Rail Yard Ale - Wynkoop Brewing Company

kojevergas

California

2.93/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Served on-draught into a 5oz taster glass at Wynkoop. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a beige floater; no real head here. Body colour is a clear copper-amber. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Tame fruit character, with clean malts and subservient vague floral hops. Mild in strength but pleasant.

T: Amber malts, clean malts, light cherry/berry fruit esters, and almost a vague light honey note. Hopping is generic floral and adds little. Not horribly complex or subtle, but nicely layered. No yeast or alcohol comes through. Nicely balanced and built. Somewhat full bodied.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Adequate carbonation. Light on the palate. Suits the flavours in a general sense.

Dr: A drinkable beer, but not a fantastic example of the style. Why is this their flagship? A decent offering from Wynkoop, but far from their best regular offering. Meh.

High C

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2013 20:36:13 | More by kojevergas

Dmart1223

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It's a good beer. It's just not outstanding.

Rail Yard is a dark, hazy amber with a tan head that fades fast into a dusting.

I smelled sweet malts and something biscuity. Not too overwhelming, but pleasant.

The taste is meal-like -- with good flavor and body. It's very light (no bitterness), with malt sweetness in the middle and dry biscuit and cereal grain taste and dryness near the end.

This, like other Wynkoop brews, is very sessionable. It's not too heavy. It won't ruin your breath or palate. But it's not going to blow any minds, either. Was that the point of this brew? Probably not. Just shut up and drink it, enjoy it for what it is, and you'll be fine.

Serving type: can

01-14-2013 04:53:33 | More by Dmart1223

brentk56

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber color with a modest cap; just a few dots of lacing are left behind

Smell: Very malty, with caramel and toast; a whiff of diacetyl, too

Taste: Toasty caramel, up front, with a buttery and fruity character that develops by mid-palate; after the swallow, the flavors dry out nicely, making the beer very drinkable

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Not surprised at all that this is a crowd pleaser; I'm not a fan of this style but I had no trouble putting this one down

Serving type: can

08-08-2012 02:31:26 | More by brentk56

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.58/5  rDev +35.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass.

The beer is a pure amber/red color. A light cream colored head ebbs away into a thin film. Really good lacing clings to the glass.

The smell is spot-on for an amber: caramel sweetness and toasted malts.

The taste is delicious, and how I prefer my ambers - loads of sweet caramel. Toasted bread, a nice nutty aftertaste. This is just very good.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a clingy sweetness. A dry carbonation is present in the finish.

Overall, just a solid example of a craft amber ale. All of the right components are there, Well done Wynkoop.

Serving type: can

08-05-2012 19:22:45 | More by JuicesFlowing

ferrari29

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Beer poured from can into a Nonic shaped pint glass

A - Beer pours with a thick orange-reddish colored body; mild amount of carbonation; creme colored head formed, about one finger in size; held rather well; little lacing formed around the glass

S - Yeasty; smell of mold, ricotta cheese; last bit of the scent finishes with a heavy caramel, brown sugar; I got some of this stuff on my hands and now they smell like cotton-candy; moscato grapes; sour

T - Thin malt flavor; roasted malt and a touch of candy-caramel at the end; not really heavy on any other types of flavoring; slight sour yeast taste; figs; not much of a hop profile here either; white grapes

M - Very effervescent; leaves a nice tingly feel on your tongue and as it washes along your cheeks; not much body to this one, and rather bubbly for a beer this thin; heavy sugar aftertaste

D - Not sure where to categorize this beer, at first I was impressed with its sour cheese nose, but was immediately set back by its lack of flavor and body; I'd kindly recommend it to someone who's interested in trying something unique

Serving type: can

05-20-2012 02:52:02 | More by ferrari29

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

3.3/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to xraided for this extra. 12 oz. can poured into a standard pint glass.

A - Pours a cloudy ruby amber color. Very little head and almost no lacing.

S - Plum, bready malt, brown sugar. I'm not getting any hops here.

T - Starts sticky sweet with the flavors from the nose. I then get a very unexpected sour apple and berry flavor. Finishes with a caramel sweetness. Again, no hops. The striking sour an fruity malt flavors are very surprising, but pretty enjoyable nonetheless.

M - Good carbonation and a medium body.

O - I suspect this beer may be pretty old, but no canning date so no way to tell. The flavors I got were sweet and sour with no hop presence whatsoever. Even still, it wasn't bad, just didn't really fit the style for me. Tasted more like a fruit beer than an Amber Ale at this point. I would like to try one fresh to compare.

Serving type: can

04-24-2012 04:24:20 | More by NoLeafClover44

CuBuffsaNut88

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

While living on Wynkoop street in Denver for a few years, the Wynkoop Brewery became a common place for me, and the Rail Yard Ale usually filled my growler. It's a solid beer with a bold taste and a hoppy bite and can be paired very well with red meat. Having said that, I also fully understand arguments that claim it is unbalanced, but to each their own. I also believe that it tastes much better on tap than it does out of the can.

Serving type: growler

03-27-2012 08:31:06 | More by CuBuffsaNut88

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

i dont know if its because i was high as a kite at the phil & friends show last night in broomfield, but i liked this beer a lot, it really hit the sport for a dry mouth with plenty of carbonation, a nice balanced malty crisp brew with some good hopping in the aftertaste. 5 bucks a can too, for a concert, is a great price on a craft brew. in another setting i might enjoy this less, but the mouthfeel and the crispness despite some flavor complexity made this one a very enjoyable experience for me. i will look forward to drinking this at phil nights 2 and 3 wooo

Serving type: can

02-17-2012 19:52:37 | More by StonedTrippin

kylehay2004

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed at the brewery

A: clear and nice amber color with a single finger head.

S: pungent hops and malt aroma.

T: toasted and caramel malts and some hop notes.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: very drinkable but nothing memorable.

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2011 01:33:16 | More by kylehay2004

GarrettB

Colorado

3.23/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

What’s a beer drinker to order when he or she finds themselves all fancied up for a night at the wine bar? Beer, of course. I don’t know the first thing about wine, and can contentedly sip Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon without the slightest idea that it’s anything but swill. When I had an evening out at a wine bar in Denver I opted for a beer off of the very abbreviated beer menu - a brew from the next door Wynkoop Brewery. Their Railyard Red seemed like a satisfactory substitute for a glass of wine of unknown quality (though eye-poppingly priced). I didn’t think about it much; ambers, red’s and beers of that malty ilk never impressed me. However, on a recent trip to Dry Dock Brewery in Aurora, CO I had the chance to munch on some malted barley, and finally learned what real malt tastes like. This caramel rich malt flavor is the taste of the Railyard Red. It’s hazy red-orange body conceals a light scent of malt in the aroma, but the flavor is dripping with rich malt flavors, almost like malt extract straight from the homebrew store. The aftertaste lingers, as unctuous flavors of caramel and roasted malts settle on the tongue. Caramel is the forward and singular flavor here, but it is intense, and wonderful. I never held much esteem for beers in this flavor profile, but my trip to Dry Dock has made me renounce my ways.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2011 20:51:42 | More by GarrettB

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at their brewpub

Poured an orange-honey color with a small white head. Sweet, malty aroma, with floral hops and toasted grains. Basically the same in the taste, pretty well-balanced, though not exceptionally flavorful. Medium body with a dry finish, and pretty drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2011 16:06:34 | More by Rifugium

tito42

Missouri

3.08/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from can to an imperial pint. No freshness date on can.

A: Semi-clear and chestnut in color. Thin off-white head dissipates quickly but hangs around and leaves decent lacing.

S: Bready yeast and caramel roasted malt. Apple and plum.

T: Caramel and malt up front with a very dry finish of nuts and peat. Very dichotomous in taste.

M: Somewhat creamy up front, but transitions to an overly dry finish and a somewhat unpleasantly earthy hops finish. Not necessarily pleasant.

O: A very 'meh' amber ale to me. A decent malt base but unbalanced and not very pleasant on the palate.

Serving type: can

08-05-2011 03:03:59 | More by tito42

DelMontiac

Oklahoma

3.9/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked up a single 12oz can at Superior Liquor in Louisville, CO. Really nice store with some mix-a-six deals. Check 'em out.

Looks nice - medium amber, clear, topped off with a frothy white head that fades to a thin ring in a few minutes. Lace is scant, but there.

Smells sticky-sweet, super malty, and really buttery.

Wynkoop claims this beer is half Oktoberfest and half English Ale which means "maltbomb" to me. Every once in a while I like a good old hop-negative, buttery, caramel-sweet, doughy, gooey maltbomb. That's what this is.

Feel is medium bodied, low carb, and slightly sticky. Highly drinkable.

Overall, enjoyable when in the mood for a maltbomb. It's like a mellow Marzen. I would buy this again.

Serving type: can

07-28-2011 01:27:07 | More by DelMontiac

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.03/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Yes, I had this in a bottle. Purple, with a trainenginecar on the front. Old school.

Light brown appearance, thin head to it, kind of a nutty aroma, not much going on there.

Malt forward, hops ever slight, still pushes the nuttiness as a flavor component. Not too heavy, although the appearance might dissuade some from tasing it because it might be a 'dark' beer.

Easy enough to drink, pretty straightforward and unremarkable, though doing nothing bad.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 20:21:07 | More by Beerandraiderfan

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Draft at the Rackhouse in Denver, CO.

Pours a clear dark copper/amber color with golden orange hues and a 1.5 finger white head that slowly fades into a lasting ring.  Spots of soapy lacing left behind.

Bland aroma with sweet malt notes and faint floral hops.  Hints of caramel, slightly toasty and not much else.

Medium bodied and fuller than expected with a good balance of sweet malt and earthy hops.  Surprisingly hop forward giving slight dry bitterness that counter the sweeter malt notes.  Still a bit too sweet for my liking with caramel, rye, hazelnut and biscuit.  Not bad but a bit too sweet. Maybe some light fruit apricot and orange.  

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2011 06:03:14 | More by corby112

atomicbeer

New Mexico

3.15/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a slightly hazy dark orange with a small ecru head that fades fast to a fine gauze and ring; no lace. Aroma of orange and lemon, some sweet malt, and a little floral/grasssy note. Taste is grassy, maybe even a little waxy; some browned apple note followed by lemony/sour hops. Mouthfeel is full but slightly on the watery side; slight carbonation; somewhat dry.

However ends up being moderately drinkable. Could have a few.

Serving type: can

02-20-2011 23:59:07 | More by atomicbeer

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #37 (Feb 2010):

Describe as having the maltiness of an Oktoberfest lager and joys of a classic English Ale.

Pours a hazy (unfiltered, perhaps), rich, dark amber with a very creamy foam head. Musty, metallic and bready in the nose with a touch of apple and hop leaf. Well-rounded body that's just shy of medium. Quite smooth. Very toasty and bready up front with a mild apple fruit note and subtle raisins in the background. Watery, grassy, hoppy finish. Then every- thing drops and goes dry.

A bit lackluster in our opinion, with no one element deciding to be the backbone that holds the rest together.

Serving type: can

11-12-2010 19:55:40 | More by BeerAdvocate

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Chicago Bears shaker pint glass.

Thanks to JMBSH for this can!

I've heard good things about Wynkoop, so I'm glad to finally be able to this guy (especially considering how long I've been sitting on it). It pours a clear straight amber topped by nearly a finger of white foam. The nose is a blast of buttery biscuits with a single buoy of hoppy florality bobbing around in the squall. The taste switches things up a bit, emphasizing the florals instead of the biscuits, though the latter holds up better here than the florals did in the 'strils. The body is a very light medium, with a moderate carbonation and a kinda dry-ish finish. Overall, a decent brew, nothing special, but drinkable enough to enjoy on a fairly regular basis without complaints.

Serving type: can

09-26-2010 05:25:15 | More by TMoney2591

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pour - ruby-ish amber in appearance with some nice bubbles streaming upwards into a dense mat of off-white foam. It looks malty and sweet just from the appearance. Hold this one up to the light and you've got something to sit back and enjoy with your eyes...but who really wants to do that for very long?

Aroma - sticking my nose into this I get a big whiff of delicious warm maltiness, toasted bread, fresh pressed cider, brown sugar and perhaps a slight tinge of citrus. This smells great!

Taste - toasty, malty and yet very light on the palate. I was expecting something much richer and sweeter. Baked apples meets toasted brown bread. Crisp in the finish with a touch of sweetness left on the tongue. I am impressed by this rather straight forward brew.

Overall - light, refreshing and yet full-flavored. Great malt profile but not overly sweet. This is actually close to perfect when it comes to a solid American session ale. I really think Wynkoop nailed it with Rail Yard. Fantastic stuff for any occasion.
Would I buy more of it? - if I could, I would. I actually think I could turn some non-craft beer drinkers around by giving them a glass of this. Actually, I am pretty sure I could turn around some folks that think canned beer is bad beer by giving them a glass of this as well. Good stuff.

Serving type: can

08-25-2010 00:57:24 | More by indiapaleale

Rayek

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Nonic.

A: Orange amber with a soapy cream cap that comes and goes quickly. Leaves no lace.

S: Toffee, lemon and pepper make up the mild nose.

T: Tastes pretty much like I remember from the first time I had it in the 90s. Bittersweet toffee starts things out. Bitterness is mild and brings a citrus and pepper bite. Finishes with lingering pepper and citrus flavors.

M: The light body is somewhat dry. The carbonation felt low to me.

D: This beer has been around for ages and hasn't changed over the years. It's a simple amber ale that goes well with a game of pool on a warm summer evening.

Serving type: can

08-21-2010 03:18:05 | More by Rayek

champ103

Texas

3.65/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a light amber/reddish color. A one finger beige head forms, but sticks throughout as a ring. Very light lace.
S: Light citrus hops. Grassy and floral. Light pale malts with some caramel sweetness.
T: Follows the nose. Light hops up front. Light citrus, but mostly grassy and floral. A caramel sweetness lingers.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. Dry, crisp, and refreshing. Easy to drink. I could easily quaff several in a sitting.

This is an enjoyable beer. Very simple, but works. A good beer to quaff at the brewpub, and at several other places around the city. Try it if you get the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2010 03:57:10 | More by champ103

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

How exciting that Wynkoop has gotten into CANned beer and even more so that I was able to score a CAN in support of the CANQuest (TM)! CAN you dig it?

From the CAN: "Engineered to Perfection; Pack It In, Pack It Out; The malty goodness of an Oktoberfest meets the joys of a classic English-style ale. Hearty and refreshing. All aboard!"

This was another CANned craft beer which was filled up to the brim, resulting in a light spray when the CAN was cracked open. Are the macros cheating us or are the micros overfilling their CANs? I'm not complaining, just asking. It also resulted in some drip action, of which I am not a fan. The pour created two foamy fingers' worth of ecru head that acted like a cap atop the beer, displaying excellent retention in the face of the crushing heat and humidity today. Color was a slightly hazy orangish-amber. Nose was very fruity, berry-like. I kind of agree with the previous reviewer about strawberry, but maybe raspberry, also. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full with breadiness, fruitiness, nuttiness and caramel in the mouth. Hops were not evident in this one! Finish seemed a bit bland after all of the initial flavors. I CANnot say that I am a big fan of this one. Oh well, not every micro-CAN is going to have "Cooler" status.

Serving type: can

07-08-2010 16:16:54 | More by woodychandler

Bizz88

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Was poured a nice medium amber color with a thin white head leaving just a bit of lacing. The aromas where a fruity malt infusion with a likeness of strawberry. A smooth light taste of malty nutty carmel with a slight hops finish. A light medium body with enough carbonation to make it refreshing. An eazy drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2010 00:54:22 | More by Bizz88

emmasdad

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

When I was a little kid, I started collecting beer cans. I used to go to the grocery store with my dad and convince him to by this crazy variety of cans for my collection. I remember him purchasing all kinds of quality beers such as Lowenbrau, Hamms, Olympia and even the white can with "Beer" in black letters. Fast forward and my son is doing the same. This purchase is the result of one of our shopping trips. Pours a slighty hazy, dark copper color with a fairly decent white head. Pretty malty nose on this one; pretty similar on the palate, with caramel and just a hint of hops. A pretty decent beer, and an even better memory.

Serving type: can

05-22-2010 00:41:40 | More by emmasdad

L4t3rg4t3r

Virginia

3.65/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to my Dad for bringing this back from Colorado in his suitcase!

P= Pours a light amber into a taster glass. Fizzy head for about half a minute before it fades into sudsy remnants.

S=Smells Sweet and slightly bready. Clean,

T=Tastes like it smells. Slightly sweet and malt forward. I detect almost no hops, but the flavor is nicely balanced. Nothing too challenging here, the flavors are simple and clean.

D=This brew is very easy to drink. No danger of palate fatigue and a couple won't put you into orbit. Simple and straighforward, this beer is definitely welcome after a long day. I'm glad I got to try it!

Serving type: can

05-21-2010 02:22:49 | More by L4t3rg4t3r