Rio Blanco Pale Ale - Real Ale Brewing Company

brentk56

North Carolina

2.85/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Appearance: Pours a clear amber capped by an inch of foam; leaves some lacing behind

Smell: Grainy and grassy

Taste: Opens with a rather sweet, toffe/butterscotch flavor with a lemony/grassy flavor developing in the middle; the sweetness builds again, after the swallow with a bit of diacetyl in the finish that joins the grassy flavors

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation; just a little bit slick on the tongue

Overall: Certainly different, with Saaz hops being used in an APA, so I will give it some kudos for creativity but I cannot say that I particularly like the way this whole beer comes together

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 03:17:33 | More by brentk56

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Golden copper, white head that retains and laces well.

S/T - Bready biscuit malts up front roll into a grassy, herbal hop finish. Slightly minty with some light grains.

M - Medium body, medium carbonation, finishes crisp. Lingering minty feel doesn't feel quite right though.

O - Finally had a beer from Texas. Standard pale, unique use of German hops in this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 00:51:05 | More by garuda

mooseisloose

Florida

3.43/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Popping the top this brew has a citrus smell of oranges and grape fruits with a sweet malt smell in the background. Pours to an orange bronze with a light tan head that fades quickly. Taste is sweet throughout with a bitter twang in the background. Mouthfeel is light carbonation and smooth. A good warm weather PA tasty and balanced, a bit sweet but palatable.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 01:01:43 | More by mooseisloose

obrike

Texas

3.55/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Another leftover beer from my Halloween party...I've had this one before, but have not reviewed it.

Decent look...light orange and just a bit hazy with a decent head and some patchy lacing. Not bad.

Scent of caramel malt, along with some herbs, fruits, and hops. Fairly subdued, but not too shabby.

Taste follows scent, caramel malts seem to be the primary taste, accented with floral hops, fruity hops, and bread. A pretty decent session beer in my opinion. Medium bodied and moderately carbonated. Finish is relatively crisp, leaving floral and caramel malt aftertastes.

Overall it's a good example of an easy drinking locally brewed pale ale. Nothing outstanding, but certaiinly good enough to buy on occassion and share with friends looking for something other than BMC.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 04:37:41 | More by obrike

GMB

Japan

4.1/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Real Ale is one of my favorite "craft" breweries. Their catalogue comprises excellent, unique renditions of traditional beer styles; Rio Blanco Pale Ale is no exception.

The bottle tells us that the beer is brewed with Czech Saaz hops, a variety one usually expects to find in a pilsner. This should impart a mild, peppery flavor without adding much bitterness.

The beer pours a slightly deeper amber than one usually expects from a Pale Ale. My first pour produced almost no head. I may have overcompensated when pouring the second bottle, for there exploded a very large, though somewhat thin, white head that disappeared as suddenly as it came.

The nose of this beer is intriguing. A wave of sweet roasted grains are followed by mild notes of pepper and butterscotch.

The taste is crisp and refreshing without sacrificing complexity. One usually expects a delicate, mild hoppy character from the Saaz hops named on this beer's label, but this beer delivers both bitterness and a fragrant hoppy bouquet. The Saaz hops allow flavors of moderately toasted sweet grain and butterscotch to linger on the palate, producing an overall flavor that is sweeter and maltier than many pale ales. I can't understand how some BeerAdvocate reviewers can describe this beer's hoppy characteristics as "subdued" or "held back." In this batch they are up-front and personal. Some call for ales that are "hop-forward." I'd say that "hop-centric" best describes this one.

A quick swish around the mouth produces a nice creamy foam that beautifully complements the sweetness on the palate.

I am partial to Real Ale in general, and find myself gravitating towards Rio Blanco Pale Ale when looking for a beer that is both sophisticated and drinkable. This is a versatile beer. I can sip it slowly and appreciate its moderate complexity, enjoy it with aromatic foods, or drink a few on a hot summer evening.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 01:11:30 | More by GMB

matjack85

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I got this as part of a sampler pack of Real Ale beers on my last trip to Houston. $8.31 for a six-pack. To my dismay, when I got them to my hotel room, I discovered all the bottles were past their best before date. This one is marked 8/15/12 and this is already September of '12, so I'm not sure how much that will affect the taste and quality, but here goes my review anyway, keeping the overdue date in mind.

The beer poured a clear gold color with just a thin white rim for a head. Can't comment on retention as there wasn't much head to start with. Surprisingly, it still left some decent lacing.

Nice malty smell with some noble hop aroma and some spiciness underneath.

Malty, grainy, and spicy with a mild hop bitterness.

Smooth, almost creamy mouthfeel. Medium body with moderate carbonation.

This is a very nice pale ale that I would recommend to anyone visiting Texas. Wonder how much better it might have been had I gotten it fresh.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 09:28:28 | More by matjack85

Pacostacos

4.43/5  rDev +28.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

As stated in another review, this beer tastes better locally. I drink it in Austin, Texas which is about 40 miles from Blanco where this beer is crafted.

This is a good choice. I've served it to many people from all over the world and this beer is always given high marks. It has an agreeable, satisfying taste without being overbearing. It's never going to excite a pedantic beer geek, but it's not likely to offend anyone's pallet either.

Very drinkable. Well balanced all the way through with a clean finish. Not overly complicated, a little grassy, a little citrus, not hop forward.

I like this beer with food. It makes a nice session beer. Real Ale is also known for sourcing truly quality ingredients, so this is good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 02:32:19 | More by Pacostacos

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.18/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Rio Blanco Pale Ale has a thin, off-white head and a sort of murky, yellow-orange appearance, with many lacing rings, streaming bubbles, and some relatively large chunks floating about. The aroma is very muted, but with deep inhalations, one can detect some sweet malt. The taste is of sweet, sugary, medium-roasted malt, a bit of hop sting, and bread. Mouthfeel is medium, and Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale finishes mellow, easy drinking, and delicious.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 14:12:02 | More by RonaldTheriot

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle into a standard pint. The brew appears a hazed golden yellow with copper coloration towards the middle. A white froth fades to thin film with spotty lace sticking to the glass.

The smell is of toasty to bready grain with a hint of fruity pulp. Overall very mild and somewhat muted aromatics despite being allowed to warm up. Once the brew goes beyond ideal temperature, a hint of cheese comes out.

The flavor is buttery with a mild grain inclusion that is somewhat toasty at times. More sips reveal a mild citrus like pulp and herbal to grassy character that is very mild. The bitterness is also so mild that it is really only perceived as a means to keep the grain quality from becoming sweet. Somewhat cheesey with a mild yeasty aspect as it warms up.

This is a medium bodied brew with a light level of carbonation. It is crisp and easy dinking but had very mild character across the board. I would be hesitant to classify this as a pale ale unless this sample I had was outdated. Overall, this was a BMC substitute.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 14:09:25 | More by stakem

DavidST

Texas

3.3/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, best by 9.11.12. This pours a slightly hazy dirty yellow Orange with a decent off white head. The smells are of a sweet citrus, lots of sweetness and malts. The feel is medium to light. The taste is s little disappointing, somewhat light, low hops a little citrus and some malts.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 02:55:34 | More by DavidST

Amalak

New York

3.18/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A. Hazy opaque copper color with some foamy white head and a decent lace.

S. Has a bit of an American macro malt scent.

T. Interesting. It has no real taste when it first hits the tongue but in the back of the mouth it has a tart candy taste. Malty.

M. Tingly with an odd grape-ish aftertaste.

O. It's a bit bland, but somewhat refreshing. It's just a bit too basic. Nothing jumps out. There's an odd metallic malt taste, but that's nothing great. But it's not a bad thing, either.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 22:37:44 | More by Amalak

imasloth

Texas

4/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Little white head at first but steady replenishment allows it to persist. Hazy orange color with slight tendency toward brown.

S- Well-balanced. Sweet malt with some light floral hops and bitterness.

T- Sweet malt with floral hops followed by bitterness. Follows smell quite well.

M- Medium-bodied with evident carbonation. Sight bitter afterfeel.

O- Very good in all respects. Not groundbreaking but a brew and brewery I often pick up.

[Retried 8/2012. Similar, though I did notice a toastiness in the aroma and a biscuit-like component in the taste. Body seemed a little lighter than before. An especially good choice in the Real Ale 6-pack sampler.]

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 12:56:55 | More by imasloth

2378GCGTG

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours yellow with a great white head and good lacing

Nose: Golden crisp fruit, sweet malt and light hop notes

Taste: Crisp malty flavor with some fruits and spicey hops, a nice clean finish.

Mouthfeel: A bit too bubbly, but a nice viscosity and finish

Overall: refreshing clean ale with some spice character

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 01:54:53 | More by 2378GCGTG

rooost

Texas

4.83/5  rDev +40.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Most if not all of the products from RA Brewing are unpasteurized, therefor you guys that are too far from Texas or have mailed beer are not getting the best example.

Then add their flexibility within traditional styles and when compared to like style beers you get a different perception.

Taken fresh and with a clear mind (preferably in the Texas Hill Country on a spring day) Rio Blanco Pale Ale is as good as it gets!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 20:46:32 | More by rooost

beergoot

Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice looking golden body with very thin, white head (doesn't last long...). There is a light, bright malt scent with a faint earthy hop aroma.

Taste is fair. Lightly toasted bread with a decent enough hop bitterness. Rather dry finish. Mouthfeel is medium with a fairly lively carbonation.

A decent but unexciting beer. Good enough to pull "session beer" duty.

UPDATE: the bottle did state best before 3/15/12, so I'm a little late on that...I'll revisit this beer pending a fresher sample...

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 00:18:38 | More by beergoot

texasdrumbone

4/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not a brew expert, but I love trying different beers. This is a Texas brewed beer that is not the best, but can hang with the tops. Lightly hoppy and smooth beer with a good taste. Don't like super hoppy beers because of the aftertaste, and this one is right in between. Would rate it 5, but I like a bit of a sweeter beer...damn close though.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 05:07:35 | More by texasdrumbone

gtermi

Texas

3.05/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours a nice cloudy orange body with a thin white head that quickly fades.

S: Has a nice bread smell with a strong amount of malt. Also a slight bit of hops.

T: To me this tastes like a bisquit. It has a decent malt taste, but the hops are not there at all.

M: A lot of crispness on the back of the mouth and tongue. Doesn't go down as smooth as I would like.

O: A decent beer, but nothing to ride home about.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 06:06:54 | More by gtermi

TwinButte

South Dakota

2.88/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap! Yeah!

Quick review before we leave. It's fizzy. It's yellow. It's a pilsner named after my Czech heritage. Hops are subtle but have enough bitterness to linger on.

Overall it's just a very basic pilsner but like that it uses authentic Czech Saaz. Won't order again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2012 19:44:08 | More by TwinButte

shivtim

Georgia

2.68/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a pint. Clear straw/copper. Small off-white head.

Nose is hops, grass and corn. Simple but not bad.

Taste is heavier on malts than expected. Slight metallic hops finish it off. Odd ethanol/terpentine on the finish too.

Average mouthfeel. Overall sub-par brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 01:52:29 | More by shivtim

oline73

Maryland

2.73/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a bottle into a sam adams perfect pint.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy amber with a finger of fluffy off white head. The head fades to a spotty layer on top of the pour.

Smell: Some bready malt with a mild sweetness. There is a very faint fruity hop smell as well.

Taste: A bit like the smell. There is more of a hop presence here, but still not enough. Bready malt and a very mild sweetness too. The finish is slightly bitter.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with strong, fluffy carbonation and a finish that's a bit dry.

Overall: This is a pretty boring beer. Not bad, but quite boring.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 23:59:59 | More by oline73

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A.: Pours a nice amber orange color ewith off white cap of foam, with some lacing down walls of glass.

S: Aroma is of piney and floral notes that arenicely balanced with the malt bill.

T: Taste is very hoppy with some malts to tie it all together very well rounded.

M: Medium body smooth nice tingly bubbles dance on tongue.

O: Overall a very drinkable beer

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 03:40:18 | More by nukem5

Ungertaker

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass

A- golden with almost no head. Carbonation springs are random in the glass.

S- malts and piney hops. There is a very slight presence of orange.

T- bready malts, faint hops, a mild bitterness at the finish

M- medium bodied with a reasonable carbonation level.

O- this is an ok beer. I would offer this to friends who were not big into craft beer, since there isnt much going on.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 20:48:06 | More by Ungertaker

D11

Texas

2.58/5  rDev -25%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

from bottle into pilsner

A- hazy golden yellow with a white head that does not last long.

S- malty and some hops.

T- about the same as the smell. some hops, not too impressive imo.

M- decent mouthfeel with decent carbonation.

O- mostly was just malty with not enough hops or other spices/flavor imo. i really enjoyed this the first time i drank it, but after trying other hop ales i feel dissapointed.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 04:02:20 | More by D11

tjkinate

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Local beer night.

Poured this crystal clear, pale orange beer into a standard pint glass that produced a 1+ finger, white, frothy head that showed good retention. Smell is sweet and loaded with lemon, very grainy on the tail end. Only could detect a small amount of hops. Taste follows the smell, sweet, grainy, some bitter hops. Nothing exciting here. Mouth was light and surprisingly well carbonated. Overall I feel this beer would be a good one to share with a person new to the craft world, but other than that I would choose many others before this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 22:38:30 | More by tjkinate

setexascustoms

Texas

2.03/5  rDev -41%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12oz bottle, best before November.

A- Golden and pretty clear. One finger soda pop head that fades quick and leaves no lacing.

S- Very slight citris and grains, not much going on.

T- Again, very slight hop presence, not enough for an American pale ale. Dominated by grainy malts, with the slightest vague bitterness in the finish.

M- Light bodied with soda pop like carbonation.

O- This is my second beer from their variety pack, and I must say, I'm pretty let down. There is nothing exciting about this beer, it may be better than macro, but that's about it. Can't recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 03:27:22 | More by setexascustoms