Rendezvous - Lakefront Brewery, Inc.

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #55 (August 2011):

Nearly opaque amber color from the haze; lacing is not a problem, as the glasses have found a new sticky friend. Aromatic with baked apples, faintness of raisins, soft herbal tone and a ghostlike broth. Maltiness is dialed up quite high on the sweetness. Hint of metallic crystallized sugar, mild phenol funk from the yeast and some hop flavor. Hops do little to help balance this brew out. Estery, with ripe fruit and warmth. A lot thicker and sweeter than anticipated but not too far off what’s expected. A decent stab at the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 13:25:07 | More by BeerAdvocate

Peyton5410

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

05-06-2013 23:45:00 | More by Peyton5410

SourAddict

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +3%

05-03-2013 09:57:10 | More by SourAddict

Strix

Wisconsin

3.7/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Hazy orange, little head that vanishes quickly.

Not a lot of aroma, vague yeast, peach, hops.

Peach, white grape, wet earth, watery hops, floral finish.

Minimal carbonation, smooth mouthfeel.

I'm not that familiar with the style, but from what I understand, this was a good representation. Kept me interested, grew on me as it warmed.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:33:48 | More by Strix

JimmyCop

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -17.6%

03-14-2013 00:32:19 | More by JimmyCop

Zachtheporter

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +9.9%

03-12-2013 18:43:52 | More by Zachtheporter

pkalix

California

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

hazy dark orange, minimal foam on top.
smell is sweet malt, almost kind of orangy-chocolate-y(?). other than that, not much aroma...
taste is malt-y and semi-sweet, with a slight bitternes at the end. the bitterness isnt strong, but it is noticeable due to the sweetness of it. kind of tangy....
overall.... eh, it's alright. tastes kind of 'forced'; kind of 'thin'. i gave it all 4's because it's not a bad drink but it's not my preference. i feel the higher alcohol is forced and is what gives it the twang. and it's definitely not as 'crafty' as some of the other breweries i've had. it seems to be special, or different, only in that it's a different style, but nothing here is adventurous.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 23:48:48 | More by pkalix

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.69/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I've been aging this bottle for more than a year. It seems like I should finally open it tonight.

I poured this beer into my snifter glass. There was some minimal foam over a deep brown body.

Off the top I pick up some decent wine-like smell. There is also a pretty heavy dose of malt at this point. The hops are gone, as expected from the aging.

The flavor on the Rendevous is a pretty good example of a Biere de Garde. The malt is too strong at this point.

Overall a pretty decent beer. I like mxing it up with some of the more unusual styles, like Biere de Garde. This one worked pretty well with my wife's goulash.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 23:41:11 | More by ummswimmin

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a dark golden copper color with bright amber edges and a one finger off-white head that slowly settles into a lasting ring. Streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Earthy, slightly funky aroma with a spicy and grassy hop presence countered by sweet malts and light fruit notes. Slightly resinous with piney hops followed by funky yeast, spicy rye, caramel and biscuit.

Medium bodied with a bitter earthy hop bite that lingers over the sweet malt backbone and funky farmhouse yeast into a very dry finish. Very dry and resinous with sticky pine needle, grass and spicy spruce tip flavor dominating the palate. Underneath, there is a decent malt backbone with hints of bread, toffee, caramel and biscuit but these notes are overwhelmed by the aggressive hop presence. The farmhouse character from the aroma is very faint and barely noticeable with everything else going on. There is some light fruit sweetness toward the finish but it still feels like its lacking in balance because of the earthy bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 07:10:02 | More by corby112

smithj4

New York

3.75/5  rDev +3%

12-22-2012 21:46:25 | More by smithj4

C-Dog

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%

11-27-2012 06:11:38 | More by C-Dog

nkatarow

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +23.6%

11-11-2012 02:59:22 | More by nkatarow

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%

10-20-2012 03:02:17 | More by t0rin0

NilocRellim

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%

09-17-2012 21:30:33 | More by NilocRellim

YCantWeNotBeSober

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

09-16-2012 00:40:20 | More by YCantWeNotBeSober

womencantsail

California

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A cloudy orange pour with a tall white head. Opens with a light fruitiness on the nose. Quite a bit of bread with a touch of caramel, butterscotch, and cardboard. Moderate yeast aroma, maybe a little fruit. The flavor is fairly sweet and malty as well. Lots of bread, caramel, and toffee with some of the same cardboard notes that were present on the nose. Not really a fan of this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 21:56:47 | More by womencantsail

DIPADude01

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%

07-28-2012 18:44:27 | More by DIPADude01

thebigredone

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

07-08-2012 21:28:06 | More by thebigredone

LoraxLager

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +3%

06-15-2012 15:31:52 | More by LoraxLager

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

06-15-2012 04:20:57 | More by TMoney2591

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into an Duvel tulip.
7.2% ABV, 22 IUB, 17°P, 13°L, Bottled during notch missing from the label, but it's got a green cap, so it's late spring, 20120.

A - Pouring a clear deep pumpkin amber color Renedezvous has a moderately retained egg shell-colored head. Despite it's beautiful color, it's disappointing little lace is left on the glass.

S - Smooth mellow caramel malts blend with some interesting fruit esters and a light alcohol finish, stemming from a swirl. Mild banana and apricot mix with a white grape comprise the blended jam aroma that's spread on honey-drizzled dark wheat bread. The malt accentuated aroma, free of hops, is rather spot-on for the style.

T - Heavy malt sweetness begins slightly overbearing as the flavor shifts from lots of clover honey and sticky, melted caramel cube to a lighter, more palatable yeast component that features those same fruit notes of banana and white grape. Hops are absent as is the classic musty, woodsy trait that a lot of traditional farmhouse beers exhibit.

M - Sticky sweet, Rendezvous forgoes hop balance for a somewhat cloying malty beer that finishes very smooth and palate coating. Finishing clean, this beer is medium-full-bodied and very mildly dry.

O - I'd imagine it would be pretty hard to nail down the "terroir" characteristics of musty and woodsy when you're not brewing in an actual farmhouse. For a commercial, American version, Lakefront does a good job of capturing the complex malt sweetness underlined by simple and subtle yeast components. Unless you've got a major sweet tooth, make this a table beer and share it with a few people, enjoying it with food.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 00:07:03 | More by BeerFMAndy

TonyTalon

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

06-06-2012 04:06:54 | More by TonyTalon

LittleDon

Texas

3/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Deep amber, it pours with a nice head that quickly fades. No lace. A very slight haze is present. Lots of fruit, aroma and flavor. Sweet with little discernible hops (middle to finish). Mild soapiness, smell and taste. Medium body. Slight smoky finish.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 22:48:56 | More by LittleDon

TimRasmussen

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +37.4%

05-29-2012 20:05:33 | More by TimRasmussen

crobinso

Colorado

2.5/5  rDev -31.3%

05-19-2012 23:42:53 | More by crobinso