Patriot Pale Ale - RJ Rockers Brewing Company

Brenden

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This review's been a long time coming, but I wanted to make sure I gave a fair shot to a new brewery.

This one pours a coppery color with a slight haze. A soft white head forms, last for a decent length of time, and leaves spotty lacing.
The smell is solid if not basic and a little light. The nose is a balance of caramel and biscuity malt and hops with light herbal and grains notes.
Hops take over in the flavor without losing the balance of sweetness from the malts. There's also a light spicy hint in here. Plenty of fresh grapefruit flavor comes out in the hops and is firm all the way through, and there's a slight metallic tinge in a lingering finish.
This is a solidly medium-bodied brew with a moderate carbonation and a balance of crisp and smooth on the palate.
This one's got a very basic APA character to it, but it's well made. A solid beer with plenty of sessionability.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 23:55:39 | More by Brenden

kegger22

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

R J Rockers Patriot Pale Ale poured an amber color with a half-inch, off-white head that displayed little retention.

The aroma was not very pronounced, but what there is, was citrus hops.

The taste was very much dominated by the citrus hops, just a bit of malty sweet that was not enough to provide needed balance.

The mouth feel was medium bodied with modest carbonation.

Sometimes I feel like a beer whore, because every one I drink seems quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 04:38:19 | More by kegger22

hosehead83

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a standard pint glass
Bright, clear gold in color with a moderate head of foam
Aroma-Biscuit and faint hop notes
Taste-Subtle hop and citrus notes, malt, biscuit-Tastes a bit more like an English pale ale or ESB
Overall, a nice,drinkable offering

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 12:23:03 | More by hosehead83

al3

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - golden yellow, slight lacing, minimal retention

S - sweet with some citrus

T&M - similar to the aroma, sweet honey like flavor up front with a bitter citrus hop note. Medium feel with a DRY finish.

D - very much so..

Overall a very sessionable APA, nothing really stands out, but it is smooth and well balanced. No extreme hops so the heads might be disapointed, but worth checking out if you want an easy drinking one..

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2010 01:35:14 | More by al3

EgadBananas

Louisiana

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

Hazy copper color with a fluffy eggshell tinted head. Takes a bit to dissipate. Laces well.

Smells rather good, nice and woodsy with slight citrus and forward hops at the end.

Taste kind of fell flat. Just wasn't there. Had a more stale hop taste, and bit of sweetness, but too bitter in the end. Fairly different from the nice smell. Kinda disappointed.

Run of the mill light to medium body.

It's not a super good pale, but its drinkable none the less.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2010 22:54:01 | More by EgadBananas

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours coppery clear with a decent foamy white head. Some light lacing.

Some caramel and citric hop notes. Not horribly strong in the nose.

Some toasted malt, some yeastiness, like raw bread dough, bitter at the end with a citric bite. Flavors are a bit weak, but not horrible. This beer seems to be somewhat uneven, though. Some out of balance flavors make this a bit less enjoyable than I anticipated.

Overall, medium bodied with some decent carbonation.

Not terribly drinkable, but nothing I hated either. Just OK.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2010 00:16:09 | More by OtherShoe2

wnh

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a brown-ish tinted clear amber, somewhat dark for a pale ale, topped by a smallish cream colored head.

Aromas of grapefruit and pineapple up front, on top a solid malty backbone of toast and caramel. Pithy, lightly bitter citrus on the palate, turning to toasted multigrain bread mid-palate, before finishing with sweet caramel. Lingering dry bitterness. Light to medium bodied, somewhat firm.

A pretty decent little pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2010 23:13:05 | More by wnh

brownbeer

Missouri

3.35/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours pale amber with a pillowy off-white head.

Some grassy and piney hops with a hint of grapefruit initially. The more it warms the less aroma it has.

Taste is similar with some doughy malts and a somewhat sharp, bitter finish. It has kind of a yeasty homebrew taste that isn't so pleasant and the aftertaste isn't great.

The more I taste it the less I like it. It becomes bitter without much flavor in the end.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2010 00:13:55 | More by brownbeer

dickroop

Maryland

3.78/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It was pale golden with pillowy beige head, slightly hazy, and with lots of small bubbles. A reasonably good looking brew. The nose was piney hops, bready malts, with slightly earthy notes.

As to taste, there was respectable hop bit well balanced with toasty malt. Certainly not a knockout for flavor, but true to style. The pleasantly lingering bitterness produces a memorable if not a clean finish. Mouthfeel was OK, but nothing great.

It's a drinkable brew, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy more. An OK brew in a sea of many like it.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2009 23:26:18 | More by dickroop

beer2day

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours dirty gold with a bit of texture to it. No head. Laces well.

Nose is much weaker than anticipated. Picking up wet paper more than anything else. Very faint orange citrus. Slightly bready. Not appealing.

Hits creamy with a slight peat flavor. Very nice finish, much nicer than anticipated. This beer is very much a story in contradiction. Strong malt presence with a good hop profile. Toasted bread with a very tart citrus bite for a straight pale.

Feel is adequate, but left me wanting more body.

Not to bad to drink, but slightly cloying in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2009 02:45:39 | More by beer2day

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.28/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a straw amber with a 1 finger eggshell foamy head. Head clung well, and lasted for a while, with no visible carbonation rising in the glass. Trace amounts of sediment floated suspended. Smelled slightly fruity, a bitter orange almost, with hints of wheat and a touch of sweetness. Taste started slightly hoppy, then mellowed out some, gaining some sweetness, but finished with a taste that reminded me of low end beer. Felt strange in the mouth. At times seemed to watery, and other times seemed dead on. Nothing really detracted from its drinkability, but nothing really stood out either. A fairly middle of the road beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2009 23:17:15 | More by mountdew1

glid02

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle purchased at Hop City in Atlanta.

Pours a hazy copper color with a one-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a patchy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of sweet caramel malts with hints of earthy hops. As it warms the hop aromas intensify just a bit.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Light aramel malt flavors up front with hints of earthy and lightly floral hop flavors midway through the sip. The ending is equally sweet and bitter.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a solid thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is alright. I finished the bottle without a problem but I'm not so sure about another.

Overall I thought this was closer to an English IPA than an APA - too much malt, not enough hops. Not a terrible beer by any stretch but not worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2009 05:18:15 | More by glid02

philipquarles

Louisiana

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

12oz bottle. Pours cloudy gold with a small white head. The foam lasts pretty well and leaves nice lacing. Very nice fruity aroma that hints at pear, along with pleasant caramel malt character. Tastes quite hoppy, with a very straightforward resinous bitterness. This is somewhat offset by a bit of lightly roasted caramel malt. Dry, watery finish. Body is medium-full and well-suited to the style. After nearly finishing this, it seems to be a bit one-sided and simple, focusing on the bitterness. Certainly better than expected, though.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2009 22:21:41 | More by philipquarles

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle.
A) Pours with a tight two finger head. Creamy. Lacing is not sticky. Slight bit of haze. Upward carbonation. Bronze in color.
S) Not very aromatic. Light citrus notes. Some Caramel notes.
T) Malt and hops are very balanced. But overall taste is mellow and some what bland. In the mix citrus sweetness - orange and grapefruit. Caramel.
M) Gritty. Medium bodied. Light tannin feel.
D) Just a decent PA. Not much of a standout.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2009 16:37:56 | More by u2carew

jackorain

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Deep straw with a copper glow. Stark white head with great retention and . As the head fell, the shape transformed from smooth to lumpy back to smooth, quite cool.
Biscuit and bready malts. Followed by green and citrus hop aroma.

Biscuit malt, green hops, citrus hops. Lemony hop finish

A bit creamy with a medium body. Crisp, tingly carbonation.

Thoroughly drinkable. I could have several and make a session out of it.

Thanks For Reading

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2009 23:54:18 | More by jackorain

Seanibus

California

3.2/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pretty good, if not outstanding.

Pours a rich, hazy golden with a nice head. The aroma is delicately floral, though I can't pick up the exact hops involved. The flavor is rich and pleasantly malty, with a mild floral hop character and quite mild bitterness. The mouthfeel is rich and slightly milky feeling.

A satisfying session pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2009 21:52:54 | More by Seanibus

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Patriot Pale is a pretty basic, straightforward, English-style amber ale that balances its gently caramelish malt with a spicy and leafy hop character.

It looks good in the glass, and the frothy/creamy white head holds well and leaves some nice lacing. The body is slightly hazy... hmmm, I wonder how old this beer is? There's no freshness date. I don't pick up any oxidative notes though.

The aroma expresses biscuity malt backed by leafy and spicy hops.

The flavor follows suit, and it's pretty cut and dried here. There's not a lot of complexity to it, but there is a good deal of flavor - it's very English in nature! The gently sweet malt is caramelish and gently toasty, and balanced by a firm bitterness and a good deal of spicy and leafy hops. A thread of fruitiness runs through it as well, and helps to tie it all together. I get some apple, a bit of tangerine, and some mild citrus.

Best when enjoyed at cellar temperature, this is a firm and flavorful ale that would pair well with lots of different foods. Greasy braised pork chops with buttery mashed potatoes and a dollop of apple sauce immediately comes to mind, but there are so many other possibilities I can't even imagine them. It's easy drinking and satisfying.

Ahhh, an add-on here: I see that this is supposed to be an American pale ale, and that it's "aggressively hopped with Challenger and Cascade...". I get the Challenger to be sure, and I can see the influence of the Cascade in the minor notes of citrus, but I wouldn't call it an "American" pale ale by any stretch. I'll leave it at that, and leave my review as it is. English or American in style, it's still a tasty brew and that's all I care about.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2009 17:10:05 | More by NeroFiddled

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a variety 12-pack of RJ Rockers from State Line Liquors in MD. Appears a clear golden amber with a tall white head and lacing. The aroma is a mix of dry cracker and toast that reminds me of DFH 60 Min's malt profile. Not enough hops here though. It could easily pass for a hoppier amber. The flavor starts out with the same malts, but then dull grassy and pepper hops slowly roll in with a hit of pine and grapefruit - nothing big, but enough for a classic American pale ale. I really can't complain, all in all this is a clean session ale with a complex enough profile.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2009 04:21:33 | More by tempest

Risser09

Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a pint - fridge - Bottled 4/17/2009

Appearance: Pours a transparent golden color with bright yellow highlights. The head is ivory with 2" of size. Great retention and lots of foamy lace. Slow moving carbonation to the surface. Craterous.

Smell: Toasted grain with some alcohol and pecan nuttines.s No real hop aroma.

Taste: A mostly mineral flavor is weak in both hops and malt. Pale malt, grit, and a leathery flavor. Not too bad.

Mouthfeel: A powder dry finish, a little bitterness, some booze, and again, dry.

Drinkability: Grainy, malty and a little bitter with dryness that usually isn't this loud in a pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2009 12:44:32 | More by Risser09

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Nice, tight head. Leaves good lace. Hazy with a dark golden (light amber) color.

Mild aroma of fresh hop and decent malt presence.

A solid entry in the APA field. More hoppy than malty. Rich mouthfeel with an appropriate level of carbonation. The aftertaste is a long-lasting bitterness from the hop.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 02:09:30 | More by smcolw

ZimZamZoom

West Virginia

3.63/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A clear light amber color, the off-white head leaves a nice bit of lacing behind after it parts ways with the beer.

Bold citrusy hop aroma, manifesting itself amid a wash of sweet caramel malt. Orange spiced tea even. Nice. The taste has a bit of that orange-citrus hoppiness. Some spice blends nicely with this and the caramel malt and also some alcohol twist around and enhance the other flavors. I like the complexity here. A nice APA in my opinion.

Medium bodied, light on carbonation and fairly smooth in the mouth. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2009 19:58:10 | More by ZimZamZoom

LauraAlberts

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +26.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark mango/orange with frothy head and mild lacing.

Smell: Hops, hint of grapefruit.

Taste: Hops, with a nice carbonation. Finishes with mild grapefruit/wheat flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied pale. Everything I look for in this style. Nice mouthfeel and refreshing on palate

Drinkability: Very drinkable and enjoyable. A great session beer. The Flagship of RJ Rockers - and one of their greats. Like I said before - this beer has everything I look for in an American Pale. I highly recommend this beer as an exemplary specimen of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2009 23:44:35 | More by LauraAlberts

grayburn

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +19%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a crisp and clear golden color with a little head and some minor lacing.
The smell is all hops, almost erring on the side of an ipa in the nose, but very nice and robust. Definite strong pine and mint notes.
The taste is hop forward as well, very minty and bitter, with an excellent hop profile. The malt really did not balance out the hops in the flavor quite as much as I would have liked.
The mouthfeel is nice, clean and crisp again. Pretty bitter, but thats my bag, so I enjoyed.
I could drink this all night, and look forward to doing so in the near future.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2009 05:08:43 | More by grayburn

JayQue

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear copper color, medium sized white head with a little lacing and average head retention.

Smell is very mild, grassy, light hops.

Taste is pretty good. AL little hops up front, malty through the middle and a little bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel is ok too, not too light or watery, nice and crisp.

Drinkability is very good. Not an exceptional beer but not boring either. Would make a good spring or summer session beer.

I would get this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2009 23:18:46 | More by JayQue

theghost3

Louisiana

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

Pours a lighter copper color with some carbonation bubbles. 1-finger white head with minimal lacing.

The scent is very subtle--citrus & floral hops with a surprising bit of roasted malts. The taste is mainly citrusy/grassy hops up front, and a surprising bit of roasted barley, but it's all rather subdued with the exception of the up-front bitterness. Mouthfeel is crisp but quickly flattens out.

Overall, this is a fairly sessionable APA, but it's nothing to get excited about.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2009 03:08:51 | More by theghost3