Stormcloud IPA - Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

jkanavel

Texas

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

This is a decent enough offering from DFW's only well established brewery as far as I know. Its touted as an IPA with German influence.

A- Not bad looking, super clear, crystalline even. Nice tight white head.

S- It didn't have a pronounced aroma at all.

T- Nice hops, tasted like Saaz, they were really spicy whatever they were. OTher than the hop character this isn't much to say about the taste. Very average.

M- Nice and crisp, some good carbonation but not too much. Fairly full bodied.

D- This would make a good session brew.

A pretty average beer all around, its price puts it in the same range as some really classy brews though. I probably won't be buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2008 02:21:42 | More by jkanavel

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%

05-17-2013 01:29:08 | More by SmellsofMahagony

Premo88

Texas

3.99/5  rDev +18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into pub glass

L: murky caramel with definite amber highlights; almost orange, actually ... kind of cool. love the murky opaque look. slight off-white fluffy head that laces; not a ton of lace but definite clingings on the glass wall.

S: molasses mixed into a typical hoppy American pale ale; in fact, the sweet/malty/molasses smell is very on balance with the hops, to the point that the hops do not stand on their own in the nose.

T: follows the nose almost to a T. wonderful and interesting spin on the American IPA ... that sweet taste in there is very different and hard for me to place exactly. the bottom line is there's a lot of balance here between the barley and hops.

M: crisp, clean, a wonderful lightness that is not watery. would be perfect but it's actually over-carbonated, which doesn't bother me at all because I love carbonation -- but even I can tell this one is just a hair overboard from the mythical "perfect."

O: absolutely LOVE it! I don't overscore it here because it's not going to change your life and cause you to declare Stormcloud is the only beer you will ever drink again. No. it's very, very good, not necessarily a classic, but what I love is the BALANCE ... loads of interesting tastes besides hops, yet enough hops (and ABV) to push it past the American pale ale category into the American IPA.

for a Texas comparison, I think this tastes almost exactly like Karbach's Rodeo Clown ... maybe just a bit toned down across the board -- taste, smell, ABV, et. al.

a damn good option when you're out and about in the Metroplex and/or other Texas spots.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 03:52:45 | More by Premo88

Cvescalante

Texas

3/5  rDev -11.2%

04-30-2013 06:13:42 | More by Cvescalante

JakeMorgan13

Illinois

4/5  rDev +18.3%

04-23-2013 00:30:19 | More by JakeMorgan13

J_Dub

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

04-22-2013 22:01:37 | More by J_Dub

bmurray10

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%

04-22-2013 17:57:44 | More by bmurray10

Tamlin

Texas

2/5  rDev -40.8%

04-17-2013 22:44:41 | More by Tamlin

GossageBrewery

Missouri

2.75/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Poured this American IPA from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Poured a clear amber color, produced an average off white head, poor retention and it left a little lacing on the glass. The aroma consisted of light malted grain and a slight hint of oranges. Medium bodied, there is a slight malted grain base, gives way quickly to sweet oranges. Some what floral with just a touch of bitter hops. Overall, its a nice session beer- in terms of an AIPA , its rather simple- a little watery/thin- Could use a more generous helping of hops.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 17:38:26 | More by GossageBrewery

mdterps

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%

04-03-2013 23:45:30 | More by mdterps

jneiswender

Massachusetts

2.75/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Had this beer as part of the brewery tour. Served cool, on tap and in a pint glass

body and golden yellow with a nice white head

faint earthy hops smell but mostly german grain smell.

taste is not hoppy at all. very faint citrus american hop taste but it is overwhelmed by a german grain taste.

light

Just doesn't work. The german grain backbone here is drowning out some paltry hop flavor. It just doesn't taste like even a traditional IPA. Disappointingly non hoppy

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2013 00:17:11 | More by jneiswender

Joeyroush

Texas

4/5  rDev +18.3%

03-13-2013 00:28:42 | More by Joeyroush

Dave_Treat

Virginia

3/5  rDev -11.2%

03-06-2013 04:54:08 | More by Dave_Treat

johnnyb4

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

03-04-2013 18:13:00 | More by johnnyb4

Dusty6467

Texas

2.65/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25

I keep trying to like Rahr beers since I live about 6 minutes from the brewery, but it's just not my style. For an IPA, the heavy malts just don't work.

A: good 2 finger head, great lacing, not a lot of carbonation bubbles, amber copper color

S: strong Carmel with hints of hops

T: strong malt heaviness, Carmel, breadiness grain, slight hop bitterness

M: decent carbonation, sessionable

O: unbalanced, too much malt and not enough hops! unique but not my personal style

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 02:43:09 | More by Dusty6467

dmorgan310

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

03-02-2013 18:52:18 | More by dmorgan310

Stevotex

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +25.7%

02-25-2013 03:05:43 | More by Stevotex

Michaeldmanley

Texas

3/5  rDev -11.2%

02-20-2013 23:48:17 | More by Michaeldmanley

jealousmonk

California

3/5  rDev -11.2%

02-18-2013 09:13:55 | More by jealousmonk

Labeorphile

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from bottle into a tulip glass. One finger sticky head with a mix of small and larger bubbles. No bubble support from underneath. Appealing darker copper color, darker than a typical IPA. Good lacing all the way down.

Smell is kind of light. Not as much hoppiness in the aroma as I expected. A little underlying maltiness, likely due to the push toward a more German inspired IPA.

Flavor matches nose. Lacking in hops, heavier in malt. Plenty of bitterness, but again, weak in the hops. Mouth feel is about right for an IPA, good carbonation.

Not bad, very drinkable, but feels like an "IPA for the masses".

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 03:21:43 | More by Labeorphile

Phil8352

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%

02-09-2013 17:01:56 | More by Phil8352

jkn09

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%

02-08-2013 19:36:44 | More by jkn09

KZE80

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

02-08-2013 05:48:33 | More by KZE80

mendvicdog

Maryland

4/5  rDev +18.3%

01-16-2013 00:55:16 | More by mendvicdog

BryanCarey

Texas

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

This IPA pours to a copper/tan color with a nose that is fruity and malty. The head of foam looks nice and there is a good deal of lacing that continues to the bottom of the glass

This ale has an interesting flavor profile that includes a few surprises for the style. There is some caramel malt, some earthy hops, vanilla, citrus, toasted malt, and a touch of pine. Searching for more flavors reveals a little bit of toffee and other fruit such as lemon. The body of the beer is medium overall and fairly easy drinking for the style.

Stormcloud IPA is a different type of IPA- a beer that has some obvious IPA qualities, but also some German notes that add up to a unique flavor not usually associated with an IPA. Some may even wonder why the company decided to place IPA on the label since this beer isn’t like the typical IPA. I wondered the same thing at first, but I gradually grew to respect this beer for what it is- a German/IPA hybrid that is unlike most products I have tried previously.

This IPA may be a letdown to those looking for some intense hop flavors, but it is still an interesting beer in its own way. It isn’t easy to find, but I recommend sampling a bottle or two if you get the chance, just to find out what such a combination of German and IPA will taste like.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 05:25:30 | More by BryanCarey