Rude Elf's Reserve (formerly Rudolph's Reserve) - Bethlehem Brew Works

wampahoofus

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Light amber brown. Head faded to nothing right away. Very little lacing. Not unusual with this style.

Smell: Lots of spice. Cinnamon. A bit of sweetness in the background

Taste: Holiday spices are well balanced and blend in with the belgian esters nicely. Some fruit and a tang at the end.

Mouthfeel: The beer is sweet and mellow for its style. The spices are well balanced and do not take over.

Drinkability: This is a decent holiday warmer. Not sure if I'm ready to drink more than one, but it was worth a try.

I think that BBW is being a bit "rude" with the naming. I think it is clear that they are honing in on Trogg's "Bad Elf" from just down the road in Harrisburg. I will stick with the Troggs if I have a choice

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2011 22:42:42 | More by wampahoofus

calcnerd

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5%

05-16-2013 01:17:31 | More by calcnerd

erialbill

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

05-13-2013 22:46:31 | More by erialbill

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

04-11-2013 03:34:11 | More by orangesol

BGsWo22

New York

2/5  rDev -47.5%

03-21-2013 00:06:08 | More by BGsWo22

jmann40

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

03-04-2013 03:20:44 | More by jmann40

JuliusCaesar

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +5%

03-04-2013 01:35:15 | More by JuliusCaesar

DarkLordPsycho

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -21.3%

02-20-2013 04:37:06 | More by DarkLordPsycho

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from notes of stuff I've had over the past month or so.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint.

Appearance: Deep red ale with a nice but short lived head.

Smell: Clove, cinnamon, all spice and icing. "Sugar, spice and everything nice." Back of the package recipe gingerbread cookies. Cheap holiday cookies. Smells good, if a little... cheesy. (And not like actual cheese.)

Taste: This seems like they made all of their baked goods for the season and then brewed up a decent Belgian strong ale and dumped all of the leftover spices into the ale. How they mix with the ale isn't bad, but it's not exquisite either.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodies with appropriate carbonation. Lightly sticky afterward.

This isn't a BAD beer. In fact, I didn't mind my experience with it at all. However, I wouldn't want it again for an entire year and a single 12 oz will do. The fruit cake of beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 23:52:43 | More by ColdWaffles

Rojada1988

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5%

01-12-2013 18:30:52 | More by Rojada1988

Schreiber

1/5  rDev -73.8%

12-31-2012 01:35:35 | More by Schreiber

Greatbarron

4.5/5  rDev +18.1%

12-29-2012 21:47:15 | More by Greatbarron

jrfehon33

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

12-27-2012 02:38:54 | More by jrfehon33

astidad

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

12-20-2012 03:10:33 | More by astidad

let8it8grow

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5%

12-19-2012 06:20:52 | More by let8it8grow

rdoggg

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

12-13-2012 02:27:38 | More by rdoggg

B00ZER

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

12-11-2012 18:15:25 | More by B00ZER

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.98/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – The beer is served a ruby red color with a small white head. The head fades very fast to leave a lingering film and a small level of lacing.

Smell- The aroma is heaviest of spice notes mixed with some fruit and sugar. Cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom are all prevalent and mix nicely with a candied sugar and light dark fruit aroma.

Taste – The spices make their presence known upfront in the taste as they did in the nose. Cinnamon and cardamom mix with a dark fruit and malty base of the brew. Soon other spices of nutmeg enter as well as some flavors of a brown sugar and apple. A light yeast taste enters the tongue, more toward the end, along with a light alcohol and citrus flavor. From the mix of the spice and alcohol, a pleasant warming taste is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel- The body of the beer is on the medium side in terms of its thickness with a carbonation level that is slightly on the higher side. The high carbonation is god for the drinkability while the medium body is a good compromise from keeping it too easy to drink, but yet still being god for the spice and the fruit flavors.

Overall – A tasty spiced Belgian style ale. A very drinkable (and dangerous at 10.5 % abv.) and wonderful winter style brew to sit back and sip in the company of friends. A good on to try if you get the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2012 01:00:53 | More by Darkmagus82

troegaarden

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5%

12-09-2012 04:08:02 | More by troegaarden

djrn2

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

12-08-2012 20:40:07 | More by djrn2

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

12-08-2012 17:49:00 | More by rolltide8425

jeddis1

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5%

12-05-2012 21:32:19 | More by jeddis1

FickleBeast

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at George street alehouse in new Brunswick. Arrives in a pint glass with a finger of foam with nice lacing. Aroma is moderate with holiday spices like Clove and cinnamon.

This is much better than what I had in the bottle last year. Decently sweet with a strong spice profile. A touch boozy but to be expected in a beer this size. A bit too spiced for my preference but not overpowering.

This is a bargain at 6 bucks for a pint of this high octane beer at the GS alehouse. I'm glad I gave this another shot, as it is head and shoulders better than the bottle I had previously.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2012 18:04:28 | More by FickleBeast

Peyton5410

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +18.1%

11-20-2012 00:53:36 | More by Peyton5410

JeffTheJuice

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

11-14-2012 18:04:03 | More by JeffTheJuice