Sierra Blanca Roswell Alien Amber - Sierra Blanca Brewing Company (Rio Grande)

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

id say this is one of thie biggest pleasant surprises from bottle appearance to actual total quality. it looks all gimmicky in the bottle, with the 1999 alien head state fair thing, but the beer within is pretty decent. it pours a swollen dark amber color with a one inch retaining white head. the smell is sweet malts, on the red side, and a decent bit of hops all things considered. the flavor is good, starting a bit sweet and irishy, moving to an american hoppy vibe, finishing a positively roswell crisp and clean. i appreciate what this is, for what it is. not my favorite brew ever, but the carbonation is good, the body is medium, and its well refreshing. a little too much sweet, but its yummy in a lot of ways. get into it.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 05:12:04 | More by StonedTrippin

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Look - medium brown in color, with about half a finger's worth of foam that dissipates quickly.

Smell - malty, somewhat sweet like caramel or cookies.

Taste - much like the smell, it's definitely more malty, and it has an essence of something sweet like caramel in the back of the palate.

Mouthfeel - pretty well-balanced, but leans ever so slightly on the watery side.

Overall - not a bad tasting brew at all, but also not terribly intriguing to sample.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 01:37:01 | More by Nerudamann

beergoot

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Golden-amber body produced a pretty nice white head. Smell came across with a caramel/biscuit/slightly fruity (slightly apricot) profile. Taste is malty with a slight tartness, perhaps a bit of honey-like sweetness. No real hop bitterness noted overall. Mouthfeel is soft and wet, smooth with a nearly medium weight feel on the tongue.

A pleasant and unassuming beer. Overall seemed a little watery in taste, yet the light bread malt tone gently keeps you sipping along.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 01:54:41 | More by beergoot

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.65/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle compliments of drabmuh.

Pours a clear golden amber with a thin white head that fades to a thin collar. Nose of toasted malt, grains, slight caramel sweetness. Flavor has a little more malt sweetness and nicely balanced the toast and bready flavors with minimal hop presence. Full, creamy body, moderate carbonation and a clean finish. Don't really taste anything wrong here, seems like they hit their mark of making a mass appeal amber with little hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 00:05:04 | More by yourefragile

woosterbill

Connecticut

2.3/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2

12oz bottle into a tulip. Thanks to mnbearsfan for tossing this one in as an extra; state tick #40.

A: Clear reddish-orange body with a thin tan head. Meh.

S: Harsh, boring, rather terrible caramel malt. Sweet, sharp, and bad.

T: Sweet caramel, grossness, and some faint bitterness. Tastes like toffee, chlorine, and hell.

M: Light, frothy, creamy, smooth, and awesome.

O: This is not a good beer. Do not buy it, unless you want to get a laugh out of its absurd label. I'm sure New Mexico can do better.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 17:49:46 | More by woosterbill

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours a dark color with no head what so ever.

S: Odd rich fruity figs plums raisinswith licorice taste not expected at all.

T: Same as smell this is not a bad thing just not expecting this for the style.

M: Medium bodied to heavy, no bubbles streaming to top or anything happening here.

O: Maybe with the right dish would be good but ok at best in this glass today.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 22:56:12 | More by nukem5

Pegasus

Texas

2.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Slightly hazy medium reddish-amber in color, with a small white head, moderate carbonation, and thin, scattered lacing.

Aroma: Tart toasted malts dominate the aroma, with lesser notes of sweet caramel.

Taste: Opens with tart toasted malts, and understated caramel. The toasted malts dominate the taste throughout. There is a mild wave of herbal hops at the close of the taste.

Mouth feel: A bit thin, with slight, stinging carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: Its not bad, overall, but could have been much better. Substantial additions to the malt bill are justified.

Presentation: Packaged in a twelve-ounce brown glass longneck bottle with a pop-off crown, served in a Samuel Adams Boston Lager glass.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 23:56:24 | More by Pegasus

merc7186

New York

2.38/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

I had this beer from a 12oz bottle poured into a chilled pint glass.

The beer has an okay appearance with amber color to it, just a mild white ring of head and no lacing on the glass. The smell has a mild sweet caramel smell but thats it, nothing more. The taste has a bitter, malt flavor with a mild caramel taste that dissapates quickly. The mouthfeel is slightly bitter and boring, the beer was mildly carbonated. Overall, if you have this beer on your Wants list, take it off of it. You can do much better, this beer is boring.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 01:52:40 | More by merc7186

depechemode1983

Texas

2.88/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Clear dark brown with red hues. Head is off-white. Retention is something to be desired. Lacing is patchy and uneven, but its there.

S - Decent aroma. Picking up maple syrup, honey, sweet figs, bread and just a dash up citrus with some spice in the background.

T - Flavor is lacking. Sweet syrup upfront with honey undertones and just a bit of citrus hops to give it some bitterness. Not much. Seems watered down actually.

M - Medium bodied. Carbonation seems to be in the middle range. Maybe leaning towards low.

O - Nothing special here. Just a mediocre beer. I probably wouldn't buy it again. Glad I tried it though.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 19:06:01 | More by depechemode1983

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.53/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by drabmuh. Thanks Matt!

The beer appears orange, with 1/2" of head that leaves some random traces of lacing on the glass. The aroma is earthy, and piney, and malty. The flavor is balanced, with a bready, earthy taste being more present than the hop character. The feel is fairly light bodied with a buttery consistency on the palate. Overall, a decent brew. Nothing terribly exciting, but I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 15:58:00 | More by Huhzubendah

kemoarps

Washington

3.2/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had minimal head and no lacing, but poured a rich caramel amber.

The nose comes across primarily as sweet, and a little flowery, toasty caramel malts.

The flavour follows the same essential profile as the nose, with a sticky sweetness, little to no hops, and a toasty followthrough.

Was a little more carbonated than I had expected, but not overwhelmingly so.
Overall, it was much better than I had originally expected (I picked it up for the fourth as a lowest common denominator type thing, and was pleasantly surprised), but definitely not stellar. I'd definitely drink it again if the situation arose, but I won't be going out of my way to find one. I am slightly surprised that it's gotten such negative reviews on here, however, but that could just be me.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 02:58:40 | More by kemoarps

Haybeerman

Colorado

2.6/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Ruddy red/amber color; evenly hazy. Poured a thin off-white head with poor retention. No visible lacing.

S: Definite roasted malt character. Sweet nose. Very little hop character.

T: Sweet and very malty up front. Quickly transitions to a sticky, sweet finish. Smooth, but rather flattish. While nothing was seriously wrong - average at bet.

M: Medium body. Low carbonation. Smooth, but mainly because it was flat. Lingering sweetness.

O: Perhaps I had a bad bottle, just calling it like I see it. If you want to collect the bottle, find an opened one, pour out the beer that wasn't finished and rinse out the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 16:02:45 | More by Haybeerman

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to drabmuh for this beer. Served in a SAVOR snifter.

Pours a clear golden-amber color with a small white head and a collar as it goes down. The nose brings forward some very light caramel along with a bit of lightly-toasted bread. The flavor is mostly defined by the malt with some toasted bread and the slightest bit of caramael. Some very light earthy hops in there as well. Light body with fizzy carbonation and an oddly-dry finish. Okay, but not something I'd seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 21:42:57 | More by Thorpe429

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev +32.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wow, why do people hate this beer? It is a fine Amber Ale in my opinion. Beer served in a Roswell Alien Amber ale glass because if you could you would.

Beer is dark amber but clear with nice steady high levels of carbonation and a good head with retention and lacing, definitely looks like beer.

Aroma is mildly piney with hops and some malt. smells good, nothing special.

Beer is medium in body and has a decent malt backbone, a drinkable beer for sure, mild piney bitterness and hop flavor throughout the beer. Nothing too spectacular but a fine ale if there ever was one.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 22:46:05 | More by drabmuh

eclaycamp

Kansas

2.85/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Look, I’m just going to come out and say it. I bought this one because I’m an X-Files geek (or an X-Phile to those “in the know”) and I just couldn’t resist a bottle with a green alien head on it. I have high hopes for this beer just based on bottle design alone, so let’s see if it can live up to them. Pours – well look at this – amber. Beer looks like it’s filtered or they use finings – it’s damn clear. I could probably read a newspaper if the light was a bit brighter. Beer comes out lightly carbonated and the head disappears fast and pretty much without a trace. Aroma is malt backbone – again I’m travelling and my sinuses can get me gummed up from time to time, so this could be on me – and faint. Smells pretty good, actually. Very inviting malt aroma. My fist impression on my first taste is of forward malt sweetness, but there’s this (sorry for the cliché) alien thing going on in the finish. Something’s sticking out and I’m not quite sure what it is. It’s like this metallic / green apple / sour grape / fruit mineral thing. Maybe chewable vitamins is a good description? It’s out of place with this beer, which calls for a clean finish that this beer just doesn’t have. Seems like they tried to mask things by making it sweet, as the beer leans that way, for sure. It’s almost too sweet. It really has a cumulative effect as you continue to drink it and becomes somewhat cloying. More carbonation would scrub the palate a bit more, making the drink more enjoyable in the process. The best part of this beer was the beginning, including my anticipation of the first pour and the first sip before I got the weird fruit thing gong on. Overall I’m nonplussed but I’ll still likely pick up a bottle for the wife, as she’s an even bigger X-Phile than I am.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 01:39:50 | More by eclaycamp

Jason

Massachusetts

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

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

Hazed reddish amber color, lacing is ok. Fruity and caramel nose with some toasted biscuit. Smooth and a bit slick, waffling medium body. Dry-ish toasted malt flavor, hint of caramel within but more of a fermentation twang on the palate that drops some fruit and nutty yeast. Timid hopping here. Flavors seem not to mesh here. Ok, nothing bad but easy to move on to another beer before the beer is even finished.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 02:34:36 | More by Jason

ommegangpbr

New York

3.25/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this guy sitting around in a box of beers that a friend had picked up on my behalf during a journey.
Not the freshest sample but age doesn't seem to have harmed this beer. Perhaps age has even mellowed this out to being more interesting that when it was fresh?
Pretty typical amber ale stuff going on without some of the characteristics I often find offputting about the style. Plenty of biscuit and caramel notes. Bits of sweetened black tea. Thin but light on the palate. Simple and easy drinking if you happen to be in the mood for something on the lightly sweet and totally non-bitter side.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2011 05:03:47 | More by ommegangpbr

Mora2000

Texas

2.58/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The beer pours a nice amber color with a small white head. The aroma is iced tea and grain with not too much else going on. Overall, the beer doesn't really have much aroma. The flavor is heavy on the grain with a little bit of grass. Very watery with not much going on in the flavor department. Thin to medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Very bland beer with no redeeming qualities.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 02:58:42 | More by Mora2000

ZenAgnostic

Texas

2.45/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Appearance - Clear amber body with some visible carbonation. Slightly off-white head with medium-low retention.

Smell - Black cherry. Roasted character. Sweet. A little bit of hop. Sweet licorice. Smells good, but a little too sweet. Not enough balance.

Taste - Very sweet frontend with a dry finish. Too sickly sweet.

Mouthfeel - Good body and carbonation.

Drinkability - Too thick and heavy to be a session beer. More like a dessert beer at best.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2011 06:05:27 | More by ZenAgnostic

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

2.45/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Roswell Alien Ale has a thin, off-white head and a cloudy amber appearance, with black specks floating about. Carbonation is pretty high, as evidenced by all the bubbles streaming up the glass. The aroma reeks of overripe citrus, and the taste is likewise of turned fruit. Mouth-feel is pretty watery, and this ale finishes unpleasant and difficult. Overall, I did not like this and was sorry that I was stuck with a six-pack. I would not have it again nor recommend that others try it.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 02:19:40 | More by RonaldTheriot

mjurney

Texas

3.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance:
Deep amber color, some haziness. Lots of bubbles. Small foamy head, lacing looks pretty decent on the glass.

Aroma:
Aroma is very sweet. I get caramel malts, nuts and a little buttery.

Taste & Mouthfeel:
Bready up front, caramel, hazel nut and a little touch of butter. Hop profile is mild, herbal/tea-like. Body is light-medium. Carbonation is very light, almost flat.

Finish & Aftertaste:
Really smooth finish, aftertaste is tea-like dryness.

Overall Impressions:
Pretty decent for an Amber Ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2010 20:05:48 | More by mjurney

ocelot2500

Arizona

2.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear amber color with an off-white head that leaves little lacing.

Smells of light caramel malts.

Tastes of nutty caramel malts with little to no hops. This beer is malt dominant with notes of caramel and some toasted nuttiness. Hops are barely noticeable with some herbal notes.

Mouthfeel is medium with a crisp amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 00:59:15 | More by ocelot2500

cgmees

Texas

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

12 oz bottle bought on impulse for the name.

Appearance was an amber color with white head

Smell sweet malt with a light hops

Taste was a mix of oak, vanilla and some smokiness to it.

Mouthfeel medium with some carbonation feel

Overall not bad but nothing that really stands out except the name.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 19:29:55 | More by cgmees

MrHungryMonkey

Texas

3.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Nose is malty with some chocolate roast and slightly hoppy/herbal. Smells pretty good.

Pours clear amber, mild head. Looks pretty good.

Mild malt with soft roast. Moderate bitterness. Tea-like herbal hoppiness. Soft tartness.

Pretty good. A fun theme beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 04:16:33 | More by MrHungryMonkey

Mosstrooper

California

1.68/5  rDev -44.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into 20oz Guinness tulip pint glass.

Appearance: Clear, flat-looking amber color with a medium off-white head that dissipates slowly. Leaves some lace.

Smell: Smells grainy and has hints of corn and grassiness. Smells like a more aromatic macro.

Taste: Very sweet, but light on flavor overall.

Mouthfeel: Thin body with light carbonation and a watery finish.

Drinkability: I'm glad I got this beer for free. Definitely not worth a try and something I wouldn't loook to have again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2010 23:12:29 | More by Mosstrooper