Dark Horse Raspberry Ale - Dark Horse Brewing Company

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

So I love fruit beers.
I won't deny it.
This is good. Not great, but good.

The beer is golden color with a light red hue. The white head has a pink tint to it. Meh regarding the retention and lacing.
Smells light-- mild and lightly sweet. Some raspberry notes. This is very lager-like... Easy malts and virtually no hops. Slight raspberry notes, especially on the finish. Kind of dry and musty-- like cheap champagne.

This is exceptionally easy to drink-- with a body that reminds mr of an adjunct lager... Very carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 04:42:53 | More by AleWatcher

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

Grabbed a bottle of this a month ago. Reviewed from notes

A - A darkish tone of amber, sort of orange. Nice white head with moderate lacing.

S - Slight tart raspberries and wheat. Slight aggressive grain crispness with a bit of bread.

T - Not the worst fruit beer but I guess it was ok. Moderate tart tones of the raspberries meet with a solid wheat background. Finishes kind of tart and grain like but it was more beer than fruit.

M - Light to medium. I could have a few.

Overall I could see why I didn't grab another, and basically it was good marketing to have a cool looking label to get me to buy it (WTF bee's?) One of the more forgettable offerings from Dark Horse. Grab yourself a stout player!

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 23:42:54 | More by DrDemento456

vfgccp

New York

2.88/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A – Deep, opaque apricot color. White head hangs around with ok retention but doesn’t leave much lace.

S – Tart raspberry spritzer. Almost like a light raspberry bellini.

T – Light raspberry jello and seltzer flavor. Faint orange zest. The mineral character goes well with the raspberry, but there’s just not enough flavor there to really get you excited about going back for more.

M – Thin, but despite it’s high level of carbonation it still comes off watery. The finish is semi-dry with a perfume of raspberry.

O – Light flavor hurts this brew, but would it would be as easy to drink as a flavored sparking water on a scorcher of a day.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 22:53:21 | More by vfgccp

JM03

Ohio

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

12oz bottle poured into DFH pint glass.

Pours a ruby red / amber brown color with an exploding white head. Frothy head nearly overflows the glass and it takes multiple pours to get it all in the cup.

Aroma of sweet malts and raspberry. Not an overpowering fruity smell - which is a good thing.

Taste is wheaty with a bit of the tart raspberries. A slight sweetness is present.

Overall, it was smooth and refreshing. Not overly sweet, and not overpowered by a fruity/raspberry artificial flavor. It was just OK for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 13:12:44 | More by JM03

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

3.58/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Another bottle into Sam Adams sensory glass, courtesy of the good Mr. Alewatcher - dhan'yavāda, Jeff.

Pours a cloudy coppery straw color, with a fluffy bone-white head and pretty good retention. Light lacing.

Nose is light, raspberry with a bit of wheaty, doughy sourdough. Crisp.

Taste is not what I expected from a fruit/vegetable beer - namely, the lack of fruit. Big, crisp, wheaty bite right up front is nice, with a lightly tart raspberry note adding a bit of brightness, though it fades fairly quickly. Light sweetness lingers just long enough, fading out on a wheaty finish that carries just a wee bit of raspberry. More an American wheat beer with fruit than a fruit beer, in my opinion. Still, tastes fresh and authentic, which is way better than many I've tried.

Mouthfeel is light, crisp and a bit on the lightly fizzy side, refreshing and clean.

A nice, refreshing summer beer. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 21:50:39 | More by JohnQVegas

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy copper color with a thick two finger soapy head which gives way to minimal lace if any. The aroma is of sweetness and raspberry tartness along with wheat. The aroma is faint. The taste is of wheat with hints of sweetness and raspberry tartness, refreshing, but slightly artificial. The mouthfeel is overly carbonated and stingy. Overall the beer is okay, the flaws could be hidden in the first beer. It is a very easy drink, but the taste is just average.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 20:12:57 | More by goblue3509

KarlHungus

Minnesota

2.6/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer pours a cloudy pale amber color. The head is a half inch in height, and recedes quickly into minimal lacing. The aroma is of raspberries with a faint hint of malt. The taste is similar to the aroma, but milder. The aftertaste is of strong nasty artificial sweeteners. The mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium bodied with annoyingly high carbonation. Overall, I will pass on this beer next time.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 21:44:38 | More by KarlHungus

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.2/5  rDev -35.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours a hazy pink-ish to orange color with a white head. In the aroma, small fruit and a hint of a gingerbread like malt. In the taste, small dry berry and a dry malt. Kind of bland though. A small bite and light bodied mouthfeel, with a dry candy sugar and hint of fruit in the aftertaste. Not much fruit and kind of bland.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 18:30:30 | More by OWSLEY069

Brenden

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer is hazed, deep burnished brass in color. It's thick and nearly impossible to see though with what looks like a bit of sediment and lots of bubbly activity that never stops. A white head 3 fingers high forms from a less than aggressive pour, taking time to fade down to a thick crown one finger high and eventually a foam that drops spotty lacing.
The aroma is tart raspberry and wheat with an earthy/musty touch. There's not much else.
In the flavor, this one isn't particularly sweet (just a touch). The main event here is a strong tartness that pulls through the whole way and rounds out with a tangy sort of finish. Grains are foremost after the tartness, and there is a dry malt with a light hops presence finishes it out. Underneath it all and more subtle is something lightly herbal and a yeasty note.
Each sip starts out with a bite of crispness that remains through the swallow. This beer's got a light body and is moderately carbonated. It's very dry as well.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 19:30:27 | More by Brenden

BrewCrew2010

New York

2.05/5  rDev -39.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

A: A hazy rust to copper color body with almost no head, which is off white in color.

S: A pleasant aroma of sweet candy sugar, soft raspberries, and maybe a bit of honey. Very straight forward.

T: First sip: I thought this is sorta nice. Second sip: This is very watery. Third sip: This taste like watered-down Crystal Light. Put that aside, a very thin upfront flavor of raspberries & lemony citrus hops that don't mix very well that ends too watery.

M: Thing body with lively carbonation.

D: I got this as an extra in a trade, so no harm done to my wallet. The flavor is awful and I would never drink this again. I'm afraid this is one of those I poured down the drain.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 19:15:53 | More by BrewCrew2010

jale

Michigan

3/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance:hazy reddish yellow with a light white head

smell: raspberries and a little malt

taste: mostly raspberry with little malt. Tiny bit of tobacco A very small amount of hops at the finish.

mouthfeel: thin with adequate carbonation.

drinkability: A refreshing beer after mowing the lawn. Not enough flavor for my taste.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2011 17:02:53 | More by jale

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Looks like raspberry ice tea. Nice frothy lacing though. Very good.

Smell: VERY faint hint of raspberries. It's just ok.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Clean taste and feel. Lemony citrus with some raspberries in the background. There is a bit of a soapy aftertaste that I'm not crazy about. I guess that's why it tastes clean...Anyway, the mouthfeel is quite enjoyable. Thin, but not too thin, and full of great carbonation.

Drinkability: Refreshing, that's for sure.

Overall: A bit weak on the senses, but this really is a refreshing beer to drink. I would try this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 05:10:34 | More by tjsdomer2

matty

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy gold colored beer with a rapidly fading head,looks like apple juice.Aroma is raspberries.Taste is tart raspberries and malt.Definetly not the easiest drinking beer around.Overall kind of bland and boring but by no means terrible.It was nice to try once but I doubt I would ever buy one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 05:51:45 | More by matty

Duff27

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a cloudy amber/light brown with a one-inch white head. Some lacing is left. Also some traveling carbonation are visible from bottom to top.

S- Smells of fresh picked raspberries.

T- Seems like an amber beer base with raspberries taking the lead role...tart, but not an over done tartness.

M- Carbonation is pleasant.

D/O- I must say drinkability is low given the extreme raspberry taste of this one...mayyybe would have two in one sitting, but probably not. Would have guessed that going into it. Having said that, I kind of enjoyed this one. Thanks Dark Horse for a fruit beer that doesn't totally suck, seems few and far between anymore.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2010 04:14:51 | More by Duff27

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.18/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Coloring was a meidum maber with a tinge of red. A bubbly white head with constant streams of carbonation. No cling at all from the head. aroma was predominantly fresh raspberry, with a touch of wheat. Reminded me definitely of picking fresh berries. Flavor was a bit offputting. Had watery raspberry undertones, didn't dominate, but the main flavor was just not there. Felt very good in the mouth, coated well and nicely carbonated. Easy to drink, but the bland flavor was in sharp contrast to the great aroma and made it not something to want to drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2010 00:36:06 | More by mountdew1

tubacharlie

Michigan

4/5  rDev +18%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled on tap, the pint arrived with a decent white head with some retention and lacing. A hazy, unfiltered orangeish-light brown color with sufficient carbonation to leave a nice ring of foam at the edge, even after sitting for a half hour while interrupted.

The scent of raspberries is clearly evident in the midst of a fruity hop nose, especially at first sip. Carried into the flavor, the raspberry is a little more pronounced, but only enough to give a nice tartness to the overall malted barley profile. Good deal of hops give it a pale ale style. The tart fruit blends well with the hop bitterness for a flourishing finish.

Not really a what I would consider a "fruity" beer, it is a well-crafted pale ale with just a touch of berries, and not at all sweet. I especially enjoyed it mixed half and half with a strong Belgian style, Dragonmead's Final Absolution (a Rasolution?). The tart bitterness cuts the slight sweetness of the Belgian and produces a complex, tasty fusion of flavors.

Pairs nicely with Chicken a l'Orange.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2010 06:06:07 | More by tubacharlie

Thorpe429

Illinois

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

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a really strange orangish brown color with a bit of haze and not much of a head or lacing. Nose is a bit strange as well with some raspberries that are a bit tart and sweet. Mild malt backing. Taste is again an odd raspberry combination. Decent feel between the raspbery components. Interesting but not terribly good.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2010 13:26:35 | More by Thorpe429

aasher

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

It pours a murky reddish orange, kind of like apple cider with a slight reddish tint and had a light off white head. The smell was soft and appealing. It features modest raspberry aromas with some light sugary sweetness. The taste is what I would call mellow. The raspberry is not overly sweet or tart but somewhere in the middle. The mouthfeel is soft and not what I'd like it to be. It was a little too smooth. I would've preferred more carbonation and greater crispness. I found this Raspberry ale to be pretty tasty and I enjoyed it. I'd say that this one is pretty drinkable, but I love most raspberry beers.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 02:07:58 | More by aasher

sweemzander

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From notes
On tap at the Barley House

(A)- Pours a hazy orange color with a white head. Not exactly the color I expected from a raspberry ale.

(S)- Smells like a lightly crisp hay with minimal rasp. tartness.

(T)- A light but tart raspberry tartness.

(M)- A good carbonation level. Rather subtle on the fruit department.

(D)- Decent, but when it comes to fruit beers, this one falls short. Still enjoyed it though.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2010 14:36:30 | More by sweemzander

billab914

Virginia

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

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Alesmith pint glass. It poured amber orange in color, with a thin white layer barely covering the top of the beer.

The first thing noticeable in the aroma is the raspberry flavor. It has more tartness to it than sweetness, but both are present. Behind the raspberry is a malty, slightly grainy base with just a hint of caramel.

The raspberry comes through with more sweetness in the taste then it did in the aroma. The tart fruity flavor is there as well. Like in the nose the malty flavors come through to provide a base for the beer. Pretty decent raspberry flavor overall.

The mouthfeel is light and carbonation is moderate. Drinkability is decent, it shows some nice raspberry flavors to it. It was pretty easy drinking and I can see a lot of casual drinkers liking this beer. It wasn't one of the best fruit beers I've had but it was definitely above average just based on not having a huge extract flavor to it. I probably wouldn't buy it for myself again but my girlfriend would definitely buy it for herself.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 20:35:44 | More by billab914

Wasatch

Utah

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

Thanks goes out to ybnorml for this one.

Pours a nice cloudy amber color, nice carbonation, nice one-finger creamy off-white head, with some nice sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, with a nice touch of Raspberries, slight spice note. The taste is malty, slightly sweet, nice raspberry note, and some kind of spices. Medium body. Drinkable, a nice thirst quencher.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 19:20:48 | More by Wasatch

deereless

Colorado

3.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Medium gold in color with a trace of red, there is a decent head and retention seems good, significant lacing as the beer drops - 4.25, S: The initial pour is heavy on the raspberry aromas, actually it is not just heavy but rather it is pure raspberries, there is also some acidity and tartness, fruity sweetness - 4.50, T: Like the nose the palate has a considerable amount of raspberry, I also perceive a decent kick of hops which provide a citrus and earthy punch, individually I enjoy the two tastes but them seem to clash somewhat in the beer, quite dry and slightly astringent - 3.00, M: Mouth feel is pretty moderate - 3.00, D: All around a very drinkable beer, it didn't really tickle my fancy but I am glad to have sampled it - 3.50

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 23:48:17 | More by deereless

StoutHunter

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pretty sure i tried this one at the beer expo in may but there were far too many samples drank that day to remember what it was like, so lets see if this brew can jog my memory.

A- Pours a light red with an inch of light pink head that disappears rather fast.

S- I could try and think of many types of fancy words to describe the smell, but to me it smells exactly the same way red sour patch kid tastes.

T- Raspberry up front with some light malts in the back, slightly tart. I like the fact the fact that this beer isn't all berry and it balances the crisp malts with the raspberry very well.

M- Light bodied and thin with the right amount of carbonation.

D- Since the raspberry isn't overpowering i would say this is pretty drinkable and quite refreshing.

Overall Dark Horse makes good beer and this is no exception, this would be a great beer to enjoy while playing some disc golf in the summer heat. I would for sure pick this beer up again.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 04:15:47 | More by StoutHunter

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Murky amber-brown with a two finger white head that is a bit fizzy in appearance and has decent retention. Leaves a very small amount of lace.

S- Raspberry is the most noticeable thing here, you would hope so. They smell slightly tart and very fresh, nice. There is a bit of caramel and sweet malt making it smell like a very nice raspberry candy. Good overall aroma strength.

T- More going on here. The raspberry is a bit subdued and the rest shines through a bit more. There are bready yeast notes, grainy malt and some earthy hop notes. I wouldn't say it is balanced all that well but it is still enjoyable. Flavor sort of fades to just a slight raspberry taste above an average malt backbone.

MF- Light body with high carbonation and some creaminess. Goes down smooth. Pretty much where it should be but nothing extraordinary.

DB- A decent beer, nothing really jumps out at you from this one. The good aroma led me to think this would taste like fresh alcoholic raspberries. Unfortunately the fruit flavor was a bit of a let down. Refreshing, average beer for a decent price.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2010 00:41:12 | More by cbutova

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Perfect Pint glass. Whoa...this one is a bit of a gusher...a huge pinkish head formed quickly, overflowing my glass. The bubbles slowly receded, leaving lots of lace behind. The body is a light orange color with pink (almost purple) hues.

The nose is pretty simple but pleasant. Lots of tart raspberries sitting on a grainy, malt backbone.

Well, the nose is a great indicator of the taste. A little sour up front, but a sweet raspberry flavor takes over the middle. The end is almost peppery in nature. Once again, the malts are present, but in the background throughout.

Light bodied and thin with moderate carbonated.

Pretty decent drinkability, but nothing I would go out of my way for. By far, my least favorite offering from the good people at Dark Horse.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2010 20:20:14 | More by mgbickel