Rail Slide Imperial Spiced Ale - SanTan Brewing Co.

Phelps

Arizona

3.3/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Rail Slide is an English strong ale brewed with spices of the chilly season. While the name is new, the brew isn't entirely original -- it's a descendant of 12 Daze, last year's collaboration with Liberty Market that contained a chai tea mix of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, cardamom and nutmeg. For Rail Slide, SanTan once again collaborated with Liberty, but created a slightly new blend, adding licorice to the other wintry spices.

Brewed with two-row, caramel, Munich, roasted and chocolate malts as well as a little wheat, Rail Slide has the color and clarity of a garnet gemstone. When poured into one of SanTan's curvy glasses, it gains a fuzzy head of sandy tan that slowly descends to fleece-like ring.

The aroma is like walking into grandma's place after a day in the snow. Sweet, warm caramel and toffee mingle with touches of apple, roasted walnut and coffee. Close you eyes and you'll detect the spice blend of cinnamon, ginger, apple and licorice wafting about the room.

The flavor is far less impressive than the aroma, but still hits the notes it needs to. Ginger is the main contributor here, with cinnamon and licorice playing supporting roles. American ale yeast lends apple and alcohol to the malt's nuts and caramel, while Summit hops contribute a little bitterness (about 35 IBUs worth). A major complain would be the beer's water-thin body, which is just too ephemeral to support the myriad flavors within. almost-not-there carbonation does nothing to help the situation. the wave of toasty nut bread that appears at the finish, however, does.

Serving type: can

11-22-2012 19:14:10 | More by Phelps

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.05/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Medium sized light tan head settles quickly into a near decent lacing above a clear deep reddish amber colored beer.

A light aroma of fall spices , nutmeg, and dark roasted caramel malts mixed with a rich black licorice.

Roasted dark caramel malts mixed with lighter than expected fall and pumpkin spices taste.

An almost wettish aftertaste without much tastes remaining on this medium bodied beer.

I was expecting more and richer fall spice tastes from this beer. As it was this beer was pretty easy drinking, maybe a bit to much so.

Serving type: can

04-20-2013 21:43:28 | More by LXIXME

searsclone

Arizona

2.03/5  rDev -39.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

bottle into a chalice

smell from the bottle was beef jerky, in the glass it's all black licorice and spice.

taste is spice, licorice, malt, and more spice. black licorice is one of my least favorite flavors, so I won't be able to finish this one. just know that the "1.0" is pure personal taste.

mouthfeel is nice, crispy, clean and smooth

overall, I really wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't get over the licorice flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 02:49:00 | More by searsclone

DonDirkA

Arizona

3.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep reddish-brown with a light brown head that sits around 1.5 fingers. The nose is a little metallic (not usually an issue with Santan even though they use cans). I'm not getting much else but some raisins and that metallic smell. (EDIT: When it warms up the nose changes a lot. The metallic scent is replaced by black licorice and cloves. I can see how the black licorice would smell metallic when it is really cold. Its not really the anise you get from some stouts, its more of a sugary black licorice, like that Australian licorice you can buy.) The taste is much better. Clove, caramel, black licorice, cinnamon, molasses and some dark fruits and raisins. Not the best winter ale, but not bad. I am glad I got one can instead of a sixer. A little underwhelming. But it seems to me the only Santan brews I have been impressed with have been their hoppy beers; Hopshock, Count Hopula and Devil's Ale. I actually really liked their double chocolate porter Sex Panther as well. It was awesome. Now I want more of that...

Serving type: can

11-15-2012 11:09:06 | More by DonDirkA