Reindeer's Revolt - Ridgeway Brewing

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.28/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500mL bottle poured into a Tulip Stout glass. No date on the bottle.

Appearance: Mostly clear copper-amber. There is a slight haze to this beer. A dense light orange-white head upon pouring dies back to a thin soapy head across the top. Persistent tiny strands and dots of lacing noted.

Smell: Odd. Cooked veggie and sulfurous at times. Not very appealing. With a swirl though some other more pleasant smells come through, a bit flowery hops against the other smells. Still not great though.

Taste: Bitter, with some buttery malt underneath. A bit of mineral twang at the end. There are English bittering hops in abundance here, with some strong tea-like bitterness noted.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation. A bit sticky on the teeth. Otherwise nothing special.

Overall / Drinkability: It's alright, but I've had much better strong ales. In fact, other than the higher ABV, I'd classify this as a bitter or an English Pale Ale before I'd call it a strong ale. Not good enough to get again (again, not a great smell, just okay in the other categories) but is strangely drinkable. I finished this off rather quickly despite the smell. I found it went quite well with food and maybe that is what makes it drinkable. Good for washing down a meal, not good on its own. So overall average and maybe slightly below average, but strangely drinkable. Go figure.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 00:06:55 | More by damndirtyape

Peg2009

Maryland

4/5  rDev +16.6%

03-17-2013 01:03:59 | More by Peg2009

mattyrubes

New York

3.5/5  rDev +2%

01-10-2013 01:43:19 | More by mattyrubes

b2hogan

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -5.2%

01-08-2013 01:38:32 | More by b2hogan

dmorgan310

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +9.3%

01-07-2013 06:05:53 | More by dmorgan310

jslice99

New York

3.5/5  rDev +2%

12-25-2012 07:18:43 | More by jslice99

pkalix

California

4/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

clear amber, minimum head.
smells hoppy, christmas-y.
tastes hoppy, christmas-y. nice, easy, drinkable.
medium feel, minor carbonation.
overall, man i am just INUNDATED with all the christmas brews in the front at Total Wine! sinister elf, criminal elf. neurotic reindeer.... easy drinking brew, a little more hoppy than i usually prefer, but a really nice brew. they do all seem the same, however. lots o' hops, taste like a christmas tree . . . .

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 02:34:45 | More by pkalix

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +2%

12-17-2012 22:05:08 | More by stereosforgeeks

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev +2%

12-17-2012 03:22:36 | More by t0rin0

dedrinker

Kansas

3.53/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer. Is a clear amber color. Not much head. To speak of.

It smells. Like caramel and rubber.

I kind of don't like the taste. Makes me mad.

There is some redeeming fruity and malty taste I like, but not enough.

It feels sad. On my mouth.

This beer cost me $5.49. Just for one bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 04:08:19 | More by dedrinker

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.1/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from tasting notes.

Pours out a light brownish-amber color with a brief-lived head for a minute that collapses back to an off-white rim around the inside of the glass, no real lacing is left behind on the inside of the glass. Body and carbonation levels are both on the lighter side of medium strength. Texturally, it feels just a bit too thin, and could have used a bit of a carbonation boost.

Smells mostly of semi-dry toffee malt, morning bun dough and brown sugar with chopped pecans sprinkled on top, and a subtle earthy noble hop accent in the background. Tastes of the same doughy-toffee sweetness but doesn't have a great portion of the nuts and hopping strength that was present in the nose. I'm not sure what makes this a Christmas Ale as the label of the bottle claims, and not just another dark ale, as I could not really detect any sort of holiday spicing element in particular.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 21:54:59 | More by WastingFreetime

beerpadawan

California

3.25/5  rDev -5.2%

08-27-2012 00:22:10 | More by beerpadawan

OriolesFan1008

Maryland

3/5  rDev -12.5%

06-07-2012 14:42:24 | More by OriolesFan1008

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -5.2%

04-01-2012 22:57:32 | More by TMoney2591

tvv375ia

Iowa

3.53/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

poured from 16.9oz bottle into imperial pint glass

A-fairly clear dark ochre with about a 2 finger head that leaves a little lcaing as it fades

S-lots of bready malts with a touch of dark fruits and a little carmel

T-bready character comes through here also with faint carmel and just on the fnish a bit of orange citrus

M-good carbonation but pretty light bodied

O-nothing in it that really makes it seem like a christmas beer to me, it is light enough that it can be had most of the year without feeling heavy

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 05:40:44 | More by tvv375ia

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 16.9 oz. bottle. Has a caramel color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is slightly sweet, malts, bready. Taste is malts, nutty, caramel, some hops, a light bitterness.Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall makes for a solid offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 14:19:37 | More by tone77

LJWalker

Alabama

3.5/5  rDev +2%

03-05-2012 17:03:39 | More by LJWalker

Kahlerbock

Kansas

2.5/5  rDev -27.1%

02-21-2012 15:32:21 | More by Kahlerbock

PorterLambic

Florida

3.63/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, bright light copper/orange with a light tan head atop. Decent lace left behind.
Smell is a well-balanced mix of caramel maltiness and herbal hoppiness. A light citrus note follows through, increasing slightly as it warms.
Taste is a nice balance of hops and malt as the English ales do so well. Citrus with notes of caramel and herb.
Medium bodied with a solid effervescence up front previews a drying finish. Hops holds sway here, especially in the aftertaste. Alcohol is very subdued for 6% ABV. A good solid brew though I see nothing to back up the "christmas ale" on the label. No spices, nothing that typically comes as a winter seasonal brew. Had some of that been present, I could have easily gone higher in several areas.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 02:55:15 | More by PorterLambic

groetman

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -27.1%

01-29-2012 18:39:05 | More by groetman

OldTime

Georgia

3/5  rDev -12.5%

01-28-2012 17:42:37 | More by OldTime

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.5/5  rDev +2%

01-12-2012 17:19:57 | More by CwrwAmByth

IdrinkGas

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -27.1%

01-04-2012 01:43:03 | More by IdrinkGas

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ridgeway’s Reindeer’s Revolt has a medium, soapy, cream-colored head and a somewhat hazy amber appearance, with pretty thick lacing left behind and a few streaming bubbles. The aroma is mild, but one can detect hay, citrus, sweetness, and bread. Taste is of sweet barley malt, hop bitterness at the back end, caramel, and toffee. Mouthfeel is medium and soft, and Reindeer’s Revolt finishes fairly crisp, semi-dry, and it has high drinkability. Overall, this is good, and I certainly think it’s worth a try.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 16:13:28 | More by RonaldTheriot

Pskiv

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +16.6%

12-26-2011 22:51:14 | More by Pskiv