Ruddles Rhubarb - Greene King / Morland Brewery

soulgrowl

United Kingdom (England)

4.08/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Attractive nectarine orange with a twinge of plum, with a fleeting beige-parchment head.

Smell: Somewhat sour and fruity, with a buried sharpness; there are distinct notes of rhubarb, sweet and sour cherries, Irn Bru, soda water, red vermouth, and bitter greens. The rhubarb sings sweetly with the caramelly malts to create a very interesting nose reminiscent of a very mellow Oud Bruin.

Taste: Sharp, sour, bitter, sweet, and bitter - in that order. The zip of the rhubarb hits the palate first, along with its herbal, aromatic, celery green-like bitterness. The vegetable peels away to reveal a glimpse of apple juice, cherries, and caramel in the malts, then zips back up into an astringently bitter finish of tonic water and earthy, herbal hops.

Mouthfeel: Quite lively on the palate, well-suited to the flavor, but in a way this is too attenuated; a touch more body and sweetness may have carried the rhubarb a bit better.

Drinkability: This is a thoroughly interesting beer, and one that makes me think I'd like to see more brewers use rhubarb. Quite good with a mellow Stilton, quite bad with Yorkshire blue, and very interesting with Devon Cheddar.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2008 20:30:02 | More by soulgrowl

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.48/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This one of the 'Serious Country Ales' themed beers from Greene King (owners of Ruddles name).

I once had a Gurkin flavoured beer which had a green hue to it and actually tasted of girkins, it was horrible. I am reviewing this as I drink it and I don't really want to taste nothing but rhubarb, so here goes.

Clear 500ml bottle, no best before date visible on the bottle.

Poured into my Bateman's straight pint glass.

Deep amber colour with a thin white head, looks OK but is no world beater in the appearance stakes.

The aroma is more towards custurd than rhubarb, there is however some rhubarb crumble smells too.

The taste is all rhubarb and sour rhubarb at that. The label doesn't lie, apart from the bit about rhubarb having a sweetness. If it does have a sweetness i think they have boiled it out. No way of telling Bramling Cross Hops have been used unless you read the neck label.

Different to anything I've ever had before and not all bad. I am not a huge rhubarb fan at the best of times but I've almost enjoyed this beer.

Will I have another? Most likely not. I have had to start eating chesses to help me finish the bottle and hide the taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2008 13:27:43 | More by BlackHaddock

GreenCard

Oregon

2.4/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Appearance: copper, good clarity, frothy layer of off-white foam with a meringue top, OK head retention

Aroma: if you can sift through the major skuniness, there're some rhubarb tart and vanilla

Flavor: mild malt sweetness with a nice off-setting hop bitterness/flavor; definite taste of stewed rhubarb; slight acidity; finishes dry with a lingering, building alkaloidal bitterness in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: medium body, terse carbonation, slight astringency

Other comments: Worth a try... once. Unless you hate rhubarb. Would probably be better if it wasn't bottled in clear glass.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2007 17:23:08 | More by GreenCard