Tröegs Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale - Tröegs Brewing Company

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a dark reddish brown w/ 1/2 ginger white foam. Some residual at the top.

Milk chocolate smell.

Nutty taste, light sweetness, some caramel. Good close, balanced hop. Good carbonation.

Nicely blended - simple, well made, very drinkable. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2010 14:59:11 | More by KTCamm

TommyW

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Dark brown with an off-white head that sticks well.

S- Toasted bread, caramel malts and a touch of molasses.

T- Toasted and caramel malt flavors with some dark sugary molasses. A very faint floral hop profile. A little lingering burnt bitterness.

M- Medium/full, slick feel with an easy carbonation.

D- A nice brown ale that isn't overly sweet; very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2010 12:52:56 | More by TommyW

bgildea

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Nice dark brown color. Very little head that is white/tannish. The head faded quickly and left little lacing.

S: Nice smell of roasted malts with a sweet hint of chocolate.

T: Very nice flavor. Great balance of roasted malts with a slight background of hops. There is also a slight hint of chocolate that comes across at the beginning.

M: Pretty thin beer, little chew. I was hoping and expecting a little more though.

D: It's definitely a very drinkable beer. I'd describe it as a lighter brown ale, and I would have preferred a little more of a punch than 4.4 ABV.

Overall - Overall the beer was good. The flavor was well balanced of roasted malts and hops and also tasty. It's a drinkable beer that will probably appeal to most beer drinkers. I'd call it a light brown ale, so ale drinkers will enjoy, and it isnt too heavy for any light beer drinkers. I prefer porters and stouts, but I also enjoyed this one for a lighter brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2010 23:20:07 | More by bgildea

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear brown with a cap of off-white head. Smell is of roasted nuts, slight carmley sweetness and earthy hops. Taste begins as somewhat carmley sweet, prgressing quickly into the roasted nut territory. Finished with some earthy hopyness. Medium bodied, good level of carbonation. A good brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 14:51:02 | More by rfgetz

rdub

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the fresh bottle into a clean pint glass. Brown color with a half inch of tan head, moderate lacing. Smell was "English" and reminded me of other nut browns. Roasty toasty and delicious. I liked this one. Easy to drink and made me want some fish-n-chips.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 00:19:44 | More by rdub

kbeals

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

brees6221 sent me a few of these awhile ago, decided to open up my last one last night.

A- Pours a dark, nearly black color with a finger of off-white, nearly tan head. Head subsides rather quickly, with very little lacing.

S- Hints of chocolate and black licorice seem to dominate. A bit of caramel malt, slightly roasted.

T- Similar to the smell, the black licorice seems to stand out a little bit more than the chocolate. Slightly bitter, about right for the style. Nice and sweet to finish.

M- Medium body, good amounts of carbonation.

D- Very drinkable, I really enjoy black licorice so any beer that I find with this flavor is a pleasant surprise.

I really enjoyed this one, thanks again!

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2010 01:01:21 | More by kbeals

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I picked this up at Crazy Tomato in York after learning of the imminent retiring of the brown ale from Tröegs. I remember tasting this years ago when it was simply called 'nut brown' ale and later when updated to Rugged Trail. I poured this into a tulip pint chilled from the brown 12oz'er.

A - A deep brown shade with crimso hue when held to the light with a rocky 2 finger beige cap. The ale has good clarity and the lace clings well in copious amounts like a camouflage pattern

S - A roasted nose, dark grain w/ coffee-like elements and mild fruit ester w/ a hint of caramel and light woody scent

M - A mild body w/ light toasted and moderate sweet texture w/ mild carbonation and light roasted barley dry edge w/ a semi-sweet finish

T - A slightly toasted and coffee tinged roastiness from the barley w/ mild nutty tinge and slight creamy yeast taste. The ale has a moderate smooth chocolate malt flavor and mild sweet light brown sugar aspect w/ a semi dry grain note in the finish

D - I like this beer, not very jazzy but traditionally made English style - simple and quaffable - very nice for pairing with poultry or maybe a simple meal of meatloaf and brown rice -I enjoyed it and feel it fits the style well -see you on the flipside rugged trail!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 18:45:06 | More by Slatetank

generallee

New York

4.25/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass. The label lists the abv at 4.4% and there is no freshness date on it.

Appearance: The body has a dark caramel brown color with reddish highlights and a tall tan head on top. The head is very long lasting and thick. It is supported by nice visible carbonation that streams up the sides of the glass. As I drink it leaves behind lots of cool lace patters.

Smell: There is a nice malty aroma with toasted bready notes and sweet roasted caramel notes. Just behind that is light earthy/leafy hop presence.

Taste/Palate: It is sweet overall with nice roasted and toasted character. Sweet caramel and nutty notes mix with dark chocolate and roasted coffee notes. This is then backed up in the finish with some earthy and leafy hop spice and bitterness for some balance. The body has a good medium feel with just enough carbonation to give it some life.

Notes: Overall this was a very enjoyable Brown Ale with nice layers of roasted maltiness with hop backing.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2010 18:06:17 | More by generallee

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Rugged Trail is a beer that I've had many times, but I never got around to reviewing it. Now it is at the end of its line, as Troegs plans to stop brewing it, so I figured I would make a point to write a review of it.

Rugged Trail has a mahogany colored body with ruby highlights and a lot of carbonation bubbles. A thick tan head rises about two fingers in height, and it has good retention. Some pretty nice lacing is left behind.

The aroma has caramel, hints of bitter chocolate and an earthiness.

Caramel and toffee are up front, but they are tempered with bitter chocolate and even a touch of coffee. Surprisingly, the chocolate seems to be the dominant flavor. A little bit of roasted malts are in there also. There is a touch of earthy, nutty flavor in the middle. There is just a hint of hops that come out in the finish. Rugged trail is definitely a malty beer and it is pretty good. It tastes like a mix of a brown ale and a porter, which I guess makes sense considering the brewers always say they don't care about style, just their personal taste.

The body is medium to light in heft, and the carbonation is on the lower side.

Rugged Trail goes down really easily, and the fairly low ABV makes sure you don't pay for it. Rugged Trail was never my favorite in the Troegs line-up, and when I bought sampler cases they always seemed to be the last to go. I like it, but I don't think I will miss it too much.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 00:46:28 | More by Hojaminbag

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Very dark brown, almost black, little tan head, with some retention that clings to the inside of the glass, with decent lacing.

S - Very pronounced chocolate aromas, backed by roasted malts, some earthy, pine hops and a touch of coffee as it warms

T - Follows the nose, with the hop character very subtle, and the coffee barely making a presence as it warms.

M - Medium to full body, perfect lower carbonation makes a nice and creamy mouthfeel. Feels thick and even a bit oily, slick across the tongue.

D - I've thoroughly enjoyed this brown ale on a number of occasions, and am a bit disappointed that it was retired.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2010 00:19:26 | More by garuda

berpwillie

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a dark brown color with not much off-white/ tanish colored head which went away quickly. vague malty and nutty smell but was much more present in the taste. very light for a darker style beer in my opinion. this one could use a significant boost to the ABV. pretty good beer but probably my least favorite of the troegs beers i've tried.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 14:16:38 | More by berpwillie

krisandajt

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A local favorite of mine that I've enjoyed many times, just never reviewed. Since it is being retired, now is as good a time to review as I'm going to get.

Appearance: The beer pours a deep, rich, dark brown color. There's a nice half inch worth of small-bubbled, light tan head sitting atop this fine brew. The head fades rather quickly, but there is plenty of sticky lacing adhering to the side of my DFH glass.

Smell: The smell is sweet, and has a hint of milk chocolate to it. There's also a subtle bit of nuttiness to it that really adds to the overall nose. Very nice.

Taste: Sweet, refreshing, simple. There's some nice roasted malt characteristics mingling with the same milk chocolate that I picked up in the nose. The sweetness has an almost candy like quality to it, reminds me a bit of caramel.

Mouthfeel: A light to medium body, with just the right amount of carbonation for the style. Very refreshing.

Drinkability: A very drinkable beer. Some nice, albeit simple flavors, and a relatively low ABV makes this beer very sessionable. A tasty beer from Troegs, it's a shame it's being retired. If you can still find it, I recommend picking some up.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2010 01:09:40 | More by krisandajt

Lunch

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 12oz.l bottle purchased at Wells in Baltimore, Maryland (03/30/10) into my Troegs Troegenator mug at the appropriate temperature. I figured that I should review this beer before it is not longer available.

A: Pours a nice mahogany brown with a creamy tan head standing about a finger. Decent retention and bits of lacing.

S: Nice aroma of roasted malt, nuts, chocolate, caramel, toffee and some hints of raisin.

T: Easy drinking and flavorful profile including layers of roasted malt, caramel, toffee, chocolate, raisin, and a nice nuttiness. Well balanced.

M: Medium-bodied with vibrant and active carbonation.

D: Extremely easy to drink and only 4.4% abv. This is a very sessionable ale.

Overall this was a solid offering from Troegs and I am a little sad to see it go. Give this a try before it is all gone. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2010 20:17:18 | More by Lunch

cdbooth219

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into mug

A: Pours a deep mahogany brown with one finger of tan head that dissipates rather quickly leaving some nice lacing on the glass

S: Smell is mainly of sweet caramel malts, with some hints of nut and biscuit as well

T: The nuttiness comes out first, followed by a nice malt backbone, and undertones of raisin and chocolate as well. Also some notes of brown sugar. Not a lot of bitterness, but theres a bit of it there at the end, giving kind of a bitter chocolate finish.

M: Rather medium in body and smooth. Leaves a bit of a lingering bitter chocolate aftertaste, and has a moderate amount of carbonation

D: Very easily drinkable and quite tasty. Low abv means that it is quite sessionable. I could definitely drink quite a few of these in one sitting.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable sessionable beer. If i can find a few more bottles i will definitely grab them.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 22:00:44 | More by cdbooth219

dasenebler

Maine

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a rich mahogany with reddish highlights. A generous off-white, frothy head forms and dissipates quickly.

Aroma is very mild, but nice, with notes of toasted malt and nutty sweetness.

Flavor is like the aroma, but a bit more complex. Lots of mellow nut flavor, coupled with a kiss of earthy, English hops. Lingering flavor is of toasted bread and grain. Mouthfeel is quite good for such a light, mild beer; smooth with creamy carbonation. Troegs always makes beer with great feels. The low alcohol makes for an easy drinking beer with a great dose of flavor.

Another keeper from Troegs, though I am disappointed to see that this great brown ale will be discontinued.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 03:45:19 | More by dasenebler

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-pours a reddish brown liquid, the edges allow nice red hues shine through. The head is tan in coloor, somewhat bubbly with little retention but leavings a thin lace covering the sides in a spider web fassion

S-the nose is light but very nice. Hints of roasted malts, lots of caramel with a touch of carmelized sugar, notes of dark chocolate and molasses.

T-the taste is not quite as nice as the nose, it is light though much like the nose. Slightly watery in the back, roasted malts, notes of chocolate and a hint of roasted coffee. Caramel and brown sugar all come in towards the back and are the most present of the flavors. Light tea like hops in the back and a faint bit of bitterness.

M-medium body but a little watery in the back similar to the taste. Syrupy and coats the mouth. Very smooth feel and a nice bit of carbonation.

D-this is a decent beer. It doesn't have huge flavor but what it does have works very well and offers a nice array of tastes.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 22:06:47 | More by cpetrone84

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass

A- pours a very dark brown with a paper thin white head that immediately disappears. Very strong lacing is left on the glass, at least.

S- not getting much of anything. Hardly any smokiness or nuttiness coming through at all.

T- a nutty, smoky sensation...I'm getting a little cinnamon or nutmeg maybe? The flavor isn't overwhelming...its very nice

M- very light. Almost tastes like a cola.

D- its a drinkable session beer. Probably the worst offering I've had from Troegs, which is saying something with how I'm grading this. I can see why they discontinued it, but its not a bad beer by any means...just a little light for Troegs standards

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 22:16:26 | More by bigfnjoe

yesyouam

New York

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tröegs Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale is a solid, dark brown ale with a thin, off white head that leaves solid sheets of lacing on the glass. It has a slightly sweet, wooden aroma that's nutty, with a note of toffee. It has a medium-light body that's very smooth with a slightly syrupy finish. It has a nutty, wooden flavor that's lightly sweet and lightly bitter with notes of toffee and malt extract. It's a very enjoyable brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 19:15:33 | More by yesyouam

billshmeinke

California

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Received as an extra in a trade with StormKing47.

Very dark brown bordering on black with some hints of ruby towards the edges of the glass. Finger and a half tan head that quickly died down to a thin layer of foam on top. Quite nice lacing too.

Smell is predominately dark fruits and caramel. Light at first, but becomes more fragrant as it warms.

The taste mostly follows smell. Some caramel and dark fruits, though the dark fruits were more prominent in the smell. There is a nutty flavor too. As well as a leafy bitter hop flavor.

Light bodied. Carbonation is on the low side of medium. Fitting of the style.

Very drinkable. Very flavorful for such a session-able beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 02:24:47 | More by billshmeinke

ZeroSignal

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -14%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark brown with hints of red with a two finger beige head that settles and remains light on top.

S - Nose is malty with light hints of cocoa and chocolate

T&M - I feel as though this should feel more full bodied, but it's actually rather light...seems very sessionable. In the flavor there is a malt predominance but a slight bitterness as well. I've never really commented much on carbonation, but here it seems very pleasing on the tongue.

D - Seems very easy to drink, but I think overall I found this slightly lacking in depth of flavor. Not bad though if I want to throw a few back.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2010 02:09:47 | More by ZeroSignal

deapokid

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -14%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Since this Troegs sampler pack staple is getting put out to pasture, I figured I'd give it a farewell review.

Pouring a dark brown/caramel color with minimal head and touch of lacing, this English brown boasts an average amount of lacing and not much in the way of retention. Passable, but not inspiring.

Smells include roasted notes, rich caramel and a hint of doughiness. Aroma is subtle, but the faint scent of coffee bean is quite nice if you can nose it out.

The flavor profile benefits most from the boatload of caramel, but hints of milk chocolate and a mild fruit sweetness are also notable. Unfortunately, the flavors are undermined a bit by the thin and watery character of the liquid, which definitely lessens the power of the sweet and dry aspects.

This isn't necessarily the hardest thing to drink, but it is a pretty standard issue brown ale and I presume that's why Troegs decided to retire it.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2010 02:44:05 | More by deapokid

JerseyPaul

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Clear, dark brown color with some reddish highlights; light tan head that dissipates rather quickly but leaves good lacing

Smell: Sweet, roasted nuts with hints of chocolate

Taste: Sweet malt with roasted nuts to start; some hints of chocolate and coffee also

Mouthfeel: Medium body; good carbonation; goes down smooth with a little chewiness at the end

Drinkability: Easy to consume; can drink a lot of these in one sitting; would definitely have another

Overall, Rugged Trail is a very good brown ale. The aroma and taste are above average, although the mouthfeel is a little lacking. The low ABV (4.4) makes this an outstanding selection for a session beer, especially in the colder months of fall & winter. I'm very disappointed that this has been retired by Troegs.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2010 01:50:41 | More by JerseyPaul

soco7tyx7

New York

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Deep brown in color with a 1 finger light tan head

S - Sweet roasted malts, some dark fruit, earthy tones

T - Sweet roasted malts, notes of toffee, hint of bitter chocolate leaving lingering bitterness

M - Wet, body on the lighter side, smooth. Kind of thin but finishes a touch velvety

D - Very drinkable. Refreshing and enjoyable to drink. Decent and could kick back a few for sure

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2010 01:01:52 | More by soco7tyx7

bob3701

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a shaker pint. Poured a clear deep mahogany color with a small tan head that quickly goes into a ring with pretty good lacing. Light malty aroma but not much else. Very mild in taste malty with a slight sour note and a clean finish. Overall a pleasant experiance. The mild taste and low AVB make this an excellent session beer too bad it took me this long to try it now that it will not be brewed anymore.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2010 18:54:58 | More by bob3701

cooncat

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up at Save-On Tobacco & Beverage, Mentor, OH. as a single for $1.49. Poured into my SA glass at fridge temp. The pour produces a deep mahogany colored brew that isn't opaque. Holding it to the light produces some red highlights. Head is beige and on the small side, which reduces to a very thin cap in short order. Not much lacing left on the glass, though you get some with a swirl.

The nose is malty and spicy ... almost a peppermint spiciness in there. Faint chocolate and no noticeable hop presence in the nose.

Taste is similar to the nose. Different from porters in that there is little roastiness, but a faint hint of chocolate is in the background. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, I thought .. but that's me. At 4.4% abv, you gotta love this as a good session brew. Drinkability +.

I understand that Troeg's is discontinuing this beer from their lineup, which contains so many great brews. Much of their lineup is made of of robust *big* brews. Lets hope they always find a place for a nice mild session brew. Get some while you still can.

Na Zdravje!

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2010 23:19:09 | More by cooncat