle as I opened it. the beer is a straw yellow with a foamy white head with staying power.

Smell: Sweet raspberry candy. Not much else.

Taste: Zippy tartness from the raspberries. This is a very dry beer. Not much at all in the way of malts or hops.

Mouthfeel: Thin body with high carbonation.

Overall: The raspberry is fine but maybe a little too potent. I like my beer to taste like beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 04:38:47 | More by kagent777

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out with a slightly hazed look to it. The color had a tinge of pink in it. The head was fizzy and white leaving just a bit of lacing. The smell was really nice on this beer, had a healthy aroma of raspberries and some grains. The mouthfeel is lightly carbonated with a little bitterness from the berries in the aftertaste. Overall it was a n average fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 23:47:51 | More by Knapp85

brewski09

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I picked this up on a recommendation from a friend that said its his favorite fruit beer and was rather excited that they used fresh raspberries because it always tastes like the fruit is pie filling from a can.

A - very clear and very light, with the slightest tinge of red/purple. I had to use a piece of white paper to verify this because I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

S - Dominated by raspberry, but like it was extract. I was a little disappointed and a little scared at this point. I let the smell sink in a bit before moving on.

T - At first, its all raspberry, all the time. It was a bit overwhelming, so it sat for a while. As it came up in temperature, the raspberry came out of its shell and some malt profile hinted at existence, but never progressed beyond there.

M - light and crisp. I think I will try to find another single of this for a hot summer day. I think it would be very refreshing and hit the spot then.

D - This was better warmer by a few degrees. I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, but it is a good fruit beer I think, and that is how I reviewed it. It is worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 00:29:13 | More by brewski09

kirok1999

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I used to go to the brewery and when they brewed this stuff it permeated the whole place. Threw off the taste of everything and I'm trying not to remember that right now.
Pours clear amber with a nice white head. Some sticky lacing on the glass. Smell is all about raspberries, as is the taste. There's a hint of grassy hops in the nose. There is a lingering dark fruit taste in the back of the throat. It's pretty well carbonated and a bit fizzy.
If you're going to fruit a beer then I guess you should go for it. Thirsty Dog did. Easy to sip if you're in the mood for a fruity drink on a hot summer night.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 02:10:12 | More by kirok1999

secondtooth

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudy gold, with minimal foam and pinky-size lace.

Overpowering aroma of raspberries -- tart and sweet.

Flavor is straightforward, with a bit of a bready/biscuity vibe underneath a mountain of raspberries. Not unpleasant or artificial-tasting, though. Decent, and drinkable, but not one I'd return to, either.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 23:40:11 | More by secondtooth

hdofu

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This one was different, it was like someone combined a rasberry tea with beer and it didn't quite blend well. It poured blondishwith an off white head. It wasn't unbearable by any means but it wasn't one I'd run out to get more of, it was just a little off.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 23:56:31 | More by hdofu

ne0m00re

Ohio

2.17/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

01/11/11- Had this one on-tap at Betty's.
A: Pale golden with a thin collar and film.
S: Fresh raspberries and raspberry soda; that's it.
T: Raspberry soda with an awkward bitter wheat beer finish.
M: Decent, thin on carbonation, though.
D: OK; I wouldn't ever order another.

I was just going to sit back and enjoy a beer and NOT review anything, but I felt the moral obligation to warn people not to try this beer. Thirsty Dog brews some good beers, but this is certainly not one of those.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2011 23:19:39 | More by ne0m00re

DannyDan

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This beer is an orange color with a thin head that has high carbonation, not much retention and very little lacing. It smells like raspberries, wheat, toast. The taste is raspberries followed by some toasted bread, a slight hop taste in it, and the aftertaste is like raspberry jelly. The mouthfeel is sweet and sticky, and the light body makes it not filling. It is a nice drink to have if you want something sweet that doesn't have a lot of alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 05:27:31 | More by DannyDan

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 ounce bottle courtesy of Ryan011235, poured into a Duvel tulip. Hazy golden orange with a modest white head that is just a skim in the blink of an eye. Very little lacing.

Smells of raspberry jam on toast, plus some tangy wheat. Raspberry flavor isn't as strong as I figured; while it's certainly present at all times, the crisp and toasty nature of the base beer is almost as prevalent. Seems like you could toss just about any fruit puree into the base and have some success. Finishes fairly clean with some lingering bread and raspberry. Just enough carbonation to bring it into 'refreshing' range.

Overall impression: I can't see this ever being a go-to beer, but it ain't half bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 15:37:48 | More by PDXHops

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Light orange in color with a nice layer of foam.

S - It doesn't smell too overpowering. A candy sweetness, slight raspberries and a bit of wheat.

T - Wow that's light! The taste is spot on with raspberry first then a sweetness and finishes with a mild grain of malt or hops which makes you hoist another sip.

M - Very light. Kind of wish for more body.

D - Yes and more but sadly my beer stores do not carry much Thirsty dog. I tried to get more Pumpkin and they said no, so I doubt they could get this. Sadly though I have appreciated more fruit beers with more ABV so this one really isn't worth tracking down.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 09:40:49 | More by DrDemento456

Ricochet

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

This flavor, I have reviewed so far back when Thirsty Dog had a brewpub in Akron. I hadn't seen it until the Brew Keeper started carrying it, and I made it a go-to beer when they didn't have my fave BK beers. Now that the Brew Keeper has given up the ghost, I can still cozy up to this for memories...

I may just finish it before reviewing it. Fruit beers to me are win only if you flavor them strong enough to be a fruit beer but not strong enough to be "candy like". They usually end up being too sweet in that case. This one has some of that candy like raspberry flavor, but has a bitter balance plus a sweetness that stops at "PEZ" . Yep, this is liquid Pez.

It's light orange color and little head and little lace add to the total package. There is a slight malty finish at the and it make a creamy start in the mouth that finishes like water.

What can I say, I love this beer, and it's refreshing and balanced nicely.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 03:05:24 | More by Ricochet

jampics2

Ohio

3.13/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A bottle at the Winking Lizard. 12oz into a pint glass.

Pours a light copper, actually lighter than copper. Small white head.

Smells great but fake. The Pam Anderson of fruit beers. You know it's all fake but you still love sticking your nose in it. Huge raspberry aroma. Sweetness.

Eh, taste is one dimensional. Horible grainy base beer. Wheat is distracting. Raspberry and some plastic taste too.

Medium light mouth, actually creamier than I expected. Decent carb.

Drinkability depends on whether my palate has been shocked into submission by a hoppy beer. Also, if I plug my nose, it's really drinkable ;)

Weak sauce from the kings of raspberry puree beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2010 18:20:56 | More by jampics2