Santa's Private Reserve Ale - Rogue Ales

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle. Pours a clear, very reddish-copper color with a full, foamy, light tan head that holds quite well and leaves some very nice lace. The aroma is hoppy! Piney/gently citrusy and lightly fruity. The body is medium with a fine & median carbonation. The flavor starts softly fruity and lightly nutty. A nicely sweet caramel maltiness comes through before becoming engulfed in resiny hop flavor and bitterness. And yet, the bitterness never really builds on the palate. Extremely well balanced for such a boldly hopped beer! It finishes quite dry with just some residual maltiness and a bold lingering bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 06:33:39 | More by Serge

beerme626

Kentucky

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle into a pint glass at Pazzo's in Lexington.
A: Beautiful bright red with decent head that lingers a little longer than average.
S: Complicated, enticing nose with hops and winter smells, along with a noticeable hint of pine/spruce
T: Complex mix of hops and winter seasonings such as ginger and spruce
M: Nothing too special here. Feels fine, but not as tingly and refreshing as other brews.
O: A good winter beer. I enjoyed it well.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 03:44:26 | More by beerme626

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz, 2012 batch
Unmarked tulip

A: Pours a light reddish amber color. Good two finger off white head, hints of tan in there. Good lacing. Nicely carbonated.

S: Getting some piney hops. Biscuit malts. Caramel notes. Some nuttiness. Not a bad nose. Actually smells fresh, which is a lot to say for a Rogue brew on the East Coast.

T: Actually get a nice piney hop bitterness up front, which I was happy about from what I smelled. That hop character continues to the mid palate where it's met by a nice malt bill true to red ale style. You get that slight biscuit quality, that nutty character, that earthy note. It's actually a good balance. Finish is dry and crisp with hops.

M: Medium bodied.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 15:10:52 | More by inlimbo77

KKB

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A – It has like a musty caramel orange look to it that looks rather pleasant, somewhat opaque rather large off-white head.

S – The aroma is sweet and a little bit hoppy and citrus and spicy with a juicy and fruit element to it as well. It smells very nice really. Not overwhelming but it smells very nice.

T – I would say the taste is just ok. Really it tastes exactly like the nose but I would call this kind of bland and nondescript. I don’t know if this is because I waited so long to drink it or what, but this beer really isn’t overwhelming me right now… I really think that I waited way too long to drink this beer, I bought it over three months ago and I’m sure it gave the hops plent of time to cool down a little bit. Upon further exploration the taste really isn’t too bad, it’s just not great. I might have to revisit this later, but at the moment this isn’t tasting that wonderful.

M – Light to medium body with rather low carbonation. The mouthfeel is just kind of flat, and uninspiring of much critique.

O – Overall I would say that this beer is just a notch above average, it really isn’t that great at this moment in time. Whether or not I waited too long, I’m not sure, but I might need to sample this again. For the moment though it is going to receive a rather low score.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 03:15:37 | More by KKB

FungusBrewer

Illinois

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

Santa's Special Reserve pours a light chestnut color with a nice foamy head. Tasting it, my initial impression is of bitterness and light floral hops. Not the grapefruit/flowery hops I'm used to in American IPA's, but more of a reserved, sharp bite. This isn't bad, as it gives the sensation of warmth. This isn't a beer you need a spoon to eat like I've experienced with other winter ales. Just make sure to thank Santa for allowed us to tap his stash.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 05:10:18 | More by FungusBrewer

BenjaminBlondbeard

New York

4.38/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a rich old copper color with a big slightly off white head of thick foam that stands up for a little while. The carbonation rises steadily through the clean vibrant hues of the ale. As I drink there is sparse, but really sticky, lacing around the glass.

The smell is toasty malts with spruce / piney hops. Warm bread in an evergreen forest.

There is are a plethora of earthy malt and hop flavors that come about with the taste. There is lively carbonation, and soon rises a piney, peppery, lightly citrus hop sensation that overshadows the malts. The ale is medium bodied, with a crisp, clean finish, that leaves the resiny pine bitters to linger on the pallet long after the the glass done.

This is one of my favorite winter ales. I enjoy the piney hop flavors, as well as the grand bitters of this seasonal brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 02:31:47 | More by BenjaminBlondbeard

GiantMidget

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Continuing my Rogue journey, bought at Wegmans in King of Prussia PA in 22 oz. bomber.

Poured into a beer mug, about 2 inch off white head, very amber/brownish coloring.
Darker than many amber's I have had.
Lacing all along the mug as I drink that remains after sipping.

The malt smell lingers immediately with almost a fruity scent as well, citrusy.

Unbalanced mouthfeel in my opinion with heavy carbonation but not to an unpleasant level, it's good but not great.

The piney taste is prevalent amidst the hops is evident in every swig.

Overall it's a good amber winter ale with a lot going on, I enjoyed it but it's not at the top of my list. I'd recommend it to amber ale fans and it's a good price point.
I do like the ambitious hoppiness for an amber.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 01:36:20 | More by GiantMidget

Ranz

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: With the same red color and consistency of plasma, this is a lovely looking amber. The head was vigorous and creamy, and the lacing is similarly thick and full of life. You could even argue the spruce gives the lacing a prickly look in the glass.

S: Hop presence is huge along with with a piney resin. A yeast funk comes next. Not much else that I can detect.

T: Those hops give it a spruce kick, and it lingers with a dry floral finish. Hints of grapefruit, too, make it a bit unbalanced for me. There isn't enough malt here for me, even for an amber.

M: Medium to light-bodied, this ale has a pretty solid feel in the mouth.

O: The 650mL bottle for about $5 was a good purchase, but there just isn't a "wow" factor here for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 03:04:45 | More by Ranz

DocJitsu

California

2.85/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a mildly cloudy orange-amber color with a huge, fluffy light taupe head. Some tropical fruit and citrus on the nose. Mouthfeel is average. Pretty light-bodied, wet, but gets a little dryer toward the finish. The flavor is nearly off-putting. It tastes like I'd dropped my homemade Christmas pull candy in my APA. These flavors just don't blend well. The wrong hop/grain combination. If this is what Santa drinks, then he can stay out of my chimney.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 23:54:01 | More by DocJitsu

warrenout330

Ohio

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

12oz pour

A- pours a dark amber color, almost brown in the shadows. Big thick off white head, stays around till I sip it. Cloudy slurry over the beer leaving heavy blotting of lace to the glass

S- sweet caramel malts... a hint of vanilla and fresh Easter bread. Piney sap lingering for a path way to the taste...slight spicey notes

T- balanced piney hops, a ting of citrus and spice ... sweet caramel and bready malts

M- medium bodied, higher carbonation. Dry earthy bitterness for the end result

O- hell of a hoppy beer for Xmas ... but very well balanced .... and a tad on the easier side to drink for a decent session beer

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 06:28:10 | More by warrenout330

kangarooAdam59

Wyoming

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Into a pint glass:

A: super clear red-amber colored body with a two finger white foamy head. Some lacing appears in foamy rings. Though quite clear in body, no carbonation is seen rising.

S: sweeter than I expected as some nice malty/sugary notes take the front stage. There is some hops but they tend to be more subdued and acutally come out a bit more as the beer warms.

T: balanced between the malts and the hops.

M: medium and has a sticky dry aftertaste and a dry finish. I would say this is fairly drinkable.

O: this is a good beer. This is something I can come back to next year.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 01:05:10 | More by kangarooAdam59

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

3.13/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I like quite a few of Rogue's releases, but this is by far the most disappointing. I kept wondering if something was wrong with this beer since there is nothing really happening here.

Santa's Private Reserve was poured from the bottle into a pint glass. Advertised as a red/amber ale, the color was more brown. The head on this one was hyperactive, making the bottle and eventually the glass foam over. The head was a mocha color, and there was a lot of it. The initial taste was alarmingly watery. One detects mild hints of amber and a slight level of tartness, but not much else. Toward the end, a sense of grapiness develops which continues into the aftertaste. The ale warms the throat, but is a little harsh. I was not impressed by this one and would not feel the need to buy it again. In the interest of drinking good beer, this was a dumper.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 23:59:10 | More by JohnnyHopps

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a clear red-amber with a two finger off-white head. Decent looking beer. Just a wee bit of lacing.
S- Sweeter than I expected on the nose, a little sugary even. A fair bit of hoppiness asserts itself with some citrus notes, but actually leans malty heavy.
T- More balanced here, even leaning hoppy. Still a bit too sweet for me given my expectations. A fair amount of citrus as well.
M- Medium body, carbonation was a bit flat. Wanted a little more life on the tongue.
O- It's an ok beer and worth trying, I was just a little underwhelmed given the discussed hop characteristics of this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2012 04:51:29 | More by jsprain1

davecavemaster

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a copper red color. There is a good beige foam head, that has good retention and decent lacing on the glass.

I got a mixed aroma of roasted malt, a bit a floral hops, and a piney smell. Very pleasant.

As for taste, this is a pretty well-balanced drink. Defiantly taste the roasted malt, but I also got a nice hoppy bite at the end.

For mouthfeel, this beer has a medium body, with moderate carbonation. There is a nice lingering of the hops flavor that coats the tongue.

Good beer...but not one of my favorite Christmas ales. This one is just a bit hoppy for a Christmas beer. But overall, a good take on a classic amber ale, just all Santa'd up.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 01:58:27 | More by davecavemaster

jmerloni

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Auburn brown coloration, big beige head that is sticky and laces very well.

S - Smooth smelling. Some pine, some molasses malt, a good deal of vanilla notes.

T - Rye, smooth malt flavor of caramel/molasses, vanilla bean, pine, light citrus, hops. Good taste, but not great. Very smooth and deliberate.

M - Perfect amount of carbonation. Beer is fairly dry overall. Light to medium bodied.

D - A nice offering. But pretty boring. I still don't understand why any of Rogue's beers are $13-$14 per 6 pack. There are innumerable beers out there that are better for the price. I really don't understand why Rogue is so expensive. I wouldn't get this again, due to the price.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 03:15:19 | More by jmerloni

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance
Hazy Brownish amber with 2 fingers of tan head. Excellent retention and moderate carbonation.

Nose
Caramel, pine and navel orange. A touch of tropical fruit and toffee.

Taste
Good doses of caramel and nougat. Balanced notes of pine and navel orange. A kiss of tangerine and pineapple. Lingering notes of grapefruit zest and florals.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp, clean and refreshing.

Overall
This is a very balanced and refined hoppy Red Ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 20:20:48 | More by justintcoons

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Santa's Private Reserve poured into a pint glass. A Newcastle pint glass, to be exact.

Accidentally got three fingers of head on the pour. I must have been a little rough with this one. That collection of bubbles isn't falling fast enough to allow secondary pouring just yet. Rusty red/amber beer, in the color, with a few streams of rising bubbles visible.

Oily hops, pine, peppermint, topsoil, dry caramel, toastiness, and floral aromas accented in the nose. Balanced, meaning I wouldn't particularly describe it as hoppy.

Pine-forward amber ale with bread crusty malts and toast. Finally, finding some grapefruit pith and mint flavors from American hops. Floral finish with a long-lasting bitterness and alkaline tingle. Quite generously roasted with loads of appropriate hoppy essentials to back it off a bit.

Very easy to drink and inviting. Great sudsy carbonation combined with focused quality in flavor (and aids from a hovering nose above the beer) deserves a proper nod. Medium-bodied with no stick. Oily, but not sticky. Dry feel.

A beer to kick back with in the middle of a night-session during the cold months. One could easily follow this beer up with another of the same, and quite enjoyably.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 04:34:14 | More by thecheapies

CardiacNP

Louisiana

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance Amber?red color with a slightly off white head with decent lacing

Smell Subtle hoppy, slight floral with a hint of roasted malt

Taste Surprisingly more hoppy than what I was expecting from a Winter Ale. But it is Rogue and I do find many of there beers a tad bit hoppier than I expect. Mild Malty undertones, but the hop bitterness if first and foremost .

Mouthfeel Smooth with moderate carbonation... lingering bitterness

Overall a nice beer... if you prefer hoppier beers then this would be a great winter time ale. If you are more into the maltier, more roasted beers then this may not be your best choice.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 23:29:15 | More by CardiacNP

rev3rb

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottom Line Up Front: A pleasant very hoppy winter ale that does not disappoint.

Decanted a 12oz bottle into a Guinness goblet.

Appearance: Has a beautiful dark amber color that presents a good head with some light lacing around the glass.

Smell: Hops are prominent and some bready notes.

Taste: It has a strong hop profile, astringent and lingering bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: It is quite carbonated with a medium body on the palate.

Overall: This ale packs a surprising hop punch and the aftertaste just keeps on giving. For winter ales this is much hoppier than I expected without the malts needed to balance it out (IMO). Some of the reviews taste the sweet maltiness of this beer, I however could not really find it. If you like hoppy reds or IPAs then this is one to try. If you were looking for a more maltier winter ale this beer probably won't scratch that itch. Otherwise I consider this one a good beer and worth trying. Of course I think anything from Rogue is worth trying since I do enjoy a lot of their offerings.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 21:14:29 | More by rev3rb

SgtPepper5088

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into pint glass

A - Darker amber color. Little to no head. Very nice appearance.

S - Nice caramel smell, spicy aroma.

T - Nice malty flavor. Bitterness is definitely there with piney citrus flavor.

M - Just a normal mouthfeel doesn't subtract or add.

O - Solid seasonal beer. Hops to a solid winter warmer type amber.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 20:37:37 | More by SgtPepper5088

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber poured into a Gulden Draak tulip glass

Appearance- Copper in color with 3 fingers of frothy milk shake like head. The head never dissipates fully and leaves a thick sticky lacing.

Smell- Lots of lemon and citrus fruits.

Taste- Lots of earthy hops flavor with a slight citrus finish.

Mouthfeel- Nice creamy heavy mouthfeel.

Overall- Definitly a different take on a red ale. Not my favorite taste profile, but definitly drinkable and a beautiful looking beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 18:13:41 | More by BrownAleMale

mooseo

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

650ml bottle into snifter.

A - Clear bright amber with frothy off-white head.

S - Caramel malt, earthy, light grassy hops.

T - Roasted caramel malt, bread and earthy pine hops. A hint of rye, spruce and herbal spice throughout. Sweet up front with a mildly hoppy finish.

M - Light-medium body. Slick and creamy with mild carbonation.

O - Overall just an average tasting amber ale. Flavor is very subtle although well balanced. I guess it's just a bit too boring for a winter seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 03:22:57 | More by mooseo

teromous

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: A dark shade of brown, very much like whiskey. The head is thin and eggshell white, which leaves very little lacing. The beer is slightly hazy. It looks pretty average for an amber.

S: I pick up some light caramel sweetness in the scent, as well as some very light pine and resin. It's a mellow scented beer.

T: It has an extremely pleasant taste. It has a light bread crust flavor to it which is accented by a very light pine flavor. It's very good.

M: It is medium bodied, feels wet, with some light bitterness. It's very easy to drink.

O: Overall I liked the beer. I have nothing negative to say about it. It is an amber/red ale but it falls a bit more on the hoppy side of things, but there's this bread crust flavor that works really well with it. Very delicious and I highly recommend it. The only thing that threw me was the Santa Claus on the bottle. I'm not sure what it has to do with Christmas...maybe the slight pine character from the hops? Not sure. The beer would be great any time of the year!

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 20:08:25 | More by teromous

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

pours a deep clean amber with 2 fingers of frothy creme colored head, leaving behind great lacing

smells of grassy hops, garlic, and earthy/vegetable scents arise.

a very earthy bitterness up front, lots of spicy hop character, lots of really bitter earth notes... to the point where this is almost undrinkable. behind all this lies a sweet malty profile.

medium body, moderate carbonation.. slight creamy feel on lips.

had they used different hops this would be a great beer, but the style they used comes out so damn bitter that it's hard to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 06:01:52 | More by facundoCNB

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-dark orange with a sticky cream colored head

S-muted faint hops. Hardly a scent. A hint of sweet buttercream? Not too great smelling.

T-comes in how it smell. Muted hops, no bitterness, a touch of buttercream. It's not a bad taste. It's just a boring taste. Very quaffable though. Sweet after-taste.

M-medium carbonation with a creamy finish

O-it's not a bad beer. It's just boring. Especially for the season. It tastes like an old mellow red ale. It's quite drinkable in the end.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 23:57:00 | More by AdamBear