S.O.B. (Special Old Bitter) - Wild Rose Brewery & Taproom

Alberta_Beer_Guy

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +22.8%

07-16-2012 00:54:38 | More by Alberta_Beer_Guy

ptarmigan98

Manitoba (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%

02-11-2013 22:29:43 | More by ptarmigan98

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Rich golden just leaning coppery, smallish white head, clear with a few streams of big rapidly rising bubbles. Cap fades to a skim that has good retention & leaves okay lacing.

S: Muddled citrus, herbal, & grassy hops – EKG? Must be. Pale malt that is slightly biscuit & also hints grainy. Faint hints of caramel & diacetyl. Fair overall, but not all that pungent or strong though.

T: Citrus is even more muted – herbal & grassy, hay-like hops with just a hair beyond moderate bitterness. Malts are biscuit pale with touches of grain, caramel, & sweetness. Diacetyl really fades. Fairly balanced until the finish when it goes hoppy.

M: Just a bit under medium body with CO2 a touch over-matched. Barest hints of texture with a finish that is drying from attenuation and hops.

D: A bit simple. Surely straight ahead, non-complicated session strength Bitter. Feels like an English style done for people used to US pub pales. Drinkable and will not unduly slow you down.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 05:32:23 | More by SickGnar

BigGruntyThirst

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%

08-24-2012 19:42:20 | More by BigGruntyThirst

Iggy12

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%

07-30-2012 03:41:32 | More by Iggy12

Avant_Garage

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%

06-09-2012 23:43:03 | More by Avant_Garage

bottlerocket24

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%

05-27-2012 00:40:56 | More by bottlerocket24

Converge

Alberta (Canada)

3.28/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

341ml bottle poured into a 16oz pint glass.

A - Fluffy snow-white head off the pour, above a clean copper brew. Nice head retention with some light lacing.

S - Malty and floral right off the bat. Lots of caramel malt upfront with light fruity notes. Almost reminds me of the Wraspberry Ale. Slight floral character, with some subtle grassy hops in the finish, providing a gentle citrus twang.

T - Aroma translates poorly to the taste. Caramel malt is still present, but takes a backseat to the 2-row character. Fruity and hoppy twang from the aroma has been toned down a lot. Mild fruity flavor, adds some sweetness, and there's a sort of banana/clove thing going on that reminds me of a hefe. Overall this is too boring for my tastes, but still unoffensive.

M - A little more than light-bodied, and the carbonation feels high without feeling at all fizzy.

D - A mild beer overall. The flavor profile just feel uninteresting and gives me little to enjoy. A decent beer for a Calgary local, but I won't be trying this again. I feel this is a pretty complex beer, but all the flavors are so light it never comes to fruition.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 23:12:55 | More by Converge

TJMcScmeebs

2.5/5  rDev -27.7%

05-21-2012 13:41:40 | More by TJMcScmeebs

EskimoDave

British Columbia (Canada)

3/5  rDev -13.3%

11-28-2011 06:47:50 | More by EskimoDave

Vandelayindustri

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%

11-23-2011 06:29:17 | More by Vandelayindustri

MrTinnedPEach

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +15.6%

11-14-2011 19:13:09 | More by MrTinnedPEach

GabesAles

Ontario (Canada)

2.15/5  rDev -37.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: very clear, light amber color, head deflated imidiately, no lacing

Smell: very little

Taste: very light modied, did not particularly care for the flavor profile.. very little hopped, and kind of dry..

Mouthfeel: poor mouthfeel... not much else to add here...

Overall: Not definately my least liked brew from Wild Rose - will not buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 20:41:37 | More by GabesAles

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I love bitters, and it's been a while since I've had one so hopefully this will be a treat. Wild Rose SOB pours a pale amber-orange color with a half-finger of head that doesn't last very long before becoming a patchy cap and collar of beige foam. Smell is mostly caramel sweetness and pale malt in the foreground, with some grassy hops in the background.

Some brown sugar or caramel sweetness is the first taste I notice; harmonizes nicely with some nut flavors and subtle hop bitterness in the finish. A little bit of citrus taste, with a dry finish. Mouthfeel is kind of thin, but still a little creamy. Carbonation is biting on the tongue and it sort of interferes with the taste.

I like it - tasty and refreshing. The labelling recommends it as a session beer and I think it would definitely be suitable for that purpose, with its low ABV and balanced flavour profile. If bitters are your thing, this is definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 00:45:49 | More by thehyperduck

CrazyMike

Alberta (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Amber brown apperance with lots of head that settles slowly. Smell is sweet with bread and malt, has a hint of grass.

Taste is very malty with bread and citrus. Picked up some sweetness and dry hops. Creamy, medium bodied with moderate carbonation. After taste is bitter.

Overall, suprisingly full flavored for it's abv. Refreshing to, worth a try if your getting a taster pack or at a restaurant.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 03:49:10 | More by CrazyMike

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a clear, light golden colour, finger of head with mild retention (2-3 minutes) and no real lacing.

S - Bready malts dominate the nose, with a bittersweet corn finish. Grassy hop scents are easily masked by the bready malts.

T - Metallic, bready malts come off the top, followed by some sour lemon. The bitterness is evident and the finish is quite dry. There's a unique nutty flavour to this one as well, almost reminiscent of peanut butter on the finish.

M - The dryness is a bit of a turnoff, but it is fitting of the style so I can't knock it. Carbonation is nicely balanced and it goes down quite smooth. A tad thin, but by no means terrible.

D - Interesting offering by Wild Rose. Tasty but nothing spectacular. I'm inclined to think this would be much better on tap. Would've liked a bit more in the hop department, but all in all a decent bitter.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 17:23:08 | More by andrenaline

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - bubbly clear golden, decent white head with fair retention and good lacing
S - wheat and biscuit malts, very subtle earthy hops, and there's something there reminding me of sweet corn
T - bready malts are, not much hop taste, and again I'm getting the taste of sweet corn or corn bread, but generally all subtle flavours
M - a silky smooth feel, medium carbonation, holding the smooth feel through the finish
D - flavours are all subtle, but the balance is nice and it goes down smooth and easy, nothing fantastic but a solid drinkable beer

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 00:27:26 | More by joemcgrath27

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

2.95/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bottle: Aptly named SOB

Poured a deep gold with a small white cap. Modest carbonation.

Aromas of musty grain husk, caramel and some grassiness.

Thin mouth feel. Decent enough blast of caramel malting in front but thins out mid palate and goes to a semi bitter thin finish.

Not the best bitter I've endured.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2010 01:30:39 | More by pootz

DoctorStrangiato

Alberta (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a 341-ml bottle into a long tulip glass.

Appearance - a gentle copper colour with a quickly fading white foam head. Lace is thick and pronounced on the sides of the glass. Medium carbonation.

Smell - Amazing caramel malt aromas - very favourable barley smell. A light fresh sweetness to the pint, I anticipate a creaminess to the flavour.

Taste - a creamy barley malt flavour throughout with a quick dry finish. Subsequent tastings are less on the maltiness and more on the dry hop finish. Some earthiness to the flavour as well.

Mouthfeel - a short burst of flavour before the sudden finish creates the impression of an intense, short ride. Not bad.

Drinkability - pounding away on this is easy and does not get boring but is overall not too challenging. Price is a little restrictive at $13 for a six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 02:42:33 | More by DoctorStrangiato

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

341ml bottle poured into pint glass jan28 2010

A clear copper with two fingers of thick off white head that falls fairly quickly and leaves lace where the foam existed

S lots of toffee with some biscuit and grassy hops

T not far from the smell but not as strong

M a little thin but decent carbonation makes up for it

D a good session beer, lots of flavor for a light alcohol brew

not a bad beer from Wild Rose, perhaps more of a summer beer but still not to bad an this winter day

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2010 09:13:48 | More by wordemupg

ChrisCage

Alberta (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A- I gave this an aggressive pour, but not much of a head formed, but rather a decently frothy ring around the glass. The color is dark gold/light bronze and is also nice & clear. I didn't find that there was much lacing, just a little that clings to the glass.

S- This has a very malty aroma, maybe even slightly yeasty....much different than other bitters I've tried. I don't detect any hop bitterness unfortunately but that's ok, it's something different!

T- I agree with other reviewers...this is the sweetest bitter that I've tried to date! It is biscuity, but also slightly toasty, and what I feel is a honeyed sweetness to it. Also mixed in is some modest herbal/spicy notes. There is some decent bitterness on the finish, which is what I'm quite pleased with. Actually quite complex in the flavors, well done!

M- Good medium body to this beer. The carbonation is mild, just as it should be....it's nice and buttery smooth. It really lets you grasp the character of the brew!

D- I've never tried this at the taphouse before and am convinced that it would even be better, but I'll never pass up a bottle of this brew! It's easy drinking, the alcohol content is lower, so you won't get stupid off of it, and I think it would appeal to a large group of beer drinkers, both experienced and newbies! Great choice to enjoy an evening with!

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2009 02:20:16 | More by ChrisCage

sammytag

Alberta (Canada)

2.85/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

a- as with the wred wheat, a head only formed after an aggressive pour (but who cares?).

s- A pleasant grassy hoppyness - is this the calm before the storm?

t- No. Lightly bitter, very thin, watery. Almost nothing on the attack, some face is saved on the aftertaste where a grainy, hoppy remnant pleads for forgiveness.

m- light bodied. there's light malts which open this brew up to being more than just a strictly "light bodied beer", but other than that - it's just average.

d- For me, this one's just okay. No flaws, and there's whispers of pleasantness here & there, but it just doesn't make a statement. Gets a little better as it warms, but
overall, kind-of unimpressive. Up until today, the IPA was the only Wild Rose that I didn't like, but now the S.O.B has joined the ranks, although SOB is slightly better than the IPA. I guess it would make a good "session ale" at 4% and light to boot, but, unfortunately this is not what I'm looking for in a beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2009 05:14:39 | More by sammytag

MAB

Alberta (Canada)

3/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

An easy one to review. It's absolutely average in all respects.
It looks like a commercial lager, has little in the way of nose/ aroma, or head, and little in the way of taste or bitterness.
It could be one of the sweetest bitters I've ever had, not that it's malty or particularly sweet, either.
You can (and I did) pound back one of these when it the beer is cold and the day is hot, and I will say that it was refreshing and very easy to drink. I wish it were more like it's papa: the Wild Rose IPA, which is chock full of the exact flavors that are missing in this one.
It's a good introductory beer, or a "Dad" beer (if your dad always complains about the beer that you regularly keep around).
Not terrible, not bad...average.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2009 20:51:32 | More by MAB

Shadman

Alberta (Canada)

3/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Rich gold in color with a frothy white head and impressive lacing.

Kinda smells like musty grain with some floralness in the background.

Have to admit I didn't like the inital swig. A harsh graininess was present. As I worked into the middle and end of the flavour profile tsome nice nuances became apparent. Specifically a nice roast malt that had a slightly buttery twinge to it. Brew is decently hopped and these provide a bitterness that lingers long after.

Mouthfeel is fairly close to bang-on. Easy to drink.

Need to try this on tap sometime. Decent

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2009 23:59:59 | More by Shadman

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Since I can't get to the Tap Room in Calgary as often as I'd like, seeing the S.O.B. in six-packs now makes this sonovagun happy...

This beer pours a medium dark golden colour, with a few fingers of creamy, foamy white head, that settles after a few minutes, leaving a nice wallpaper lace effect. It smells of sour bread and herbal hops. The taste is very much biscuit grain, with some citrusy hops in there as well. The carbonation is very low, it's like I've got a draught pint here, it's so nice and smooth. It's also a little watery, but not as much as I would expect for the 4.1% ABV. It finishes dry, and on the dot, making you want to have another sip to start the flavour up again, rendering it a highly qualified session choice.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2009 01:47:37 | More by biboergosum