Rio Blanco Pale Ale - Real Ale Brewing Company

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cantelope orange with a sparse shower of fine yeast and very few slowly moving bubbles. The pale beige cap tops out at less than two fingers after a high-altitude pour, but has no problems when it comes to longevity and lace. I like the look.

The aroma isn't that special, largely because it's so hard to appreciate. The only thing that reaches my nose is a mild ale yeast fruitiness. To be fair, the label does read 'accented with' Czech Saaz hops, not 'bursting with'. Maybe flavor will make more of a splash.

Believe it or not, Rio Blanco Pale Ale tastes exactly like an English pale ale, just as the Real Ale website claims. I'm not sure why that's so, since the various ingredients aren't listed. Actually, they call it a 'Texas interpretation of an English-style pale ale'. I wonder what makes it Texan? The use of Czechoslovakian hops? Odd.

Once hop flavor and bitterness expectations are ratcheted back (based on the EPA style), this is pretty good stuff. The malt tastes almost 100% pale, with a hint of lightly buttered white toast, and the hops are ripe apricot and peach fruity. Fuggles and/or Kent Goldings? There's a little grapefruit as well, and perhaps a hint of lemongrassy Saaziness. 26 IBUs seems about right.

The mouthfeel could use a little more heft and a little more lift, but it really isn't that bad. And here I thought that everything is bigger in Texas. Even though the ABV isn't below 5.0%, this is quite the sessionable pale ale.

After being let down by Full Moon Pale Rye (relative to expectations), I didn't expect much out of Rio Blanco. It's a pleasant surprise, though. Bottom line: this is a dandy American-brewed English-style pale ale that beer drinkers in the Lone Star State should enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2008 13:15:01 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A solid extra I received in a trade a while back. This one was cracked open and downed with lunch on this fine xmas day.

The pour was fairly typical, light golden amber with a good clarity to it. Nice bit of fizzy white foam on the top of the glass that faded out as quickly as it started and left behind some light lacing on the sides of the glass. Aroma was very light, almost not even there at first, but then light hops poked their nose out s well as touches of light grain and a decent grassy note. Crisp, clean and fairly easy drinking pale here. Nothing really sticking out at me. Crisp and clean, with a light hop back to it. Light notes of pears maybe popping up but mostly just strightforward grain all the way with a light dry finish and a smooth and even carbonation.

Overall it is passable. Very drinkable but uninspiring.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2009 20:27:21 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Robert for this one. I guess I never put my review of this one up on BA.

A: THe pour is a crystal clear golden color with a mild and short lived white head. Plenty of carbonation bubbles emanate from the bottom of the glass.

S: A sort of subdued hop aroma with a definite sweetness from the malt. The hops provide a citrus and floral notes, but are not very pungent.

T: A fairly sweet pale ale up front with the caramel and bready malts shining through. Perhaps a bit of sweet oranges in there as well. The back end, however, has a nice bitterness to it and maybe a hint of fruit here as well.

M: The body is light to medium with a crisp and plentiful carbonation to it.

D: A very refreshing and easy drinking beer. I haven't been overly impressed with the Real Ale beers I've had to this point, but this one was quite nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 01:32:38 | More by womencantsail

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy, amber body with a smallish, whitish head.

Smell: Nose of pale malts, grassy Saaz hops, and fine fruity notes.

Taste: Customary pale maltiness with a pinch of sugar sweetness. Pleasant fruitiness displaying flavors of apricot and even a bit of melon. Saaz hops bring a spicy taste of lemongrass as well as a mild, slight bitterness. Short, bittersweet, but crisp finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: A tasty, well-balanced, highly drinkable pale ale utilizing Saaz hops instead of the standard American hop profile. I can dig it. This one stands to lose much of its subtle charm due to lack of freshness, so, provided you can find a fresh sample, I rather recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 20:13:22 | More by ChainGangGuy

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

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

Rio Blanco is probably an average to above average Pale Ale. Comparisons to Sierra Nevada come to mind in the very first sip. A trademark graham cracker maltiness shows light caramels, sun kisssed grains, and subtle breadiness in taste while delivering a crisp, dry finish. Hops are a bit under stated but favor classic American Cascades. Bitterness definately balances the beer and keeps it from becoming malt-favored. A bit minerally at times, causing the beer to have rough spells. The yeast are not happy; I get a phenolic / plastic character in aroma and moreso in taste that provides the only real distraction. It goes to say that I am drinking this beer two days before its "Best by" date. The phenolic notes may be less aggressive and the beer may be more hoppy if consumed fresher.

Thanks Exiled!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2009 03:24:59 | More by BEERchitect

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Even a gentle pour brings up a full head of big-bubbled off-white foam over its hazy amber robe. The head holds well, however, and leaves some streaky lace throughout the glass. And that's the nature of bottle conditioned beers... some are very fine, and others are on the cusp of over-carbonation depending on how they've been handled. The nose is restrained for the style, offering only a mild fruitiness, a limited maltiness, and a touch of floral hops. It's crisp in the mouth and medium bodied. There's more caramelish malt in the flavor than the aroma suggests, and it pairs nicely with the unusual choice of Saaz hops that gives it a touch of grass, straw, flowers, and some very mild spice. Some yeast character is apparent as well. It's well-balanced with a solid bitterness, and it finishes short and dry. An easy-drinking pale ale with an unusual twist.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2003 20:27:12 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: a bright, hazy, peachy hue, with a smallish head, light and brief.
Aroma: nice, zesty hops right up in the nose, soft and wonderfully rounded, a bit tamed, but bountiful in fruit (peach, melon, pineapple, apricot, citrus), a sweet, beautiful blend, to be sure.
Hop assault in this ale is small, but the flavor is large and long.
A very delicious, and judiciously hoppy ale. The Saaz hops employed inject just the right amount of taste, without ever becoming too bitter. (Not that I object to that in an ale.) But it works wonders here: tangy, citric, yet sweet, happy, a perfect fruitiness, and a brew I could enjoy again and again!
thanks to kbub6f

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2003 02:17:46 | More by feloniousmonk

Mora2000

Texas

3.68/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a clear golden-orange color with a white head. The aroma is grassy hops and bready malt. The flavor is earthy and grassy hops with some nice toffee and bready malt notes. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Not one of Real Ale's better beers, but not a bad beer by any means.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2010 21:12:28 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

3.15/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a clear, orange color with golden highlights. It had a one-finger, white head of foam that left minimal lacing.

S - It smelled of citrusy hops - mostly orange peel aromas. There was a sweet maltiness to the nose, too.

T - This is a really sweet malty APA. Too sweet really. Almost tasted like a malty amber ale. Very little hop presence.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light to medium bodied ale.

D - This is an okay ale. A little too sweet for an APA and not enough bitter hop bite.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 15:18:05 | More by zeff80

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.28/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours deep honey with bronze color with effervescence& a 3 fingers+ offwhite head. Very good head head lacing & good head retention

Smell: Sweet malt & floral hops. Fruittyness grows as it warms

Taste: Sweetness followed by piney & floaral hops. Slightly bitter & floral finish

MF: Great balance, medium body & very good carbonation

Very drinkable nice APA & a super session ale. This brewery really impressed me when I was down in San Antonio

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2006 03:56:21 | More by russpowell

jwc215

New Jersey

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

Thanks to armock for this!

Best by 03.09.09:

Pours golden amber with a fluffy off-white head. Web-like lacing sticks.

The smell is grassy, lemony/citric with a grainy malty aroma.

The taste is grainy - towards caramelish - maltiness balanced by zesty lemony citrus and grassy/herbal bitterness. The Czech Saaz hops, while mild, add a nice twist to a well-balanced, mild but tasty brew.

It has a light-to medium body that is crisp and refreshing. Light, but not watery - holds together well with medium carbonation. Smooth.

An easy, yet tasty, "sessionable" ale. I like the Saaz twist, though mild it is enough to give it a "something different" character that works well here.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2009 03:34:40 | More by jwc215

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clouded amber with gold tones. Very little head. Nose is dough/bready. Flavor is a bit tangy and carries an even mildly bitter tone. Not overly complex. Liquid is smooth on the feel and the carbonation is lower, but still nice. Easy to drink and another of the Real Ales I think would be nice on cask. I guess they don't call it real ale for nothing', eh?

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2008 06:26:02 | More by RblWthACoz

Wasatch

Utah

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

Thanks Csims for the brew.

Pours a cloudy deep orange color, nice carbonation, nice two finger foamy white head, which then leaves some islands and sticky lacing. The nose is hoppy, malty, citrusy, and slight caramel. The taste is very nice, hoppy, malty, and slight citrusy. Medium body, nice balance between hops/malts. Drinkable, a very nice APA.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2007 01:03:50 | More by Wasatch

mdfb79

New York

3.05/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. Received as an extra in s trade with SSW117; thanks Sam!

a - Pours a somewhat transparent amber color with one finger of fluffy white head with little retention and light carbonation evident. Light lacing left on the glass.

s - Smells of wheat, grain, light citrus hops, and biscuit malts. Smells a little bit stale.

t - Tastes of bready malts, biscuit malts, grain, hops, and sweet fruit. Again, a tiny bit stale, but better than the smell.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Smooth and crisp.

d - Pretty easy to drink, but not sure I would want to. Wasn't a big fan of the smell or taste; lots of stale bready malts in my opinion. Probably would not seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2010 00:15:51 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to atxdelivery for this one.

Pours a big almost 2 finger fizzy head that fades semi quickly at first them med to slower pace, over a clear amber pale orange colored beer and a light lacing.

Nose has light grassy hops, light sweet malts, light toasty malts, and very light citrus.

taste starts with a gritty toasty malt flavor, and some light spicy and grassy mild fruit hops, a light sweet malt flavor, a bit of bitterness, little fruit and semi sweet almost syrupy flavor, a bit of lager fruity flavor even, a bit of a spicy almost rye like flavor but probably from the hops. Dry finish and gets a little more bitter, decent for an APA but not big, a bit of fruity hops and some malty tastes lingering. It starts to get a slight soapy hop taste later as it warms and I drink more of it.

Mouth is med to slightly light bodied, decent carbonation.

Overall decent, light malts, fair bitterness, decent but a bit on the lighter side for the hops, very drinkable though.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 01:30:22 | More by jlindros

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle from assurbanipaul as part of Too Much Beer (2MB) BIF. Thanks for the opportunity.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 2" beige head over the cloudy light amber brew. Big old head lasts and lasts, leaving hunks of lacing here and there. Aroma is pale grains, but dominated by citrus. Taste is light maltiness upfront, lemony fresh in the middle, and a crisp hoppy close. Mouthfeel and drinkability are okay, I would prefer a bit more malt presence to balance the citrus somewhat.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2006 18:26:58 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to witbier for picking this up for me...
Appears a hazy caramel toned orange with a small off-white head that quickly fades into a small cap. Streaks of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of sweet caramel malts, citrusy hops with hints of apricot and flowers.
Taste is of of the same aromas. Sort of a mix match of caramel sweetness and some honey. Not bad for an American Pale Ale.
Mouthfeel seems a bit homebrewish to me for some reason. Maybe it's b/c I've been out of the whole Pale Ale scene for a while but it just doesn't have that clean feel that you get from bottled brews outside of the homebrew realm. Slightly grainy and bubbly along the tongue with a gentle hoppy bitterness in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2006 20:56:52 | More by weeare138

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

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

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a slightly hazy golden copper with a finger of foamy eggshell colored head. Thin and soft layer of retention stays sturdy, leaving a great looking cascade of lace back. Good look here. The aroma is floral, citric, and a touch spicy smelling, mixing in well with the scent of bready pale malts to give the nose some tang.

The taste is a somewhat even blend of bread and citrus, with a more moderate (yet still crisp) hop bite. Despite the bitterness that is present, this is coming off as a touch unbalanced towards the malt side. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a creamier carbonation yet still has a firm and crisp feel in the mouth. Nice.

Not bad. Like I said, a little too much sweetness at times, which held the taste and drinkibility back a bit for me. Otherwise this was a fairly decent Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2009 16:21:46 | More by Kegatron

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours an amber gold color with fairly good head retention and some light lacing. The nose is sweet and malty with honey, corn syrup and cherry. So it's pretty clear just from the aroma profile that this is going to be a fairly sweet beer. To no great surprise then, the flavor profile replicates the nose pretty closely in this fairly sweet ale. While the flavors are appealing, the sweetness is just a bit much. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, and the beer delivers plenty of flavor. However, the sweetness wears on me a bit, and in my opinion hurts this beer's drinkability.

While a decent beer, it really could use a bit more hoppy bitterness to counter and balance the sweet malt. It's fine for what it is, but I really can't see myself having more than one at a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2010 15:28:03 | More by johnmichaelsen

glid02

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle consumed at Pedicab in San Antonio, TX.

Pours a clear light copper color with a half-finger white head. The head recedes into a patchy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of muted pale malts with hints of darker caramel malts and floral and leafy hop aromas.

Tastes very similar to how it smells. Light pale malt flavors kick things off with just a hint of dryness. Midway through the sip leafy and slightly citrus hop flavors make their way into the profile and carry through to a mildly bitter ending. As the beer warms hints of light fruit flavors come out.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation.

Drinakbility is also good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall I think this beer could benefit more from a crisper profile than anything else. A little more hops wouldn't hurt either. Worth a shot if you see it around.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2010 20:59:11 | More by glid02

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

Georgiabeer

Georgia

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

Thanks to turbine2475 for the chancee to try this brew. Pours amber with virtually no head. Smells more like a lager than an ale, with lots of lagerish yeast and some pale malt in the background. The taste is a bit better. Still quite yeasty with some light malt, a light coppery taste, and somewwhat sharp herbal tasting hops that aren't all that well integrated with the rest of the beer, but at least give it some flavor. Fairly crisp in the mouth, but light-bodied. Quenching for hot Texas day, but lacks anything to sustain my interest.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2008 19:30:36 | More by Georgiabeer

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer is a dark golden amber color with a medium thin light beige head. Thin lacing. Lightly hoppy aroma. Medium-bodied and smooth with a decent hops and malt flavor. The finish is a little citrusy. Compared to their Rye and Sisyphus this beer isn't really remarkable, but it is a decent Pale either way.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2003 14:34:59 | More by Dogbrick

JohnGalt1

Idaho

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

Surprising 12oz received in trade from Wasatch.. very nice.. Thanks a bunch John... Poured into my shaped SA glass.. Relaxing and listening to Digweed's Transitions 3.

2 finger head was very nice.. meringue.. foamy and pretty nice lace .. the brew is slightly hazed deep golden honey.

The nose is dominated by bready pale malts.. no caramel.. just doughy malts.. spicy hops are there and add a great compliment but more are needed... quite a bit of yeasty fruits.. apricot.. but not fresh apricot.. sorta smells stewed..

The flavor is better.. there is a honey essence that moves from front to back.. the same bready maltiness is there but lesser.. spicy and grassy hops flavors are present. but again.. more are needed to ramp this one up.. the yeasty esters are too much.. apricot and yellow peach with a weird honeydew melon quality... the finish is short lived with minor spicy hoppiness and again. the yeasts.

body is fairly nice.. I am liking a sorta thicker mouthfeel and the carbonation is on the light side for the style.. really.. this is a pretty good brew. but it needs some work.. drinkability is fairly high..

Thanks John.. this is one I've wanted but probably never would have traded for..

Edit: my review was pretty shitty.. the brew is much better, it just should not be in the APA category.. I'm not sure what else.. just definitely not an APA.. and the exclamation of Saaz on the label should be screaming move me somewhere else.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2009 10:50:11 | More by JohnGalt1