Dark Horse Raspberry Ale - Dark Horse Brewing Company

tectactoe

Michigan

3.04/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

On tap at Pete's Garage, during the Michigan-Syracuse Final Four game of '13. It pours a cloudy copper and amber color with an ever-so-slight, faint pink hue to it. Perhaps I'm imagining this hue because I feel like a raspberry beer should be pink. The soapy white head fizzles quite a bit and reduces to a skin pretty quickly and leaves minimal lacing on the sides.

The aroma is a bit underpowered to say the least. Raspberries haunt the edges, but the middle is made up of merely some light grains and not much else. I guess that puts the raspberry in the forefront, though, which is the silver lining. The raspberries almost smell a bit tart on the nose with a little bit of sweetness to back them up. The tail end has a faint, musky smell to it, most likely from the hops. I wish there was more I could pull from this beer, but there isn't much there at all.

Much like the aroma, the flavor leaves me wanting more. I get some very mildly tart raspberries up front - far from being "sour", as it's almost more of a fractionally astringent tartness that peaks instantly and fades away just as quickly. Unfortunately, the raspberry flavors come off a bit artificial and medicinal, leaving almost a chalky aftertaste. The aroma didn't smell quite so artificial, and it's upsetting to see that the flavor turned out to be that way. Some of the musky hops come out mid-sip along with a light graininess. Thin bodied with a hefty dose of carbonation and a crisp mouth feel.

Eh, definitely not the worst fruit infused beer out there, but miles from being near the top, too. The raspberry isn't as strong nor as pure as it should be. Overall, a little boring and uneventful, and the flavors that ARE taking place, aren't the best around. Might be good for people who are easing into the world of craft beer, but they'll soon be leaving this one behind them.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 11:30:51 | More by tectactoe

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.09/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Pours a lightly clouded medium-dark amber, average head...no hint of fruit in the appearance really, fairly plain.

Smells of light sweet berry, candied sugar, raisin, other generic malt character.

Tastes pretty similar--some moderate sweet berry but not a huge fruit character, some other plain sweet malt.

Mouthfeel is pretty good, solid carbonation, good drinkability.

This is okay, I like it, but it needs a lot more fruit to really shine. I'm confused about why so many breweries still make lackluster fruit beers after the examples set by New Glarus and Selin's Grove.

6.1/10

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 02:25:47 | More by AlexFields

tdm168

North Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A - dark orange with a thin, white cap of foamy head that quickly fades to a thin lacing

S - sweet, tart raspberries with some faint breadiness

T - mildly tart raspberries, some sweetness, some caramel, mild bitter finish

M - very crisp, overcarbonated, light bodied

The overcarbonation here really impacts the overall experience of the beer. The bubbles on the palate confuse the taste buds and cover up some of the flavor. It also makes the flavors that do come through seem fleeting. I think it achieves what it set out to do. It is refreshing, it's fruity without being over the top, and it's light bodied and very easy to drink. Unfortunately, I'm unimpressed. This isn't a beer I'd like to have again.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 01:33:01 | More by tdm168

PattyMelt

Michigan

4.01/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

This is a biased review, as this is my favorite go-to beer when I'm not sure what I'm in the mood for. I know it is not the best beer in the world, but I love it and always enjoy it no matter what kind of beer-drinking mood I am in!

A- Pours coppery, with a small head the thins out.
S- Pretty good, you can smell the raspberry but it is not really overwhelming
T- Great! The raspberry taste is stronger than the smell, in my opinion. Raspberry beers are my favorite fruit beers, and this has just the right balance, enough raspberry that you can really taste it, but just below the brink of being too sweet. There really aren't any other strong flavors in there. Some malt to balance out, but that's about it.
M- Very light bodied, easy to drink. Not a whole ton of carbonation. A small bitterness on the back of it, but very clean and drinkable.

O- Like I said, my staple go-to. Enough flavor that you are actually tasting something, but light and easy enough to just kick back and relax with!

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 09:16:40 | More by PattyMelt

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This pours a semi-cloudy copper color with a slight beige head. The scent is mostly wheat with some hints raspberries. The taste has more raspberry flavor to it than you would expect from the color and aroma. There is a rush of sweet raspberry flavor that then turns into a strong wheat flavor before finishing kind of dry and chalky. This is a slight step up from Shocktop Raspberry but still has plenty of room for improvement.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 04:43:18 | More by Lemke10

Docrock

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into pint glass.

A - light copper brown, thin head that quickly diminished to a thin cap, minimal lacing.

S - light scent of raspberry essence but not a real raspberry nose, not much else.

T - faint raspberry on tip of the tongue, minor malt and, minimal hops.

M - slight bitter aftertaste but no lingering flavor. Carbonation is very light.

O - refreshing but being a fan of Raspberries, I was a bit disappointed, other than the faint scent, there isn't any real raspberry character to this brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 23:02:10 | More by Docrock

Alextricity

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The one thing I can't say anything about is the appearance ... I had this straight from the bottle at Green Dot Stables in Detroit. If you haven't heard of GDS and live in the area, I URGE you to check the place out. Seriously. Asap.

Anyway, the smell of this beer is much like you'd expect. Or maybe not. It's an ale with some spillings of raspberry in there. But unlike some beers that overwhelm you with the fruit, Dark Horse does it right, and gives you that hop/malt/BEER smell as well.

Taste/feel: Unfortunately I didn't get to completely enjoy my beer because my friends were pushing me out the door to the casino, but I got a few sips in where I could think if I liked it or not... and I do. I'm not sure what it is, but this beer just doesn't blow me away like I thought it might. Sure, you get the raspberries, but I couldn't help but feel "meh" about it. It's still a very drinkable beer super appropriate for Spring or Summer though, and I'd try another.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 17:10:32 | More by Alextricity

superspak

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, no bottle dating. Pours lightly hazy golden orange color with a nice 1-2 finger frothy white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Good bits of foamy lacing cling down the glass. Aromas of tart raspberry, bread, herbal, floral, and light caramel, Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and decent strength. Taste of biscuit, toast, light tart raspberry, herbal, floral, and light earth. Lingering notes of toast, biscuit, raspberry, herbal, floral, and earth on the finish for a bit. Not nearly as much raspberry in the taste as I expected from the aromas. Mostly biscuit and herbal hops. Minimal cloying flavors on the finish and fairly dry. Medium carbonation and body; with a lightly syrupy and crisp mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is well hidden with pretty much no warming on the finish. Overall, not a bad beer; but it was seriously lacking in the fruit department in the taste. Was very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 03:54:42 | More by superspak

jtd1969

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Cloudy golden orange with some slight lacing

S - Some raspberry and slight fermented grape smell

T - Some mild earthy hops with raspberry all through. Similar to a saison, but without the belgian yeast

M - A tad heavier than light in body, but no where near medium. smooth fruit finish

O - Good beer for style, refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 20:58:35 | More by jtd1969

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.63/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a New Belgium snifter. Pours a hazy apricot color with a nice tight one finger of head. Nice lacing too. I definitely get the raspberries on the nose. Also get a bit of cherry and lemon as well.

The beer has a light body and a rather thin mouthfeel. There is a light, grainy taste up front and some sweet notes, then a nice wave of raspberry flavors come in. The flavor is pretty well-balanced between tart and sweet. It's unfortunate that the brewer didn't leave it a bit more tart, as it would have complemented the graininess well and made the beer very refreshing. The finish is a bit underwhelming, but still manages to be dry enough to leave you ready for more.

I'm not sure how they brew this, but it drinks like a raspberry wheat beer. It's quite tasty and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 23:29:53 | More by deadonhisfeet

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.05/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

With the raspberries front and center, the beer that is built around the fruit supports the candyish additions, yet struggle to compete with its flavor and strength.

The Raspberry Ale pours an unexpected hazy orange hue and not with the expected redish tint. Thinking that actual raspberries were used in the beer and not colored artificially gives a lot of hope in this fruit beer going forward. The beer builds a creamy and somewhat dainty white head that withstands the session with consistency and ease. Although the beer looks "fruity" it doesn't reveal its secret view from a distant glimpse.

But the aromas sure do- this beer is raspberry through and through. The scent of ripe, fresh picked raspberries calm the olfactories in ways that only raspberries can. A timid support from malt offers a mild grain-derived sweet impression, and light starch while any hop attributes hide behind the pectin of the fruit. Perhaps a spicy note of ginger balances the fruit as much as any other component of the ingredients and likely results from the alcohol and phenols from yeast.

Fruity-rich flavors are certainly fueled by the raspberries, but additional wheat beer-like fruitiness exacerbates the sweetness and fruity notes. A firm and protein-rich flavor and yeasty taste supports the fruit and buffers against the fruit's acidity and the tannin that the fruit may project. Light on hops, the beer remains fruit and malt balanced going well into the finish.

The fuller-than-should-be texture is pushed higher by a lot of unresolved sweetness by both the fruit and from malt. With little balance from hops, and only a slight acidic counterpoint, the beer remains malty until deep into the finish. With little reprieve, the beer is lightly cloying and avoids alcohol warmth and dry malt character.

I rather enjoy the authentic fruit flavors of the beer, but the lack of balance from hops, dryness, or acidity limits its drinkability. For the staunch beer enthusiast, this beer may not cut it, but hey- chicks dig it!

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 04:59:06 | More by BEERchitect

rlee1390

Indiana

3.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A-Semi-cloudy orange, one finger head that doesn't last long.

S-Artificial raspberries, and not much else. Not fully artificial but leaning that way.

T-Raspberries that are once again leaning artificial/metallic even. Tad bit of wheat. Semi-sweet but not as sweet as you'd expect from a fruit beer. In a way it is even slightly tart.

M-Light, some carbonation, not that crisp though.

O-Was expecting more, raspberries are yummy and sweet while this beer was leaning artificial and semi-sweet.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 20:26:39 | More by rlee1390

DCon

Missouri

3.2/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bought a 12 FL OZ bottle of this from Donnie's Homespun Pizza in Decatur, IL for $4. Poured from the Bright Red/Green/Black Labeled bottle into a 16oz Stone IPA Pint Glass. Had no freshness date on the bottle.

Aroma- Big sweetness and light raspberries make up this nose. Candied and very seducing.

Appearance- Pours no head at all... Hmm. Carbonation or date issues? No lacing is left either. The body is a dark and deep orange color.

Flavor- Has an upfront sweet flavor and then breaks into an average wheat flavor. Raspberry flavor was dry and well hidden... No hops or bitterness at the finish.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, High Carbonation, and has a slight raspberry finish. Better then the flavor!

Overall Impression- A decent fruit beer by Dark Horse but expected much more from these guys! It could have been an outdated brew but who knows without the B.O.D. Average when it comes down to it.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 00:08:05 | More by DCon

JackieTH

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Orange-red and slightly hazy with a topping of white foam that fades quickly with no significant lacing.

Smell is lightly tart raspberry, very distinct yet not overpowering, played againt crackery biscuit malt elements. Nice.

Taste is quite similar. Immediate tart raspberry flavor on the tip of the tongue fades into a biscuit-crackery malt. The overall effect is refreshing and tasty. It's neither a raspberry syrup bomb nor cloying. Not even close.

Lightly firm body with strong carbonation.

Overall if your seeking a naturally flavored but...put the beer first..fruit beer, this is what you'd want to try. Pretty good, I'd drink another one even though fruit beers aren't really my balliwick.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 21:57:37 | More by JackieTH

jsisko01

Michigan

3.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours an orange/copper color with an inch and a half thick, white head that lingers for a couple minutes. Leaves a nice, creamy lacing behind.

Smell - Has a nice raspberry aroma, not overbearing. But that's all I can smell other than grains.

Taste - It has a light tartness. It doesn't really even taste like raspberry to me.. but at least the sweetness isn't overbearing like other fruit ales. I can also taste pale malts, buttery biscuits, and grains. It seems pretty watered down. It has a weird tart-bitterness in the aftertaste also.

Mouthfeel - Light body with high carbonation.

Overall - This beer is ok.. I wouldn't get it again though.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 03:15:25 | More by jsisko01

Beer_Runner

3.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No enjoy by date on the label.
Slowly poured into a standard pint glass.

A: No head formed during the pour. The brew is very cloudy and is a coppery/orange color.

S: The aroma is mild and consists of caramelized malt, a little bready yeast, and just a hint of fruit tartness.

T: The taste follows the aroma. It is a combination of bready yeast and caramelized malt along with a big dose of sharp, tart, raspberry fruitiness.

M: The body is on the heavier side of medium. It has a pleasant amount of carbonation, and is fairly smooth with a clean finish.

O: A good fruit beer. It replaces hops flavor and bitterness with the sharp, tart, and fruity flavors from the raspberries. I would consider this a lambic beer - and one of the better ones. This beer is another beer that will work well when chilled on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 00:25:46 | More by Beer_Runner

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle. Had this back in April of this year; reviewed from notes. Another ’want’ of mine that started getting distributed to my area. Score! 12oz bottle poured into my Highland pint glass.

Pours a very murky dark amber/gold with light reddish hues. Cloudy beer. Small 1-finger bone white head atop. The nose is interesting. There is some mild tart fruity esters noted, but a sort of hay-like dryness makes up the rest. Grainy nose.

Good body. Faintly syrupy at times, with a bit of a dry finish. Good carbo depth though. My standard for "raspberry" ales is of course NG’s Raspb. Tart, so I expected a wallop of fruit all over this. That, I did not get. What was there instead was a decent beer with all of it malty goodness, grains, light bitterness, and then a decent zip of fruity tartness on the finish. Huh. This wasn’t what I anticipated, but it held its own nonetheless. I like that the fruit character is more muted than in-your-face. Plus, my wife loved it.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 16:29:58 | More by Onenote81

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Hazy, dirty pink-orange with a long-lasting little soft white cap. Nice lacing, actually. 4.0

Fresh raspberries, slightly caramelized malt sugars, slight tartness. Light hopping with herbal notes. 3.5

Tangy wheat-structured malt backbone with raspberry skins, firm fruit tartness, and some caramel-like malt flavors. Not my bag, but not bad. 3.0

Highly carbonated. Swishy medium body. Ok feel. 3.0

I can't drink this kind of a fruit beer too fast. It's interesting enough, I guess. A regrettable order at the bar. 3.0

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2012 00:53:50 | More by thecheapies

Shrews

3.15/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Served
Bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance
Pours into a nice 1/2 inch head with a light brown color. Little to no rings of head left around the glass as you drink. Head tapers off as you drink.

Smell
Can faintly smell the berries. A light smell of hops as well.

Taste
Light raspberry taste with slight bitterness on the back of the tongue. The raspberry taste masks the hops and barley. Slightly carbonated which goes well with the raspberry taste. It is a pretty faint taste of raspberry.

Mouthfeel
Slight carbonation and bubbles mixes well with the light raspberry taste.

Overall
The ale sort of tastes like a light nationally branded beer (ex. Bud, Miller, etc) with a faint raspberry taste. Tasteless really, minus the raspberries.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 23:20:27 | More by Shrews

smakawhat

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass, sure why not!

Dark dull amber brown, with not much head, a faint off white appearance five to some good rising carbonation from the body. I will say it's better than average, but nothing really grabbing me, I wish I could say more.

Nose grabs next to nothing in fruit character. Faint bitter bile smell, but luckily a nice bready soft biscuity malt comes to the rescue with some soft crackery graham cracker. Raspberry forward on the nose.. no..

Moving along the palate hits, and improvement is a big step up. Giant pie and crusty malt taste and finish with an almost rhubarb and fruit component. Tartness no, but a soft malt bodied crust mixing with a true fruit component.

Overall, gives to a fruit pie component with a lingering crusty finish. First whiffs and impressions though are not that impressive, mixing with an appearance that is less than satisfying. No major complaints, but no raves either here...

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 03:21:37 | More by smakawhat

TCMike

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Produce a 2 finger white head after pouring into a glass. The color of the beer is a cloudy gold, with a smidgen of pink.
The aroma is a bit week, but of a little bread, and raspberry.
The taste was much better than smell. The raspberry comes through more. No hop bitterness noticeable.
The carbonation is high, and mouth-feel is light, and dry.
This is a good, easy drinking, warmer weather beer. The low alcohol makes it a great summer session beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 21:51:53 | More by TCMike

cosmicevan

New York

2.35/5  rDev -30.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

been sitting on this one for a while. was in the mood for some fruit juice, but didn't have any...and saw this one. perfecto. poured into a cantillon tasting glass.

a - brew poured orange with a tizzy foamy head that slowly bubbled away. lively champagne like visible carbonation. semi sticky lacing.

s - fresh raspberries. a bit of soda like sweetness. some maltiness and gooey toffee.

t - just like the smell...BURST of raspberries. overly so. an overdose of raspberry gooey thickness. a bit cloying. kind of gross.

m - thick and chewy. the beer itself isn't that great and it makes my mouth not lookin like i'm enjoying myself.

o - overall i was looking for a nice raspberry beer. this was raspberry alright...but kind of gross. too thick and chewy. although i was able to get through a small glass of it, i opted to move onto something else and didn't finish it. this one is not for me. there are plenty of tasty raspberry beers out there, so i don't see why you'd go for this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 01:32:05 | More by cosmicevan

DavoleBomb

Ohio

2.6/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a snifter.

2.5 A: Opaque peach amber color. Two fingers of frothy white head. Retention is lacking and no lacing is left.

2.5 S: Bready with raspberry essence. Doesn't smell bad, but it's simple and the raspberries aren't strong enough to wow me like they do in something like NG Raspberry Tart.

2.5 T: Pretty much like the nose. The raspberries are more than half assed, but barely. Maybe 4/7s assed. Otherwise, simple like watered down juice or something.

3.5 M: Medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Not quite creamy, but something like "frothy."

2.5 D: Not even close to the worst of the fruit beers, but still not good. I doubt my gender is the target buyer for this.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 22:40:25 | More by DavoleBomb

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle with no date

Very cloudy yellow with a red hue. 3 finger head that dissipates quickly. Smells faintly like skunky strawberries. Tastes like an odd mix of malt, hop, and tart raspberry - in that order. Aftertaste is all raspberry. Mouthfeel is light and crisp but a bit astringent.

I like how natural and tangy the raspberry is, but the farm house ale taste doesn't jive well with the fruit. The pervasive fruit separates itself from the more natural beer taste and just doesn't blend. It's still very easy drinking and unique.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 04:11:28 | More by jimmah120

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Hazy reddish brown. I thought the red here was nice and subtle and I appreciated that.
S: Super super weak raspberry smell. Otherwise didn't smell like anything, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
T: Again, super subtle on the rasberry taste, and I was expecting more. However, as a ale this had some great execution with a little bitter hops and a little wheaty flavor.
M: Sat very well. No lingering gross flavors and the carbonation was on the money.

Overall I was looking for more raspberrys but it was a pretty good beer regardless.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2012 15:09:02 | More by Jamesthebrit