Roggen Roll - New Old Lompoc Brewery

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

My first-hand experience with the style being what it is (i.e. quite limited), I'm reluctant to grade too highly or harshly. But having now tasted this beer on three recent but separate occasions, I've got my notes and some opinions.

First off, this is a beer that was introduced at Bailey's Taproom's mid-April 'GermanFest' but had been around at a couple other late Winter/early Springs events, too. That it stayed on tap at Bailey's into the second week of May speaks less, I believe, about it's quality and more to the fact that most people have no idea what the eff a 'Roggenbier' is. I missed the Fest but was increasingly intrigued as it lingered, so I tried it 2 weekends ago (imperial pint), again last Friday (imperial pint) and a final time today (well, Monday - a 1/2 pint).

A: Lovely, lovely stuff. To call it 'amber' or 'mahogany' or 'sienna' doesn't quite cut it, as the deep liquid seems to shift in the greyed daylight. It's a combination of all three, plus copper and ruby hints as added bonuses. Clearer than the 'turbid' style description, just a mild haze with relatively little carbonation showing. Whether a short or tall glass, pours were consistently 'careful' (a credit to Bailey's staff, to present a less 'heady' beer), which meant a half-finger or less of sandy tan creaminess atop. Excellent lace in draping, sticky sheets.

S: Light sweet maltiness, a grassiness and 'honey' that - while nice - are pretty tame and require some repeated sniffing and ample hand-warming to draw forth.

T: It's hard to peg exactly what the 'spices' are, but a dry and slightly tangy rye underlies a maliness that's flowery and a good bit fruity (think 'jam', plums or strawberries...). In the end comes a defining bitterness - not brash or anything, just amply toasty and a little earthy.

M: I recall a sharper and crisper beer 10 days ago, but the latest try is softer and less carbonated. No worries, it's still creamy and smooth, then finishes on the dry side - bread crust with a spicy dusting.

O: I toyed with a 4.5 here, just because I liked drinking it so damn much (so did my wife - she downed two pints last Friday). Overall, though, a solid beer choice - easy to drink, malt-leaning but not too askew, intriguing enough that I want more of this and of others in the style.

Good job, NOL.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2011 07:18:05 | More by msubulldog25