Railbender Ale - Erie Brewing Co.

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer review from BA Mag Dec 2007.

A bit surprising to see a year-round Old Ale--surprising in a good way as most brewers use this style for one-offs or winter seasonals.

Decent foaming action from a medium pour, the head does dissipate to a thin lacing but still sticks to the glass. Clarity is a touch hazy but it's more of a temporary chill haze as it does become completely clear when the beer warms up. Big caramel toffee note in the front of the house, smells a little bit like taffy but the faint alcohol and bready grain brings the aroma down to beerdom. Very smooth with a creamy mouthfeel, malt flavor comes across as very pleasing right from the start.

Fresh-baked bread with caramel tones, a little nutty and a faint husky note in the back. Hops drop a little bit of bitterness and a kiss of herbal flavor. Fruitiness is kept to a minimum with a trace, dried plum flavor. Finishes semisweet with a long lingering malt flavor on the palate.

This beer is just more proof that great beer comes from PA. Beware of its drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 14:11:19 | More by BeerAdvocate

Old_Jeffro

West Virginia

4/5  rDev +9.9%

06-15-2013 01:44:56 | More by Old_Jeffro

MPSTARR

Florida

2.5/5  rDev -31.3%

06-12-2013 00:09:06 | More by MPSTARR

hoptualBrew

Florida

4.09/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Light copper, clear as glass, off white head and descent lacing.

Aroma is interesting; sweet toffee, healthy dose of leather, mild dark fruit, touch caramel.

On the palate, the leather character is absent, but the rest of the aroma descriptors come through. Mostly a light to moderate toffee sweetness and mineral profile.

Light medium body, good carbonation, and smooth.

Overall, this is a good example of a Scottish ale. The sweet toffee and mineral characters are great, while the beer is light enough to drink in droves. The only detractor for me was the leather like quality in the aroma.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 05:41:25 | More by hoptualBrew

DuffDaddy

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%

06-05-2013 14:49:22 | More by DuffDaddy

megamass

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +3%

06-05-2013 04:16:11 | More by megamass

bigclydeoliver

Ohio

3/5  rDev -17.6%

06-05-2013 01:51:57 | More by bigclydeoliver

pcsnyder

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +30.5%

05-31-2013 12:50:30 | More by pcsnyder

Zaphog

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

05-30-2013 15:20:41 | More by Zaphog

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +3%

05-29-2013 16:41:26 | More by InspectorBob

En29356

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%

05-29-2013 00:12:04 | More by En29356

TequilaTom

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

05-26-2013 16:14:47 | More by TequilaTom

swgwilt

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +9.9%

05-23-2013 01:38:18 | More by swgwilt

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +3%

05-21-2013 18:46:00 | More by Slatetank

DLS168

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +3%

05-20-2013 23:38:05 | More by DLS168

spikechiquet

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +3%

05-20-2013 03:13:30 | More by spikechiquet

dan027

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -45.1%

05-17-2013 02:22:49 | More by dan027

murraymj

Ohio

4/5  rDev +9.9%

05-12-2013 03:17:41 | More by murraymj

skaboom420

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +3%

05-11-2013 02:30:13 | More by skaboom420

hattrick95

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +9.9%

05-04-2013 01:10:58 | More by hattrick95

Dray

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

04-30-2013 11:49:58 | More by Dray

rangerred

Tennessee

3.2/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a nearly clear dark copper with a one finger off-white head. Very good head retention and quite impressive globs of lace clinging to the sides of the glass.

The aroma is caramel, toffee and more caramel and toffee. There is a very slight hint of hay in there but overall, it is quite one dimensionale with not a lot going on.

The flavor continues along the same path of the nose with toffee and caramel and not much else. This is lacking the smokiness that is typical of so many scottish ales and also lacks any real hop flavor. The saving grace, however, is the insanely high drinkability for a style that is not neccesarilly known for this trait. Sweetness is very low with alcohol completely hidden and a soft, smooth mouthfeel.

Overall, what this lacks in flavor it makes up for in drinkability. Not something I would really pick up again but a pleasure to drink the one I had.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 01:46:18 | More by rangerred

TATURBO

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +3%

04-22-2013 23:26:59 | More by TATURBO

Foam

Pennsylvania

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

Perhaps my favorite of Erie Brewing's repetoire ... a take on Scotch Ale minus some of the candy sweet-ness that one finds in the real-deal Scotch Ales but , good enough , given the price ... As the B.A. Bros. state "beware of its drinkability." Yes, I concur .
Strong but , I consider it a session brew ... ideally, when you've got some cheese and meats around for buffering the stomach and not getting too warped ...

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 22:43:47 | More by Foam

JMS1512

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -17.6%

03-29-2013 01:33:47 | More by JMS1512