Bald Eagle Brown Ale - RJ Rockers Brewing Company

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.45/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

"The old age of an eagle is better than the youth of a sparrow."

--proverb

Light pecan brown that becomes muddy pumpkin when backlit with the rising sun. Despite generous visible carbonation, the head maxed out at one single finger of toasted almond colored foam. Lace is acceptable... no more than that.

The nose has the brown malt and nuttiness of the style, but isn't hugely aromatic. No appreciable hoppiness is fine. Slightly more boldness with warming is too little, too late.

The use of darker malts (chocolate and black in this case) should result in a deeper brown ale. Sorry, not happening here. More total malt would have fixed it right up. Tough call on the taste score, but it'll probably end up where the other two Rockers beers that I've had so far ended up (3.5).

Specifics include brown bread toast, a subtle fruitiness, lightly sugared nuts, and hints of tea leaf bitterness. Nothing is very bold in this brew, which is a shame given the taloned raptor that it was named after. Yet again, a bulkier bottom end would have done this offering any number of favors...

... especially with respect to the mouthfeel. BEB is too light for the style and the bubbles aren't as well-integrated as they could be. Nothing too out of line, but nothing special either.

Bald Eagle Brown is pretty much par for the course when it comes to RJ Rockers beer. In other words, it's slightly better than average, but does nothing that would elevate it into the realm of even remotely special. Sparrow Brown, the more appropriate name, would be unlikely to sell as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 12:29:16 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Never thought I would be as big of a fan of this one as I ended up being. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 01/30/2010.

The pour was simply great. Rich dark brown in color with some nice bits of light shining through on the bottom of the glass. A smallish head rises up from the bottom of the glass and gradually settles down into a thin, but nicely placed pad of foam. Aroma is caramel malts, hints of roasted nuts and a nice shot of piney hops. Well put together and definitly more robust then I thought it would be. As I take the first sip a light to medium body washes over me and thoroughly impresses with its depth. Caramel, bready tones, hints of light hops all seem to come together nearly perfectly as it fades in and out of the palate. Really easy to drink and superbly sessionable, I had no issue at all with finishing this one off.

Overall a very, very good offering from them. This could be a regualr session beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2010 16:18:04 | More by mikesgroove

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

16 oz. - $4.75 at Taco Mac in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Clear, brown body with a small, though sustained, white head. Very coating lacing.

Smell: Fairly restrained maltiness smelling only of some vague, nutty brown malts.

Taste: Dry, dark caramel and shelled nuts make up the malts with only a minor sweetness. Small, small hint of scorched grains. Slight, lightly earthy hop bitterness. Dry, crisp, short finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Just a tad watery.

Drinkability: Sure, it's very drinkable, but I certainly would appreciate a heft to both its body and overall malt character.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2009 07:24:27 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear caramel color with a rather thin film of a head and lots of spotty lacing

Smell: Brown bread, nuts and a hint of chocolate

Taste: Rich chocolate malt flavor with a nutty balance in the middle just before the chocolate reintroduces itself after the swallow; a bit of nut skin bitterness in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A very nice brown ale with a surprising degree of chocolate flavor

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2005 02:31:18 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.3/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a murky super dark brown with a 2 inch foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, cocoa, and some nutty aromas. Taste is of toasted malt, burnt cocoa, and slight nutty flavors. There is a mild medicinal-like bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is an average beer with a good smell but a somewhat disappointing flavor.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 03:01:44 | More by UCLABrewN84

oberon

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a clear medium shade of brown with a thinner white head that s gone pretty quickly no lace behind as it settles,earthy unsweetened chocolate dominate the aromas with a touch of brown suger.Very basic brown ale flavors bitter chocolate and a little nutty with a dryer abrupt finish.A basic straight to the point brown alenothing out of the ordinary flavor wise not bad for the style but wouldnt seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2005 02:10:55 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

RJ Rocker's delivers a tasty, malt brown ale in their Bald Eagle. It's a clear deep-chestnut brown beneath a creamy head of light tan foam.

The aroma is cocoaish and chocolatey, with a little bit of yeasty fruitiness and a touch oof leafy hops.

In the mouth it's creamy smooth with a medium body and moderate carbonation level.

The flavor displays the maltiness upfront; it's chocolatey and a bit toasty with a very subtle edge of roastiness (think of the slightly burnt edges on the crust of a loaf of artisinal bread). Leafy and mildly grassy hops appear across the middle, and every once in a while you get a flash of yeasty fruitiness. It's well-rounded, and well balanced, and it finishes dry with some swirling hops, a thin bit of residual malt, and a lingering, firm bitterness.

A very solid rendition of an English style brown ale with a bit of an American twist: a little more malt, and a little more hops to balance it. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2009 14:43:47 | More by NeroFiddled

metter98

New York

3.73/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Vic's On the River, Savannah, GA

A: The beer is clear brownish amber in color and has no visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high beige head that died down but left a bit of lacing covering the surface and a ringe of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: Aromas of toasted and roasted malts are present in the nose along with some hints of fruits.
T: The taste is quite malty with flavors of dark malts and hints of toasted malts and chocolate.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is very flavorful and easy to drink and pairs particularly well with burgers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2011 21:04:35 | More by metter98

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.13/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Acquired from mikesgroove courtesy of the Little Guy 2 BIF, so a big "Thank You" goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light reddish brown color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a spotty lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, maple and a touch of hops.

T: The taste is sweet up front with flavors of caramel, chocolate and maple that are quickly followed by a heart malt character. There's a mild hops presence that brings a little bit of balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: A little tasty, goes down ok, slightly filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, it's not a bad beer but there are better brown ales that I would choose first.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2009 02:32:25 | More by TheManiacalOne

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pulled from a variety 12-pack I picked up at State Line in Maryland. Appears a clear red-brown in glass with a tall head that quickly disappears. While I thought the Patriot Pale was a good simple beer, I think this is a bad simple beer. The flavor is a little watery, which is a kiss of death when you're looking for a great session beer. Instead of being full-flavored yet drinkable, it's a little thick and not very tasty. The aroma has a pleasant dry cocoa note, but the flavor is just simple dark bread crust with a touch of juicy caramel, not much else. I'd pass.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 02:14:43 | More by tempest

weeare138

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appears a semi-transparent amber toned dark brown with a small, off-white head that quickly fades away.
Smell is of sweet brown sugar, toasted nuts, vanilla, and cream.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with a sweet, roasted nut, and sugary caramel malt flavor standing out.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, nutty, caramel, smooth...perhaps a bit under-attenuated, as residual sweetness seems to be bordering on cloyingly sweet.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2008 19:13:39 | More by weeare138

kojevergas

California

2.6/5  rDev -26.3%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into me conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Bottle acquired as part of an RJ Rockers variety pack at Hi-Time Liquor in Cost Mesa, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average given the brewery.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption.

A: Pours a one finger head - thin, without much cream, and of mediocre retention. Colour is a semitransparent caramel-brown. No visible yeast particles.

Sm: Foul malts, stale cream, and awful off-nut notes. Repugnant. Moderately strong.

T: Nuts in the body and climax. Empty clean malts and stale cream comprise the open. No subtlety, complexity, or layering. Boring and bland. Imbalanced both structurally and flavour-wise.

Mf: Smooth and wet. The thickness is okay, but doesn't feel quite right. Slightly overcarbonated.

Dr: Drinkable but unremarkable. A rather dull and uninspired brown ale with little to offer even to fans of the style. I wouldn't get it again and wouldn't recommend it. It's priced alright, but far better brown ales can be had.

C-

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 06:46:16 | More by kojevergas

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz brown bottle recently received as an extra in a trade. Bottle has a stamp of 6/29/10 I am assuming to be the bottled on date and not the best buy.

Poured into a pub glass, this brew appears an amber brown color that contains some fine particulate. A finger of creamy tan head sits atop the brew and quickly fades despite rising bubbles of carbonation trying to support the cap. Fine strings of patchy lace cling to the glass when swirled and sipped. A light swirl revives the cap that again quickly dissolves.

The aroma contains a pleasant scent of chocolate and caramel malt somewhat toffee-like that is also a bit fruity and contains a scent that is almost raisin-like. The sweetness and fruity aspect being to dominate the aroma as it warms which changes to a bit of a brown sugar note.

The taste of this brew includes all the scents of the aroma but in flavor form. It starts off with a flavor that is somewhat toffee-like with a bit of fruity esters that taste somewhat reminiscent of raisin. It has a pleasant herbal bitterness to offset the would-be sweet aspect of this brew. It finishes dry yet with a grainy must taste that lingers in the mouth. As this brew warms, a bit of a fruity aspect comes out that tastes like apples. While interesting this is not something I was expecting.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest level of carbonation. It is easy drinking and a decent representation for the style. It comes together with the favorable aspects slightly edging out but overall trying it once was enough for me. I probably wouldn't return to this brew again.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 02:03:27 | More by stakem

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've had a few different RJ Rockers beers recently and I think they are much improved overall. This brown is solid for the style. Relatively understated but balanced and tasty. Pours a coppery brown with a moderate head that fades to a ring. Nice color, but the head could be a bit thicker. Nice dry toasty aroma with some nuttiness. Quite dry. Similar in taste, with a nice nutty dryness, some nice moderate toastiness and a touch of coppey metal in the finish. Quite nice. Smooth, medium bodied and drying on the finish in the mouth. Quite respectable. I enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2009 03:20:37 | More by Georgiabeer

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.55/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served from bottle into a shaker. Pours a dark brown with a minimal off-white head. Maintained good lacing thoughout. The aroma was comprised of roasted malt and nutty notes. The flavor followed the nose with light roasted malt and nutty characters. It was light on the palate with low carbonation. Overall this was not a bad brew. However, the flavors of this one were quite muted for some odd reason, as it warmed up they came out a little more but were still not pronounced. Still a nice brown ale that is worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 17:45:43 | More by thagr81us

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice dark slightly hazy mahogany with a VERY thick tan head - my sample fizzed like crazy. Decent aroma is malty, fruity and a little yeasty. Malty flavor has a faint caramel undertone as well as cloves and cinnamon hints. Texture is smooth and somewhat fizzy, leaving a tingly and malty finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2010 01:30:19 | More by Cyberkedi

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Medium brown and ruby color. Insane tan head that makes pouring this beer take forever. Lots of lacing though. OK bubbling.

The aroma is a nutty, but somewhat boozy, toasted and lightly roasted malt mix.

Super toasted malt mixes with a walnutty yeast and malt flavor mix. Palate is a little thin. But this beer is a great session brew that I wish I could get in IL.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 21:08:26 | More by scruffwhor

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

[received in trade from jabocu]

Body is amber/brown/red with a minimal head that all but disappears, and quickly. Super-tiny bits of sediment floating throughout the beer. Not floaters, just really small bits that, if they were any smaller, would probably be called a "haze".

Smell is sweet malt, carries some honey aspects, with a light hops aroma along for the ride.

Flavor is interesting, finding a sugary character mingling with hops bitterness. The bitterness is pleasant at first, but becomes a bit strange in the aftertaste. The malt isn't bold or thick enough. The more I sip it, the more it tastes like an expired root beer.

Decent mouthfeel, probably my favorite aspect of this beer, because it feels right. Slick, hefty, tingly.

Not crazy about this one. It's too close to soda. Could be a fine brown ale, the recipe just needs some tweaking. It's as if the brewery is holding back. It needs more personality, or character, or something. I'm looking forward to trying the R.J. Rockers Patriot Pale Ale that I received in the same trade.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2006 21:42:35 | More by Metalmonk

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.58/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A 12 oz. bottle garnered recently from beer brother Metalmonk.

A: Pours with nearly a finger-worth of creamy off-white head; fades quickly to a thin but determined pock-marked paper-thin cap with a clinging ring. Head never fades completely. Color is a deep chestnut brown, a little hazy and tinged with red-orange. A few random bubbles rising here and there. Dabs of creamy lace cling on the glass.

S: Roasted nuts and husky grain are here, with some reduced caramel. Not picking up the fruits that others have mentioned; this is all malt in my nose - pleasant and style-appropriate.

T: Pretty tasty - lots of roasted malts, sugar-sweetened cereal grain. A coffee flavor, creamy and sweetened like cafe au lait. Good hopping gives bitterness without overwhelming those nice roasted malts. Gets a litlle sticky/gummy towards the finish. Just the slightest oxidized astringency, hardly sour.

M: Good carbonation, not too abundant as in a few other almost cola-like brown ales I've tried; starts a bit sharp, then mellows and borders on being 'creamy'. Medium body, clinging roasted bittering keeps this on the palate for a while. Not clean finishing and a litlle gritty grain left on the tongue

D: Not bad at all - good balance, nice robust toastiness, modest ABV (guessing here that it's around 5%). I'd have this one again. Thanks for sending, Jeff, and for helping me check another state off the list...36 down...

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2007 01:25:16 | More by msubulldog25

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

2.85/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Label says 06/01/09, which I am assuming is the bottle date.

Really fluffy and aggressive head forms atop this beer. Off white with lots of structure. The beer itself is a lighter brown/amber color than I had expected. Good clarity with some visible carbonation. Head slowly begins to settle.

Fairly standard aroma with some sweetness, some caramel a bit of grain and some light citrus.

Truthfully, not much excitement here. An initial moment of fruit interrupted by roasted malt, then an acidic moment and some graininess. Rather straight forward and lacking a lot of complexity. The aftertaste is a little burnt.

Mouth feel is a bit light carbonation is very light.

It's drinkable, yet forgettable. Not much in the way of depth here.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2009 17:51:22 | More by Reagan1984

argock

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz brown bottle into a clear pint glass. No freshness date. Single purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA) for $1.80.

A: Standard chestnut brown with 1-finger sandy colored head with decent retention and some lacing.

S: Aroma is distinctly earthy and herbal, on par for the style, with some toasted dark and caramel malts laid down with herbal, leafy hops

T: Flavor parallels the aroma with toasted caramel and chocolate malts blending well with the light herbal, leafy English-inspired hopping.

M: A little too light for the style and for the fairly robust flavor. Carbonation is a bit to much.

D: Nothing wrong with this offering from RJR although I like their 1.5 APA a bit better. This one could benefit from some more dedicated malting to produce even a finer brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2009 02:41:40 | More by argock

atsprings

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a nice crisp semi-dark brown with a thin head that diminishes to a ring. Aroma is dark malts and burnt caramel. The taste is burnt caramel, mild chocolate, and a hint of dried fruits and coffee. The beer is light and crisp with low carbonation. While I could see this making for a decent session, it's just not anything I'd usually seek out that often. I am glad to taste some good stuff out of SC, however.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2007 06:40:45 | More by atsprings

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate magazine Vol. III Issue I:

Clear tawny color with a dollop of off-white head. Smells nutty with some brown bread, sun-dried grass and a vague ripe apple fruitiness. Crisp medium body. Fresh toasted malt runs from nutty grain to toasted bread, grassy to light caramel. Quick kiss of cocoa powder and light roasted coffee in the middle. Modest hopping here, with a lightly balancing bitterness. Hint of fruitiness in the back of pears and ripe apples. Finishes semidry with a long trail of toasted malt.

Bald Eagle has "session ale" written all of over it, with its down-to-earth style. Hard to tell if it was brewed in the US or not, which shows that this is a damn good Brown Ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 19:38:12 | More by BeerAdvocate

BeerSox

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into pint glass.

Cloudy bark color with a one finger head that quickly settles to a thin cap.

Lightly toasted malts, burnt walnut, and a higher amount of chocolate than I can recall in most beers of this style.

The malts taste a little roastier than they smell, and compliment the burnt walnut well. The flavor mellows out toward the end, showing mostly toasty grain and a little bit of butter. Full bodied, with a slightly acidic feel.

Not the best Brown Ale but it's certainly decent, and one of the better offerings I have had from R.J. Rocker's.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2009 22:38:29 | More by BeerSox

chinchill

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz undated bottle served in a pint glass.

Pours a dark mahogany brown with a modest of white head that quickly reduces to a ring and a few thin 'islands'. Slightly hazy.

Somewhat weak but pleasant aroma of mixed malts, slightl floral and nutty. The mixed malts comes through in the flavor which seems to have several varieties: perhaps most obviously, chocolate. Nutty, with hints of coffee and hops in the ever-so-slightly dry finish.

M - medium/thin body with medium carbonation. Crisp.

O - a bit different from your typical English styole brown, more so in the flavor profile than in the body, as claimed by the brewer.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 01:03:19 | More by chinchill