Small Batch Series No. 4 - Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling

champ103

Texas

3.4/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A huge tan head instantly rises that makes this almost impossible to poor. After the tan foam settles, the color is dark brown, nearly black. Not quite opaque. Thick globs of lace are left in patches.
S: Huge meaty, smokey aromas up front. Almost full on cured salmon like in the nose. At first that is very interesting, and enjoyable. Though it soon becomes over barring. Not much else to balances the smoke.
T: The smoked meat flavor is again, up front and center. Though more comes out this time. Kind of salty/sweet/savory flavors. Some vanilla and chocolate. Buttery notes as well. Burnt toast and crackers. Unlike the nose, lots going on here. Though it is a bit convoluted and messy.
M/D: A medium body with very high carbonation. A bit on the thin side though. This is interesting to drink. I am making it through the bottle without a problem. Though I can't say this is something I care to come back to all that often.

Ranger Creek is doing something with this Small Batch series. I am not sure what, but it is not boring. Still, I only seem to pick these up out of curiosity, never a second purchase of any one batch yet.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:11:28 | More by champ103

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.79/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

11/26/12
375ml, Riedel tulip

A: Pours pretty darn black colored. Four full fingers of light tan head. It's a fluffy head too. Lots of carbonation.

S: Smells of bacon smoked meats and roasted campfire. Even through the head. Getting some coffee and dark chocolate.

T: Not infected. Very carbonated. Lots of smoked meats. Campfire. Roasted malt. Wishing there was more barrel. I know they ramped the malts and hops, but missing barrel here. Dry finish.

M: Highly carbonated. Big medium.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 15:52:58 | More by inlimbo77

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.4/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

375 mL bottle pours a hazed, dark brown color (almost black) with a small ring of tan head. Not much for retention but does leave a few snakes of lace.

Nose has wood and bourbon for sure with a slight sour twinge that has me thinking infection. As it warms there is some nice sweet malt aromas with a little bit of smokiness.

Taste has a great sweet/alcohol/wood balance with the malt able to hold its ground vs the whiskey and barrel. Many porters that get the barrel treatment seem to be overpowered by the wood. I am unsure if this is starting to suffer from infection as there is some definite tartness, bordering on slightly sour. This could be the relatively fresh wood though, so I dont want to jump the gun and cry wolf. As it is the beer is a pleasant drinking experience right now with just enough sweetness and body. Its a decent beer...and if its not infected, would make a great one to age I think....it should really mellow nicely with age.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 20:22:57 | More by twiggamortis420

lnashsig

Texas

2.98/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

The 4th in a series I've really enjoyed so far. Looking forward to this one. Poured from bottle into Buffalo Bayou snifter. Pours a cola brown-black color. Just a little head comes off the glass, and quickly fizzles away. This is dark, but not totally transparent, some light getting in on the edges of the glass. Smell- a little campfire smoke mixes with wafts of whiskey booze. I also get plastic in the aroma. Hoping this one isn't infected. Taste- buttery whiskey booze blends with peaty smoke. Some vanilla warmth on the backside. The buttery (diacetyl?) flavor is a little off putting. I'm not getting enough bourbon flavor, and would have liked more of that porter base here. It's also a little thin. This is decent, but nothing special. My least favorite of the series. I am convinced that Ranger Creek can't do barrel beers without infection, and aught to stick to beers that might actually be interesting funky. This one has issues, but doesn't benefit from the flaws.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 01:31:18 | More by lnashsig

gtermi

Texas

4.23/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer pours a dark brown body with a thin tan head that quickly fades away to nothing.

S: There is a good amount of bourbon, oak, vanilla, sweet dark malts and a little bit of booze.

T: Like the smell, I really pick up on the bourbon at first, but it mixes really well with the sweetness and creates a nice delicious beer. As the beer lingers, I start to get a tobacco and earthy type flavor.

M: The beer is super smooth and goes down with ease. There is a tiny bit of crispness on the back of the throat and the tip of the tonuge. It also has a very thin body, which makes it easy to drink.

O: This is a very tasty beer that really is enjoyable. I also feel this is the right step for Ranger Creek to introduce their barrel aged beers and I cant wait to see what they think up in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 05:28:20 | More by gtermi