Rustic Ale - Capital Brewery

barnzy78

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

12oz. Poured amber with a fluffy off-white head that held good retention and left a slow, sticky lace on the side of the glass. Aromas and tastes were of sweet malts, bread crust, and toasted grains with a hint of caramel - little to no hops seem to be present. Mouth-feel is thin, and I expected it to be fuller after seeing the pour. Finishes sweet with hints of brown sugar - definitely lacks complexity. I guess, not a terribly bad representation of the style, but there are many better than this out there.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2009 20:30:46 | More by barnzy78

TX-Badger

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +30.2%

01-14-2013 19:31:59 | More by TX-Badger

Ourchestra

Wisconsin

2.25/5  rDev -21.9%

11-15-2012 04:34:53 | More by Ourchestra

Jnaustin114

2.75/5  rDev -4.5%

05-30-2012 02:13:46 | More by Jnaustin114

fatboy91

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +21.5%

04-26-2012 04:09:42 | More by fatboy91

MadTownDrinker

Wisconsin

2.5/5  rDev -13.2%

02-19-2012 17:09:27 | More by MadTownDrinker

wallrock

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +38.9%

11-23-2011 16:29:24 | More by wallrock

bpfrush

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev +21.5%

11-14-2011 16:52:21 | More by bpfrush

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

2.5/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A. Medium Amber with short lived two finger head that left a very small amount of lacing.
S. A caramel malt smell, nothing fancy or intricate at all here. No hops detected. No complexity detected. One trick pony.
T. Watered down caramel malt sweetness but some kind of oddly metallic off-taste keeps cropping up for some reason. Tastes vaguely like a few copper pennies were accidentally dropped into the wort.
M. Nicely carbonated and crisp, refreshing, light bodied.

This suffers for two very distinct reasons : A very distracting metallic off taste and lack of complexity. Not recommended but also not disgustingly bad enough to drainpour.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 18:54:46 | More by WastingFreetime

scaliasux

Wisconsin

2.95/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Appearance - Light-medium amber. Slight haze. Tall off white head with good retention.

Smell - Mild caramel malt. Not catching any hops.

Taste - A little nutty caramel malt. Not much in the way of hops. A little watery. Leaves a bready aftertaste. Not bad tasting, but underwhelming.

Mouthfeel - Medium and smooth.

Overall - Not a bad tasting beer, but pretty muted. Might be an adequate choice for a day in the sun. I can't imagine seeking it out.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 02:15:42 | More by scaliasux

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: amber red, decent 1 inch head.

S: sweet overripened bread

T: same as smell, slight odd aftertaste, can't put my finger on it.

M: light/medium body.

T: sweet, light bread taste, too watery for this style.

D: My least favorite Capital beer. There are other beers better in this style.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 19:41:36 | More by BeerLover99

sweemzander

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint. No date. Thanks to BeerFMAndy for this one.

(A)- Pours a clear orange amber color that produced a good off-white head with decent retention.

(S)- A rather nutty yet musky aroma with bits of lemon and a weird peanut butter caramel thing.

(T)- A caramel maltiness with a pseudo nutty twist. A bit metallic.

(M)- A good carbonation level. Certainly malty and a bit rich, but a bit off balance too with some weird flavors.

(D)- An alright amber. It is flirting a bit; an amber yet a brown ale at the same time. Different.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 21:40:08 | More by sweemzander

jsh420

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

pours hazy amber with a 1 finger head that left no lacing

smells very watery some carmel malt

taste is pretty weak but i get some english pale malts some nutty malts very little hops

mouthfeel is thin decent carbonation nice and crisp

drinkability is not good over priced for not much flavor

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 03:35:16 | More by jsh420

Strix

Wisconsin

2.2/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Dark amber, frothy head and good lacing.

Smells of malt, nuts, and spices, but something smells off.

Taste is all over the place. Malt and nuts predominate, but then there's some way-off kilter spicing, a grassy flavor, and a cardboard flavor.

Mouthfeel flat and weak.

This doesn't have too much going for it. I'd much prefer a Leinie's Red. I may just stick to Capital's lagers. Retire this one ASAP and go brew us a nice bock.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2010 00:13:18 | More by Strix

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours darker reddish copper with very little foam. Looks kind of like an iced tea.

Nice sweet caramel smell. Little nutty.

Light clean malty taste with virtually no carbonation. No punch in the finish, not even a hint of a hop. Kind of just fades away.

Easy to drink, but feels like something is missing.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2010 01:44:41 | More by KTCamm

KI9A

Illinois

2.23/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 1 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Ugh.

A: Poured a very nice hazy amber, decent head

S: Rotten garbage. Like old lettuce or something..very unappealling

T: Couldn't get past the nose, as the taste was similar. Nice and malty, some slight hop backbone.

M: Medium

T: No. Can't do it.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 01:00:38 | More by KI9A

McCranky

Illinois

1.4/5  rDev -51.4%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

i bought this beer at binny's and tried to return it because it tastes so awful. There were absolutely no hops, it was all malt, and it was terribly unbalanced. this beer is just all wrong. a v o i d. it's a shame because capital makes some good beers...this one makes me think they're losing their edge...

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 15:31:16 | More by McCranky

HappyHourHero

Indiana

3.43/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured a hazy golden beer with an amber hue. Thin cream colored head quickly disappeared. Mild malt dominated aroma. Solid malt flavor is lightly sweet with a hint of toast. I wouldn't quite say the body is light. In general the flavor is clean and doesn't linger making for a refreshing drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2009 01:07:31 | More by HappyHourHero

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

2.3/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

12 oz bottle poured into a Samuel Adams perfect pint. No date or info on the bottle.

A - Clear pale amber with an orange hue and a steady stream of carbonation rising up to a big but short-lived creamy off-white head. A thin layer with a collar of lacing is left.

S - Ugh. This aroma is pretty awful. It consists of a dirty, dank garage with rotten, wet leaves and a cardboard and metallic bite to it. Who would enjoy what I'm smelling right now? It doesn't even resemble beer in the least bit. I understand the name of the beer is Rustic but come on...

T - Light amber and pale malts up front with a quickly overpowering cardboard funk and metallic finish. A bit of wheat and dry straw with a really low hop profile in the background.

M - Medium-light in body with a dry and distasteful metallic finish. Medium-high carbonation adds a bit to the end.

D - If this is a "rustic" ale, thank God we've moved in a new direction with beer. Capital should have left the past alone. The nose is rather disgusting and the flavor is lacking any real direction. Not pleasant and not a beer I'll be having again any time soon if ever.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2009 18:49:08 | More by BeerFMAndy

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

2.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass the beer is light orange color and fairly clear. The head was huge but dissipated in the blink of an eye. The smell is mostly malt but I got hints of almond as well. Not a huge nose on this one at all. The flavor is malty and wheat like. There is a strange metalic flavor that seems to stick with me in every sip. Medium body with enough carbonationto tickle the tongue. This beer is drinkable if only because it's not real flavorful. I will revisit this one to make sure my bottle wasn't off.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2009 22:46:32 | More by beerwolf77

AmberMan22

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

The beer pours a burnt orange color, toned with red. The head is immediately impressive but dissipates quickly. Lacing/stickage is above average, considering how fast that head went away.

It smells heavily of malt, no hops present. There is a deep rustic/earthy smell, matching the sweet caramelly malt aroma.

The taste agrees with the smell. Malt dominated, hops MIA. The malty flavor disappears quickly, making me sad, but the flavor remaining is still that of a tasty caramel amber.
Since I like malt dominated beers, I'll give this 3.5, but honestly I was left craving that afterbite of the hops.

Mouthfeel was a bit grainy, with ample carbonation biting the tip of the tongue. As the beer swills in the mouth, it develops a more settled, medium feel to it, just to the sheer malt domination.

Overall, an easily drinkable beer. Putting away a 6-pack over the course of a long easy conversation probably wouldn't be hard if you wanted to. The beer lacks some important defining characteristics, and I must say this is probably one of the more disappointing beers from Capital -- but I do have high expectations of them.
Try the Capital Amber if you're looking for a better beer in this class.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2009 23:11:31 | More by AmberMan22

Tone

Missouri

3.45/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, copper color. 2/3 inch head of an off-white color. Good retention and good lacing. Smells of yeast, roasted malt, sweet malt, earthy malt, and slight hops. Fits the style of an American Amber / Red Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of roasted malt up front, then sweet malt, yeast, and slight hops in the finish. Overall, the roasted malt in foremost, it's light, and slight hop presence - therefore this fits almost perfectly into the category. Not a real heavy bodied beer but smooth, well blended, and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2009 03:14:26 | More by Tone

gmfessen

Michigan

3.13/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, beer is a pale amber color with an off-white, bubbly two-finger head. The nose is faint, light caramel notes and graininess are about it. The taste is fairly neutral throughout but has a slight caramel toasty flavor and a slight metallic tinge at the end. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and has a thin yet creamy carbonation. Drinkable beer, if it was a fresher bottle, this would probably be a much higher scoring beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2009 02:58:33 | More by gmfessen

brdc

Wisconsin

2.05/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Small capped bottle poured into a pint glass.

Copper colored, thin tan head, little retention or lacing.
Aroma is a faint combination of breadiness, grassiness, and not a lot else. Watery, with faint flavors as described for the aroma.
They brew better lagers.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2009 23:01:38 | More by brdc

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Rusty bronze-orange with a small white cap. This one leaves a lot of really nice lace on the glass, and although small, the head stuck around for a good while.

S - Sweet malt notes of carrot cake and caramel remind me of an Oktoberfest in a way. Some mild hop notes are there, but the malt is the star of the nose show.

T - Again, carrot cake and spiced coffee cake. Cinnamon rolls glazed in white icing. Some balancing hops and a hint of metallic mineral water give this a very German feel. I would totally guess O-fest in a blind tasting. This is good stuff!

M - Medium bodied (maybe even on the lighter end of medium), and well carbonated, this is a very thirst quenching brew. Goes down easy and finishes relatively neutral.

D - Tasty brew! Would be a very nice accompaniment to a smoked sausage, brat, or burger.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2009 20:10:02 | More by pmcadamis