Ugly Pug Black Lager - Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

Spineypanda

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a black, barely see-through color with a little head. Has a great consistency, light.
Smells of aromatic hops, and maybe a little sweets, but not much.
Tastes like the hops, and have just a bit of the character I would get from a bock. Has a really light feel to it, and the flavor is refreshing.

I like this beer a lot! Great job!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2010 00:13:35 | More by Spineypanda

GregSVT

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet...one of my all time favs from Rahr. Had on tap at the brewery and out of the bottle but I'll review the on-tap version.

A: Pours black with very little light coming through. A big dark brown head slowly fades to a small layer and leaves a ton of lacing.

S: The nose is full of cocoa, chocolate malts, coffee, and a slight sweetness.

T: The taste is excellent with a big dose of chocolate and coffee with a malty sweetness and a slightly roasty/bitter finish.

M: The feel is creamy and smooth...very porter-ish.

D: This is one of the most drinkable dark beers I've had. The ABV is incredibly low for a beer with this much flavor. I sat and drank 4 or 5 of these during the big game on Sunday and wasn't even phased.

This is very close to being a porter...if it was a tad darker I'd say it was. If you can find it on tap it's excellent...the bottle falls a bit short of this score in the mouthfeel department but it's still good.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2010 18:45:48 | More by GregSVT

rfabian

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tumbler it produces a half inch head that leaves fair lacing. The appearance is dark reddish-brown and clear when held up to the sunlight, almost opaque by ambient light indoors. The aroma is mostly of toasted grain and malt with a hint of earthy hops. The flavor is surprisingly sweet, toasty, malty with little bitterness, almost like a bock. But the feel is on the light-bodied side, and the finish is of slightly bitter malt.

This is a very refreshing, enjoyable and drinkable beer, a good session choice.

This beer seems to follow what is becoming a Texas tradition of light bodied maltiness with a light hop presence in beers, going by the styles of St. Arnolds, Real Ale, and Spoetzl.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 14:32:51 | More by rfabian

fjordhook

Texas

3.38/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

appearance: had a very nice look, dark chocolatey brown that looks thick already

smell: right away i could smell the chocolate, but laced within there were hints of nuts and malts

taste: a very thick beer, where all the blends from the smell mix together with a bite

mouthfeel/drinkability: felt like a meal while drinking, the combination of a dark beer and the bite it had didn't feel right to me

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2010 04:05:20 | More by fjordhook

Wasatch

Utah

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes out to JJFoodie for this brew.

Pours a nice black color, very nice carbonation, very nice two-finger fizzy/foamy light tan head, with some nice sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, with some roasted nuts, toffee/caramel. The taste is slightly sweet, malty, with some roasty notes, and a nice little touch of toffee. Medium body. Drinkable, a tasty little brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2010 21:05:30 | More by Wasatch

baseballrock

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a - dark with some great mahogany hue. small cream colored head that has minimal retention.

s - the smell burst of semi sweet toffee.

t - sweet cocoa and toffee. nice maltyness and toasty bread notes. clean hop finish completes a good tasting brew.

m - very balanced. light to medium bodied

d - good drinkability, lucky to live in DFW, i can find the rahr beers in many places. i've had ugly gug on tap in several restaurants and it always impresses.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2010 20:02:05 | More by baseballrock

Richardberg

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - poured into a pint glass. dark opaque brown, ruby fringe, small head

S - burnt bread. not much else, but mmm.

T - toasty but balanced, finishes pretty bitter

M - somewhat sticky, but otherwise light body

D - easy drinking in most every respect save the fairly unusual flavor

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2010 04:19:07 | More by Richardberg

tatoodkelt

Maryland

2.38/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Got this one in trade from gramatton, thanks again man!

Consumed 12/15/2009- from notes.

Brown 12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A- Very dark brown with ruby edging when held up to the light. Topped off by a one finger soapy, khaki colored head that faded almost instantly to a patchy skim.

S- Smoked brown bread with an odd almost metallic skunk note sneaking in.

T- The metallic skunk has almost completely pushed aside any other flavors and picked up a little nail polish note along the way.

M- Medium bodied and smooth.

D- I only got about a third of the way through this one before it went down the drain. I'm assuming it was a bad batch and if I ever get to try it again I'll update the review.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2009 20:05:05 | More by tatoodkelt

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Acquired this one from gramatton so a big THANK YOU goes out to him!

A: This beer pours deep, dark almost opaque brown but when held to the light allows for mahogany hues. An offwhite film of head sits on top and not much lacing to speak of.

S: Nose is of light caramel, honey, touch of toffee, and some grain.

T: Taste is pretty much sweetness through and through. Honey and caramel malts kick this one off. Some grain and toffee meet in the middle with a finish that has a light smoke flavoring.

M: Light bodied, medium carbonation, thin feel at first and a bit creamier finish.

D: Decent beer, I've better of the style, but it's tasty and goes down easily and given the ABV easily one to sit with for a while.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2009 03:22:34 | More by Jayli

brentk56

North Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a fudgy borwn color with cola highlights and an almost creamy beige head that leaves a few strands of lace

Smell: Toasted brown bread aroma with a hint of smoke

Taste: Crusty brown bread up front, with a somewhat twangy sour flavor developing by mid-palate; after the swallow, a cindery smoke flavor joins the profile, with the bready flavors lingering into the finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Not really enjoying the twangy aspect and the ashen flavors are also a detriment; I like the brown bread elements but the beer just doesn't come together very well

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2009 23:39:35 | More by brentk56

MASPuros

California

3.78/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this in a PIF from GregSVT. Thanks brother!

Appearance - Nice clear brown appearance with minimal head around the edges.

Smell - Smells bready and malty. Some smoke

Taste - Bitter sweet cocoa flavor that fades into bread and a little peat smoke.

Mouthfeel - Light, clean, flavorful and refreshing

Drinkablity - Easy to drink with a very pleasant aroma and flavor character. Great session beer, I would recommend this one for you malt heads.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2009 03:08:14 | More by MASPuros

brownbeer

Missouri

3.55/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle.

Mahogany without much head.

Nose is toasty burnt malt, which isn't bad for the style.

Taste is bitter chocolate malt and roasty with a hint of caramel sweetness.

It could use a bit more heft in the body, but overall a tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2009 15:16:25 | More by brownbeer

chickencoop

California

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

Appearance - very inviting smoky color, nice tan head.
Smell - malty, smoky coffee tones.
Taste/ Mouthfeel - drinking this style of beer you need to get over the fact that they are easy drinking and not heavy as the color indicates. A very refreshing full bodied taste, with a nice full flavor feel to it, but it all fades leaving you to want more.
Drinkability - this style is very drinkable and very tasty. I can't say that I would go and search one of these out but for the few I had, I enjoyed it. The better of the Rahr brewery beers I've had.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2009 05:26:02 | More by chickencoop

drunkboxer1

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Not as black as a lot of these beers tend to be. Deep brown, chocolaty color. Smells sweet and like roasted malts. A good amount of dark malt character in it, with a small amount of hops balancing it out a little. One of the better interpretations of this style I've had.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2009 16:22:18 | More by drunkboxer1

ckeegan04

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Very dark brown with bright ruby highlights when held up to light. Head is about an inch thick, light brown, with lots of little bubbles. Head slowly fades to about a 1/4 inch cap.

S - Big bready aroma with light toasted notes. Aroma sweetens as the beer warms. A light herbal and earthy quality exists as well.

T - Strong toasted bread taste up front with more roasted notes coming through as the beer warms. Very malt forward beer here. Light earthiness from the hops provide some balance. Lightly bitter finish from the roastiness coming through.

M/D - A little on the thin side. Good carbonation and well balanced flavors make it very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2009 15:02:13 | More by ckeegan04

PEBKAC

New York

3.33/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

My first tastes of Rahr, you know who you are. :)

Smoke rising off the lip, a ruby highlighted, black bourbon sort of brew. Sloshy inch of light tan head, leaving behind just speckles of lace. Good bit of sediment caked at the bottom of the glass, with just enough chewiness falling into the glass.

Smell is of crystal malt, minerals, sticky beer residue & metal.

Taste is predominately mild coffee grounds, bigger cola, & bark. Lightly sharp roast in the front, followed by a quick dash of citric acid, & then some biscuity sweetness. Finish is somewhat dusty, but with just a twinge of residual sweetness.

Frothy, excited mouthfeel. Thin & light, like I think it should be.

Easy enough to quaff, but just not as satisfying a flavor as I would like. Sam Adams(black lager) seems to have the six pack a day schwarz down pat. But hey, I drank two as a capper. It can't be too bad. :)

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2009 06:14:22 | More by PEBKAC

brewdoc75

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had on tap last night at the Y.O. Steakhouse.

A: Black/brown in color with ruby highlights. A slight off white head dies down quickly. Good carbonation throughout.

S: Not a whole lot in the way of aroma, but I get some licorice, chocolate and roasted flavors.

T: Chocolate flavor seems to be the strongest, followed by some roasted flavors. I do get a hint of licorice in the end. Really no hop flavors, which fits the style ok. The flavors were a bit muted. I even let it warm a bit and it didn't seem to help a whole lot.

M: A bit on the watery end. I'd say this one was leaning towards light-bodied.

D: This was a pretty above-average beer. Definitely my best choice on tap and probably the best beer I had in Dallas, however my experience was limited to Shiner, Negro Modelo, and Sam adams. It paired well with my sirloin steak, but I was longing for a bit more flavor. Worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2009 00:49:29 | More by brewdoc75

jpaltan

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark black and opaque kind of purplish. Head foams up to a finger width and then is gone. Smell is caramel and malty. Little smell of hops. Taste is a bit spicy and slightly peppery (very subtle). There is a maltiness that is all around and then comes in a touch of hops to balance it out at the end. Mouthfeel has some body to it with a nice level of carbonation. Drinkablity is pretty high.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 22:34:29 | More by jpaltan

pants678

California

3.3/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

From bottle to a standard english pint, it comes out opaque, but at the bottom corners of the glass, light is able to seep through. The head is but half a finger and has all ready disappeared, leaving a thin lace. It's a very dark chocolate brown color, deep with some carmel/espresso compliments sitting at the bottom.

Distinct aroma of charred coffee beans and milk chocolate. There's good width and I think I have a guess what this will taste like.

That was not what I was thinking. The flavors are hidden undertones beneath an overwhelming charred flavor. I have to dig for the hints of espresso which are not at all satisfying. Chalk this up as a beer that smells much better than it tastes. The back end is nice, there is no aftertaste, no real lingering. It opens up toward the middle, clearing up and surfacing an oak and coffee combination.

It has decent texture, it would benefit from less carbonation. It's surprisingly light despite the appearance.

Clean and dry with some bumps and bruises in between, but that's better than sliding down so easily you didn't even know it was there.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 01:36:30 | More by pants678

Tbn2

New York

2.98/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle to beer mug.

Pours jet black with an off white head that retreats to the ring of the glass and then disappears.

Smells is mostly coffee and burnt sugar. There is a little off smell there though. Perhaps from fermentation a touch too warm.

Taste is decent. The hops flavor is pretty good and the coffee and earthy flavors at the end are a nice touch. The hops have a good earthy feel and taste, but there taste like some off flavors from the fermentation.

I was hoping for a better brew here. A little disapointing though.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2009 22:50:16 | More by Tbn2

BeanBone

Texas

3.23/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep brown, nearly black at times, with dull ruby highlights. On top, a decent off-white head that leaves little lacing.

Aroma: Earthy roasted malt with hints of coffee and chocolate. A little thin.

Taste: Much the same. The flavor profile is earthy, smokey, nutty, and mildly bitter malt accompanied by coffee and chocolate notes. Nothing much in the way of hops. While complex, it's still somewhat thin most of the time. The aftertaste is relatively intense and tastes of roasted grains.

Mouthfeel: Too light for my preferences. The carbonation is pretty sharp, but not too biting.

Drinkability: With a light body, somewhat thin (yet tasty) flavor, and low alcohol content, this goes back quickly.

Verdict: A nice enough beer, but not my favorite Texan Black Lager (that award goes to Shiner 97). Everything here is tasty enough, but there's just not enough of it if you catch my drift. If this was just a little more intense and full, it could be a winner.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2009 19:16:42 | More by BeanBone

goatgoat

California

3.95/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear black that becomes woody with garnet tones when held to light. An aggressive pour brings a tall creamy tan head which falls over a respectable, but not impressive, amount of time. No lace to speak of.

Aroma is gentle. Light sweet malts, honey. A bare hint of dark fruit.

Flavor is much "darker" while still being refreshing. Still sweet and malty. But with a roasted character and a coffee note in the finish, along with a low bitterness. No specific hop character. Not as crisp as other lagers but still a very clean flavor.

Light body. Carbonation is a high but not biting.

This was quite an enjoyable surprise for me. I started the 6pack with some trepidation and was wonderfully surprised. It's not the kind of beer that you go on stupid adventures with. It's not the kind of beer you bare your soul too. It's not the kind of beer that can't shut up and pummels you with flavor after flavor.
It's the kind of beer you sit on the porch with and watch the cars go by.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2009 21:51:25 | More by goatgoat

wagenvolks

Texas

3.38/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a Delirium tremens snifter.

Ugly Pug isn't ugly at all! In fact, the nearly opaque, sepia & seal brown body is quite attractive beneath an inch of well-retained, custard/tan foam. One of the darkest, best-looking Schwarzbiers I've had. Aroma is solid, too, and the malty layers reminds me of peanut butter and chocolate (think Reeses' Peanut Butter Cup cereal), while the hops smell of peat and earth.

Things go a bit downhill in the taste department, as a blandish roasted malt presence tries its hardest to suggest powdered cocoa, but really only attains a slight caramel biscuit note. Not much in the way of hops, either, and the overzealous carbonation level and dry finish kill off much of the crispness and refreshing qualities for which the style is known. Still, Ugly Pug is a nice interpretation of a Schwarzbier from Rahr & Sons, and one I could see myself having again.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2009 02:39:24 | More by wagenvolks

jujubeast6000

Texas

4.58/5  rDev +26.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed 3/13/2009 (Bottle):

Pours a dark brown black color body, with a tannish, creamy looking head, okay sized and somewhat lasting. Dark roasty malty aroma, some coffee. A little skunkiness. Some fruitiness too. Enticing. Creamy mouthfeel, light fruitiness, like a hefe, some banana. Not as stouty as I was expecting. Very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2009 23:45:47 | More by jujubeast6000

champ103

Texas

3.23/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark brown with some red highlights. A small beige head forms. Light lace is left behind.
S: Roasted malt with some sweet grain. A light hop aroma. Not much is here.
T: Follows the nose. Sweet roasted malt with some grain. A very light hop bitterness.
M/D: A light to medium body. A bit over carbonated for my tastes. A little on the watery side. Easy and smooth to drink. Something I could session if nothing else was around.

Kind of bland. Decent, but nothing I would recommend with enthusiasm.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2009 03:40:15 | More by champ103