Raspberry Wheat Ale - Southern Tier Brewing Company

devinoconnor

New Jersey

1.1/5  rDev -64.6%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

It's hard to believe Southern Tier makes this. I picked up a 6 pack and won't be drinking any of it other than the few sips I managed to get down for this rating.

Smell is very malty. It's a malt beverage with acidic rasperry flavor.

Too sweet. Sugary. Disgusting.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2011 17:30:32 | More by devinoconnor

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

1.43/5  rDev -54%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

On Tap at Iron Abbey in a RODENBACH GRAND CRU glass..

STRWA looked pretty still when served. Nothing on top and swirls brang nothing back. The liquid is a semi glossy bronze shade with light brown as well, no stick from no foam. Smells like cereal and it really stinks like rotten blah. Old fruity pebbles, honeycombs, that's all i smell. Needless to say the taste is medicinal, light, but it's there just giving me frowns. This tastes like shit, there are no qualities. Feel is light, carb is minimal, drinkability is non existent.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2011 06:15:31 | More by onix1agr

whisperjet

Connecticut

1.73/5  rDev -44.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

When I opened this bottle and poured, I did not expect to be so disappointed. It poured a clear golden with a frothy white head. Nice fruity smell coming from the glass got me excited to try the beer. But the taste is absolutely terrible. Like a wet bowl of special k with some raspberry thrown in. Highly over carbonated for the lack of complexity and taste. Just really bad overall, I dumped it after half a glass.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 18:19:11 | More by whisperjet

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

1.95/5  rDev -37.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Bottle: Poured a super pale yellow color ale with a small pure white foamy head with average retention and no lacing. Aroma of fake raspberry juice with weak malt notes. Taste is also dominated by fake raspberry juice with no traces of actual raspberries and weak boring malt backbone. Body is quite thin with OK carbonation. Wow - even worse then expected from a usually fine brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2009 02:16:26 | More by Phyl21ca

Avryle

New York

2.1/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

For a brewery that has produced such amazing beers such as Jahva & Choklat (which I'm now convinced is the devil's blood) the raspberry wheat falls pathetically short of the mark.

A- Clear, thin, golden color with fluffy white lacing. Waaaay to much clarity for a wheat and were it not for the overwheliming raspberry aroma/stink coming from the glass, I'd think I'd inadvertently purchased a Michelob.

S- The raspberry aroma is more artificial than Pamela Anderson's ta-tas. Its too overwheliming to pick up anything else that lies beneath.

T- Cloyingly bad artificial raspberry flavors dominate with a pasty-faced presence of what is supposed to be a wheat beer hanging out in back.
No es bueno.

M- Thin. Hyper carbonated. Sticky, sickeningly sweet.

D- It is so thin that you could probably suck down a few if you really wanted to, but I would not advocate such an undertaking.

Lesson learned: Buy Southern Tier's 22oz bottles.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2008 13:44:03 | More by Avryle

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

2.1/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Found this one at the LCBO in Stoney Creek. I figured I hadn't done a fruit beer in a while, so I'd give it a shot. Then I realized I had a Bud Light Lime a while ago. Ah well, onto the review.

Appearance: A pale somewhat hazy yellow that left a pinky of head that immediately vanished and did not lace. Carbonation looks fairly solid, but the body leaves me wondering if this beer was filtered or not as it's hard to tell.

Smell: It does have a decent raspberry smell that is sadly suspect as it carries a metallic chemical undertone. The background has a decent appearance of wheat malt. Didn't take much in the way of warming to come out.

Taste: Starts with the barest taste of those Swedish berry candies that then turns into a poorly balanced bitter wheat malt that seems to struggle with the sweeter raspberry flavor, which it eventually overcomes at the end with a carbonated bite that makes me wince.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation bites right at the end doesn't do this beer any favours. It leaves a filmy feeling in the mouth and transitions very poorly between flavors. Points also get deducted for the complete lack of head. The only redeeming characteristic is the minor raspberry aftertaste, which is barely present given the bitter wheat coupled with it.

Drinkability: On paper, this beer does stuff right. It's not gassy or causes stomach issues, and it is refreshing. However I wouldn't say this is an easy drinker, most due to the terrible mouthfeel.

Final Thoughts: Simply put, awful stuff that is just one step up from being drain poured. Even for a fruity beer, this offering falls flat. Even Bud Light Lime has a degree of balance with it's artificial lime flavoring. This beer is one you will want to avoid, without a doubt.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2009 23:36:42 | More by TheHammer

MrKennedy

Australia

2.1/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

355ml bottle purchased from the International Beer Shop and poured into a Redoak tulip glass.

Light golden, see-through appearance, pouring with one-finger of foam with compact white bubbles.

The aroma is a real syrupy raspberry, a little over the top when it comes to smell.

Syrupy fruity sweetness dominates the flavours to come through out of this one. Struggling to pick up any real wheat beer flavours amongst the syrupy sweetness.

Mouthfeel is more akin to a lager than a wheat beer.

While i generally go into bat for Southern Tier brews in any beer discussion, i find it hard to stand up for this one. Too much dominated by a syrupy smell and sweet taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 07:39:33 | More by MrKennedy

budgood1

Minnesota

2.1/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

pours out an almost perfectly clear straw yellow colour with some big bubbles sprouting a marginal, and quickly receding head. filtered i see...and no lace. aroma of raspberries and that's about all...i get little pale malt and no wheat. the taste is of tart raspberries, but the bottom falls out after that. it has an unpleasant astrigency and little malt character to prop things up a bit. there is some bitterness present, but without any malt sweetness to balance it seems out of place. weak bodied. bleh mouthfeel. drinkability suffers because it just seems so stripped of any defineable characteristics.

overall i'm pretty disappointed. my first southern tier sampled is a dud. oh well...i know the next one up will be better.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 23:25:21 | More by budgood1

Ricochet

Ohio

2.13/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

A: Very light yellow, with lots of bubbles but little head. Light beer to champaign.

S: Pungent, sweet raspberry. 2 feet away and could smell it. In a way, a fake smell, but there is a twinge of genuine goodness with a little malt smell at the end.

M: Sour, not bitter, just sour. Cheap beer remainder.

T: Wow, did this one miss the mark. Liquid rasperry Pez is what this tastes like. The fakey raspberry flavor really demands all the attention, but then the bitter aftertaste takes over and a corn-like remainder. That's it. That's all.

D: Liquid raspberry Pez. Need I say more?

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2007 13:20:30 | More by Ricochet

Jerzdevil1116

New Jersey

2.13/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12 oz bottle purchased at Circle Liquors in Somers Point, NJ.

A- Clear, pale yellow body. A lot of carbonation. Poured with a huge, foamy, white head. Left some setiment floating in the glass. Too clear for a wheat beer.

S- Raspberries with some hidden hops. A little metallicy smelling.

T- Semi-sweet, artificial, raspberry beginning with a dry hop finish.

M- Thin and watery. Slightly enlivened by the carbonation.

D- The name sounded very inviting and refreshing. The taste was a different story. Too watery, and not a pleasant taste. I'm usually a big fan of Southern Tier, but wouldn't buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2008 19:39:56 | More by Jerzdevil1116

glamphetamine

Virginia

2.13/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A: Pours a two-finger thin and bubbly head. The beer is a translucent pale yellow. Slightly below average in appearance. This looks a lot like an average adjunct lager.

S: Raspberries and a little malt. The raspberry aroma is overpowering, almost like a cheap lotion or body spray. Smells like an overloaded fruity cocktail, like a darker version of Sex on the Beach.

T: Like raspberry vodka, or a really badly sweetened raspberry-flavored water beverage. A cloying and overpowering blend of raspberry and alcohol with a touch of wheaty malt. The raspberry flavor really brings out the alcohol in this one. The taste is terribly unbalanced, leaning more toward the qualities of a cheap fruity malt beverage you'd buy in a convenience store cooler than a beer.

M: Leaves behind an alcohol and wheat aftertaste. I can taste the raspberry on my breath, but not when I have my mouth closed, which is kind of interesting and enjoyable. The aftertaste detracts from the breath, however, and really kills the experience. Carbonation is light.

D: I want to give this a second chance, as I'm generally a big fan of fruity wheat beers, but this is pretty vicious. The raspberry flavor is vicious, but somehow superficial. If you're looking for a good fruity wheat beer that's well balanced and refreshing, try Hell or High Watermelon from the 21st Amendment Brewery. I may give this raspberry beer another try one day, but for now I'll be swigging the rest down and hopefully moving on to something crafted with a little more care.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 03:13:48 | More by glamphetamine

togasports

New York

2.15/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Oh Boy. This beer is like drinking raspberry juice. I like many of the Southern Tier Beers, but this one is the worst one I have had so far. The pour had little to no foam, and the color of it was reminiscent of a light beer. The smell was overpowering. So was the taste. The raspberry was not done tastefully, or with a good blending of the other elements of the beer. I was quite disappointed in this beer. I think they need to go back to the drawing board.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2008 19:07:41 | More by togasports

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

2.23/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Appearance - looks like your average macro, not a wheat beer by most standards. Standard yellow/gold, a thin pithy head. Some better than average lacing though despite no retention from the cap.

Aroma - raspberry jello. No beer elements but a pleasant fruity aroma, about what you should expect.

Taste - interesting flavors, not in the best way. There is an undertow of a tart, bitter, or sour (not sure which best describes it) flavor. On top of it rides a modest, flavorful raspberry. I half-expected alcopop, it's far from that. Only thing is, with that odd sour/bitter foundation, it might could use a little more sweetness. You won't often hear that for a fruit beer. It's a medicinal type of flavor and for as impressed as I am with the delicate balance of the fruit, it is ruined by whatever that other flavor is. The aftertaste does not invite another sip but I'm finishing this one.

Mouthfeel - plenty of bubbles. Thin, watery, no smoothness which a wheat beer ought to have some measure of.

Drinkability - a nice smelling beer, but no follow through. Pass.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2008 04:36:14 | More by brewdlyhooked13

BeerBelcher

Ohio

2.25/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I'm a Cancer and my turn-offs include the words "malt beverage." I really prefer the word "beer." Why the "malt beverage" phrase is on the product confuses me. I wish my wife were around when I popped it open; she might've enjoyed it more than me. It is very fruity and not very beery. Its flavor reminded me of a Clearly Canadian wine cooler.

Appearance was good, as it is for all Southern Tier beers I've had. It is a pale yellow which was clear and sparkling. Head was plentiful but a tiny-bubble industrial-looking type. Aroma was very fruity, and the flavor was like a wine cooler. Mouthfeel was unremarkable, but this "flavored beverage" was not for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2007 02:25:28 | More by BeerBelcher

HopEnthusiast

Massachusetts

2.25/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Disgusting excuse for a beer. Good chick beer but not for me at all. It is way to sweet. The raspberrys dont taste like them either. There was no head at all. Pours a clear yellow almost like champagne. Has a sweet aroma to it and a very sweet taste to it. I think that this thing is going to give me heartburn.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2008 21:24:11 | More by HopEnthusiast

TStandley13

Massachusetts

2.25/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Appearance - See through golden color - kind of looks like pee to be honest.

Smell - Definetely a presence of raspberry, smells pretty good.

Taste - Quite disappointing. The smell would lead you to believe that it would be semi-flavorful at least, but this tastes more like watered down raspberry juice than a beer. It is almost as though you had a cup of raspberry juice with ice, drank it all, left the ice to melt a bit, then bottled what remains.

Mouthfeel - did I just drink a glass of slightly carbonated water?

Overall - I think they missed the mark here. Southern Tier is typically known for taking a flavor and producing a beer that replicated that flavor in a BIG way. This tastes like watered down nothing.

Do not recommend.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 01:01:52 | More by TStandley13

gboy515duo

Pennsylvania

2.28/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass

A: Goldenrod body with a nice two finger head, nothing special. Expected more.

S: Wonderful smell that reminds me of Raspberry flavored iced tea from snapple, no real resemblance of beer at all in the aromas

T: I was underwhelmed by the taste of the raspberry flavor, but quickly afterwards an overwhelming, strong bitter flavor stays on your tongue and just doesn't go away. Surprisingly, as you drink this extremely surpisingly bitter beer, you'll notice it gets better as it gets warm. Maybe it was supposed to be consumed at room temperature, but even so, it is nothing special.

M: Good smooth mouthfeel, feels great going down.

D: It took me an hour to drink one of these. There's no chance i'd be able to willingly drink a second one right after the first no matter the circumstances.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 15:50:29 | More by gboy515duo

talkinghatrack

New Jersey

2.33/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 4

Something from the beer store to keep the wife happy.

Well, it's...a beer. I think. A beer that tastes like a handful of mediocre raspberry candy left in a glass of water overnight. Then add a little seltzer. I guess its charms are a weak fruity non-beer taste and a water-like body? Coors Light overpowers this stuff. I upped my drinkability score because you could drink water just as easily.

My favorite part was the head. This thing EXPLODED out of the bottle from the fridge. The beer glass was literally 90% foam, 10% beer. It wanted to be 140% foam but I quickly rescued my countertop with a foam-sucking save.

My wife waited 20 minutes for it to settle long enough to fill the glass 80% high.

To each his own, but no thanks. From each of us.

If you want raspberry, try a Founders Rübæus. Great stuff for its category.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199/23474

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 03:08:12 | More by talkinghatrack

nycbeerfreak

New York

2.35/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This beer is not my stlye but had to try because I love S.T. The beer had the smell of Grape ginger ale and I knew it was not going to be a beer I like from the get go. Mouth was fizz and more fizz. Taste was like diet raspberry ginger ale. I think this is one of the worst beers I have ever had. I still love S.T for all the other great stuff they brew, But they should just drop this one, NOW.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2008 05:11:46 | More by nycbeerfreak

MaltyGoodness

Pennsylvania

2.38/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12oz. bottle

Pours a clear golden straw color with a small white head that recedes. Very minor lacing on the glass.

Big, fresh, tart raspberry aroma. Nothing but raspberries, but they sure smell good.

Wow, this beer really falls apart in the flavor. A light graininess upfront with a very weak and not so tart raspberry flavor. There is a bit of hop bitterness that really counteracts any enjoyment that the raspberry flavor may produce. Has a lingering muddled mix of flavors at the finish.

Light body, medium carbonation.

Not quite a drain pour, but certainly one to avoid spending my hard earned money on again. Bleh.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2007 02:45:38 | More by MaltyGoodness

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

2.4/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

poured from a 12oz/355mL bottle into the tallest glass my kitchen set came with.

pale straw with no haze or particulate present. definately filtered. almost non-existent to begin with head becomes non-existent after finishing the pour. no lacing.

aroma of raspberry jam on first impression. as the beer warms, a very artificial note becomes evident.

immediate hit of raspberry on the palate, with a medicinal aftertaste. it's not that bad at first, but as the beer warms the medicinal gets worse. somewhat reminiscent of alcopop or smirnoff raspberry twist vodka. finish this one quickly.

watery and thin mouthfeel. as a summer seasonal, this beer seems to hit the mark in that respect.

despite the harsh & medicinal quality of this beer, i did find it very easy to drink. it's cold and wet, and on a hot enough day i'd pound this back quickly enough that it wouldn't warm too much. it's like lawnmower beer for people who normally drink coolers.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2009 19:36:24 | More by mintjellie

prototypic

Ohio

2.42/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: It's very clear and light golden in color. Head is foamy white and about a finger deep. Virtually no retention or lacing to talk about.

Smell: Very sweet rasberry aroma dominates. Almost New York Seltzer-ish. It smells grainy or earthy. Very light caramel malts come through. Not picking up any hops.

Taste: The sweet rasberry flavor comes through loud and clear. Here it's reminiscent of rasberry New York Seltzer too. Very light malt flavors are notable and add more sweetness. It is grainy, but it's barely noticeable in taste. Hops are not noticeable here either.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: It's light bodied. Carbonation is okay and it goes down easy enough. If it weren't so sweet, I'd be inclined to drink more. But, I'd be hard pressed to have more than one. Overall, it's okay but doesn't work well as a beer in my opinion. It's just too sweet and candy-like. Definitely not something I'd seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2008 02:29:53 | More by prototypic

NODAK

Tennessee

2.42/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Definitely has a raspberry aroma to it...so much so that I'd say it smells a bit like a malt beverage. Quite sweet.

The taste isn't quite so robust. Oh, the body certainly is mostly of a raspberry taste, but it's thinner and more watery than I would have thought. There isn't much else in the way of character for this beer. The wheat shows up mildly on the finish. I've had fruit beers that do it right and end up being quite delicious, This one just isn't delivering that for me.

This is sort of a novelty type beer from a brewery that usually makes outstanding beers. A bit disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 01:50:22 | More by NODAK

dan4th

Massachusetts

2.48/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Raspberry comes on strong in the nose; flavor is pretty much a letdown with the raspberry coming in only at the end with a metallic aftertaste. Appearance is clear and bright yellow. Carbonation level is good; no head to speak of. Got in a sampler pack and glad I don't have 6 of these. This is a pass.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2009 00:24:49 | More by dan4th

HattedClassic

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: A clear, golden wheat color with one fingered head that quickly dissipates.

Smell: Raspberry! Not thick but scented heavily enough to be pleasing.

Taste: I'm pretty disappointed that the taste did not live up to the smell. Instead of a dominant raspberry flavor, I get a bitter taste and a very weak raspberry after taste.

Mouthfeel: Watery with medium carbonation.

Overall: This beer is not the worst that I've had but it doesn't rank anywhere near the best. I don't recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 04:19:20 | More by HattedClassic